http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/Cities/Patil_slams_detractors/articleshow/725749.cms
Patil slams detractors [ 5 Dec, 2006 2147hrs ISTPTI ] NAGPUR: Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil, under fire from various Dalit organisations for alleged "atrocities" against them, on Tuesday hit out at his detractors, saying he is ready to accept death sentence if it will stop atrocities on Dalits in the state. "Every year over 150 cases under Atrocities Act are registered in Maharashtra. The malaise is deeper and social change is necessary to stop such incidents," Patil said, adding some of his party colleagues were gunning for his head. Taking pot-shots at MLCs Kapil Patil and Jogendra Kawade, Patil said, "You want me to portray as an upper caste oppressor and yourselves as messiahs of lower castes. However, this is not true and I won't allow you to succeed." While the police had been negligent before the Khairlanji incident it has acted swiftly afterwards. The government has dismissed erring officials and has sent the message that negligence will not be tolerated, he said. Earlier, there was an outcry in the Council when Patil accused BJP leader Nitin Gadkari of taking pot-shots at him through Kawade and Kapil Patil.
