Arun Gawli
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Arun Gawli, known to his followers as "Daddy", is a notorious gangster turned politician from Mumbai, India. He is based at Dagdi Chawl in Byculla-Saat Rasta, Mumbai. In 2004, he was elected as a MLA from the Mumbai Chinchpokli Constituency as an Akhil Bharatiya Sena candidate.
Gawli's rise in prominence is believed to be due to his "native roots" as a localite, which makes him distinct from most other non-Marathi-speaking dons. Gawli also differs in that he is Hindu (his wife, Ashatai, alias Mummy, is Muslim) while most dons are Muslim. Gawli was at one point actively supported by Bal Thackeray, but his links to Thackeray and the Shiv Sena were later broken when "Daddy"'s boys mercilessly slew several Sena legislators and party workers. Terrified, the hithero-fearless Sena members found themselves at the receiving end of their own terror tactics. Fearing for their lives, many jumped over to Gawli's newly-formed ABS while many others were frightened into fleeing the city to the relative safety of their native villages.
In the Bombay underworld, Gawli actively carried out kidnappings and extortions and was believed to have been supported by some powerful bureaucrats and politicians, since the vacuum created by Dawood Ibrahim's flight from Mumbai. As he began to slowly lose relevance, Gawli stepped into mainstream politics, burning bridges with his former mentors.
Criminals, or "goondas," who rose to prominence — such as Arun Gawli, Ramabhai Naik, Babubhai Reshim, Guru Satam alias Mama, Ashok Chowdhury alias Chota Babu, Anilbhai Parab, and Tanya Koli — arose mostly from the fallout of the infamous Cotton Textile Mills strike of Mumbai in the 1970s in which lakhs of mill workers were rendered jobless. These unemployed, hungry poverty-stricken workers and their children subsequently took to a life of petty crime. The Dagdi Chawl syndicate was originally aligned with the Dawood Ibrahim gang, but subsequently split up after differences of opinion regarding the division of spoils. Once a small-time charge-sheeter in the Byculla-Mahalaxmi-Agripada-Parel/Naigaum-Chinchpokli area, the diminutive Gawli is now the undisputed Don of Dagdi Chawl whose word is law in most parts of Mumbai and Maharashtra. [1]
Gawli is a protege of the late Ramabhai Naik, who in 1986 gunned down supari-king Karim Lala's nephew, the dreaded Samad Khan, and paved the way for Dawood Ibrahim to become the undisputed don of the Mumbai underworld. Rama Naik was killed in an 'encounter' with Nagpada police PSI Rajan Katdhare in 1988, allegedly at the behest of Dawood Ibrahim, but he is still worshipped by Gawli and his henchmen as the original godfather of Dagdi Chawl.
[edit] Politics and Jail
"Daddy" has been in and out of jail several times and spent more than ten years in judicial custody, but has never actually been convicted. He spent his time in prison reading the works of Swami Vivekananda, the Bhagavad Gita and other books. With the help of a mobile phone and willing prison and police officials, Gawli ran his criminal empire of kidnappings and extortion from behind bars at Nashik, Pune and Yerawada very efficiently and ruthlessly. It was here that the Bharatiya Kamgar Sena, his political outfit composed of criminals and disgruntled politicos from other parties, was born. Prison was also a safe haven for Gawli, helping him avoid assassination attempts by the rival Dawood Ibrahim/Chhota Shakil and Chhota Rajan Gangs. His decision to enter politics and become a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly also ensured that he would not get "taken out" by a police hit squad in an "encounter".
Gawli's election tactics have been highlighted in the media. In 2004, when campaign for the Assembly elections was at its peak, the members of a local football club tapped the candidates for funds to build a gymnasium. The Shiv Sena Member of Parliament Mohan Rawale, whom they asked for Rs.25,000, gave them Rs.10,000. Then, they went to Arun Gawli. Without batting an eyelid, he instructed the man standing behind him to give them Rs.2,00,000 in cash. In return, Gawli instructed them to ensure that the people in their locality voted for him. The next week, when Shiv Sena activists came to campaign, they were not even allowed to enter the neighbourhood. That is what you call undying loyalty.[2]
Gawli is married to "Mummy" Asha Gawli and has two children. Asha (formerly Ayesha) is in charge of criminal operations when Gawli is in prison. Gawli's political designs suffered a major blow when his nephew and party legislator, Sachinbhau Ahir, came out openly against him and joined Sharad Pawar's NCP. He even contested against Gawli in the subsequent Lok Sabha elections on a NCP ticket, resulting in defeat for them both, but victory for the Sena's sitting MP Mohan Rawle.
[edit] References
- ^ Dionne Bunsha (2003-3-03). Reporters' Diary: In the don's lair. The Week. Retrieved on 2006-10-19.
- ^ Dionne Bunsha (2004-12-04). Dons in a new role. Asia Times. Retrieved on 2006-10-19.
