Vandals would pay double: R R Patil

Mumbai, Jul 14 (UNI) The Maharashtra government would introduce a legislation in the upcoming Legislature session to punish severely any person vandalizing public or private property in course of any agitation, Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil said today.

This act would also protect journalists, doctors and government servents from attacks.

Mr Patil said the loss of property would be recovered in double amount as per revenue procedure. Also, the vandals would be levied a fine of Rs 50,000 plus they would have to undergo a prison term of three years.

''I shall introduce the legislation to this effect in the Assembly,'' said Mr Patil.

In any agitation, private and public property such as State Transport buses are damaged. People are unnecessarily troubled by such acts. Henceforth, the agitators should keep in mind that the government would act tough and recover the cost double the damage done, he clarified.

When asked about the new campaign being undertaken by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), whereby its chief Raj Thackeray has been writing letters to various officers threatening them not to indulge in corruption, Mr Patil said he was not against writing letters to officers but if it is a threatening letter, then it would attract action.

''No officer has so far complained against such a letter,'' he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister appealed to both NCP and BJP not to indulge in any kind of agitations, saying ''both the parties have a different image and the party workers should not resort to any kind of agitations.'' UNI XR SSS LS RAI2124