Maharashtra witnesses 3,000 murders in a year: R R Patil

Mumbai, Aug 8 (UNI) Exressing concern over the rising number of daily conflicts, especially across the villages in Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil today called upon the people to follow the Gandhian values to resolve such issues in a peaceful and amicable way.

In an interview given to the All India Radio (AIR), for the 'Dilkhulas' programme on Mahatma-Gandhi's conflict-free Villages campiagn', which is to be broadcast tomorrow and on Friday and Saturday, Mr Patil, who also holds the Home portfolio, said in the state, some 3,000 murders and another one lakh cases of physical dual take place which is a matter of grave concern.

The government will launch 'Mahatma Gandhi's conflict-free capmiagn on August 15, which aims at conflict resolution among the people at the lowest level of the democracy, the village panchayat.

''Such cases are on the rise. At present, some 23 lakh cases are pending in the courts. Under the Mahatma Gandhi's conflict-free villages campiagn, we hope to resolve cases of personal conflicts amocably,'' Patil told the Radio.

He urged the people at the village level to form village committtees on their own and make the campaign a big success.

Mr Patil said the people should set up conflict-free village committees and they should have representation of all classes of the society, and participate in the campaign, which will be organised in the gram sabhas.

The Deputy Chief Minister, however, added that despite all odds, India still had a lesser crime rate in comparison to the West.

Attributing this fact to the social values, Mr Patil told the programme, ''in the United States, there are 250 policemen over every 1,000 population, whereas in India the ratio was just 80 cops for every 1,000, which is quite low. However, the crime rate in the US is higher than in India. This proves that India is one of the safest country in the world.'' UNI