‘Some Shiv Sena outfits operate under intel agencies’

JALANDHAR: Shiv Sena (Hindustan) president Pawan Gupta on Monday claimed that some of the Hindu outfits were formed at the behest of the government and they followed the agenda of the intelligence agencies.
He made these remarks a month after after Shiv Sena (Bal Thackrey) state president Yog Raj Sharma said several outfits in the name of Shiv Sena were operating and working on the instructions of powers that be.
“Though there are genuine outfits named Shiv Sena, but some have been formed at the behest of the government and they follow the agenda and instructions of the intelligence agencies,” Gupta said while addressing a press conference here.
Earlier, addressing media in Jalandhar on April 23, Sharma had termed all other outfits fake and had said that these were formed to get police security and were working as “agents” of the government and encouraged to speak against other communities.
However, Gupta did not agree that all other outfits were formed to get security and were fake. “Some outfits are genuine. If different factions are operating that does not mean that they are fake. There are some that have been formed at the behest of the government,” he said. Gupta said security was being provided by the police on the basis of threat perception and their leaders were really facing threat.
Asked about the violent clash at Phagwara on the night of April 13, Gupta alleged that some political interests were involved in the incident. He refused to name any political party. “It was not a clash between communities but between groups who have vested interests,” he alleged.