Maharashtra is now a State whose political bosses have no qualms about proclaiming that their loyalty lies not to the law of the land but to the leader of their organisation. Chief Minister Manohar Joshi, for instance, who has no hesitation in admitting that he is a puppet in the hands of Bal Thackeray, had said that he would rather resign than take any step against the Shiv Sena chief advocated by the judiciary in connection with Mr Thackeray's indictment by the Srikrishna Commission, The commission's report had also been rejected by the State government on the grounds of being anti-Hindu. If such is the attitude at the highest levels of the government towards the judiciary and judicial commissions, it is easy to understand why the Sainiks have no fears about going on the rampage ... What is frightening ... is that it has been spreading its tentacles outside the State and has even received a measure of indirect support from the Sangh Parivar journals and spokesmen. For instance, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Pramod Mahajan has ruled out any disruption of the BJP's ties with the Shiv Sena ... Since the leader is beyond the ambit of the law, the Sainiks, too, enjoy a measure of immunity from the legal system ...