Gawli's party to donate funds to Maharashtra military group

The Maharashtra Military Foundation will soon receive monetary assistance from the Akhil Bharatiya Sena, it has been learnt from reliable sources. The Akhil Bharatiya Sena is backed by Arun Gawli. The MMF needs about Rs 150,000 to Rs 200,000 to start 82 military training centres in Maharashtra, besides Goa, and Belgaum and Karwar in Karnataka.

Colonel Chitale of the MMF says, "Given the poor response from various quarters for the funds needed to start the military training centres, we found the Akhil Bharatiya Sena's response very encouraging."

After the news broke out, the foundation received a flurry of letters criticising it for collecting funds from "gangsters" and "underworld dons".

In a strongly worded letter, one Colonel Talwar said: "We'll help you with some money. Why take Gawli's help?''

Colonel Chitale, however, defended the foundation's action. "If voluntary organisations, charitable people, and common people come forward to help us, I will return the money received from Gawli," he said.

Deploring the criticism, he said, "Some people are unnecessarily trying to capitalise on the issue. It is more pertinent to improve Maharashtra's influence on the nation's armed forces rather than point out the source of the money raised to start the military training centres.

"We are going to prepare a list of all the contributors, which will be made public. The foundation's receipts will be transparent," he said, adding, "Arun Gawli and his party has an equal right like the others to look after the well-being of Maharashtra. We are accepting this donation from the Akhil Bharatiya Sena only for the purpose of building the training centres, not for the foundation."

Compiled and translated from the Marathi media by Prasanna Zore