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While the rest of the country is tense about the fate of Kargil, one state in India seems to be too engrossed about its own war within to have time for the country. The BJP-Shiv Sena ruled state of Maharashtra has seen a spurt of crime as never before and even government officials have come out openly against the rise in such activity. In Aurangabad district alone, the share of killings has gone up by a staggering 600 per cent while places like Latur, yet to recover from the devastating earthquake a few years back, have shown no less tendency towards crime. Incidentally, government statistics have shown that the crime rate is highest in the big cities like Mumbai and Pune.

Women have never had it so bad before. Atrocities against women have gone up by 15 per cent while the number of rape cases in the state touched 125 in May alone, not to speak of the 250 cases of dacoities during the same month. The state has also seen rise of over 700 per cent in the incidents of riotous activities with Satara district topping the list. These statistics, incidentally, pertain obviously to those cases, which have been reported to the police and have been recorded. Given the state of law and order in Maharashrtra, it is beyond doubt that many more cases go unreported for fear of reprisals and threats. The film industry as well as other corporate captains has already said that they are in constant dread of the mafia which has a free run of the law in Mumbai. Matters may soon go out of hand in Mumbai unless the politicians there, who obviously have more than a passing association with the crime lords, strive to bring back a sense of good governance to the state.