Ram Puniyani
The declaration of demise of Bal
Thackeray (November 17, 2012) has brought the Mumbai city to a complete halt.
Most of the news channels are relaying his death procession round the clock and
having discussion about his tall stature most of the time. His grip on the city
had been more or less complete from last three decades in particular. The
methods he employed had some supporters on one side but for others it filled
the people with fear, as his followers had been openly indulging in acts of
vandalism time and over again. Today it is very difficult to say that city has
come to a halt merely out of reverence for him alone or fear factor is also
there behind this closure of the city will have to be assessed over a period of
time.
As per some accounts Thackeray
family had migrated from Bihar and finally settled in Maharashtra .
Bal Thackeray came to prominence for voicing the need for jobs for ‘sons of the
soil’ and with open threats to South Indians, Gujarathis, Biharis in that
order. His initial role was that of breaking the left controlled trade unions,
at the behest of the industrialists and section of the ruling party, Congress.
This action of his had led to lot of violence between the leftist trade unions
and Thackeray followers. The peak of this was murder of the CPI trade Unionist
Krishna Desai, a blow from which the left trade unions could not recover.
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| Courtesy: http://www.odiablog.com/ |
He later jumped to bandwagon of
Hidnutva politics, openly supporting the Bari
demolition and playing an active part in the horrific Mumbai violence of 92-93.
His writings in Saamna, the Shiv Sena mouth piece, were very provocative and
could easily come under the clause of ‘Hate Speech’ but despite that the case
filed by some Mumbai citizens fell through and Thackeray continued to spread
his anti Muslim tirade through his speeches and writings. True later Election
Commission disenfranchised him for six years from voting. After Babri
demolition, someone suggested that the Shiv Sainiks were the one who demolished
it; he cleverly lapped it up and said that if Shiv Sainiks have done it I am
proud of that.
The violence which followed the
demolition was probed by Shrikishna Commission. This commission’s findings
indicted the Shiv Sena supremo. The celebration rallies were organized by Shiv
Sena in Dharavi jurisdiction amongst others. The commission pointed
out
“These Celebrations by Shiv Sena
had mobs which were chanting provocative slogans: Musalman Ka Do Hi Sthan:
Pakistan Ya Kabristhan (Muslims can only be in: Pakistan or Graveyard). In
retaliation Muslims shout: Jo ham se takarayega: Mitti me mil Jayega (Those
who attack us will be decimated).
To cite another example of
Thackeray’s complicity and role in violence one recalls from Shrikrishna
Commission report that “On 1st January 1993 there was an
article in Samna under the caption 'Hindunni Akramak Vhayala Have’, (Hindus
should become aggressive now) openly inciting Hindus to violence.” (Volume 1
page 13)
The more striking
observation of the Commission was
"From the conversation which
could be heard [by Yuvraj Mohite, Mahanagar Reporter, at Thackeray house during
the riots], it is clear that Thackeray was directing Shiv Sainiks, Shakha
Pramukhs and other activists of Shiv Sena to attack the Muslims, to ensure that
they give tit for tat and ensure that 'not a single landya (a derogatory term
for Muslims) would survive to give the evidence’ [vol.ii, Page 173-174]...the
communal passions of the Hindus were aroused to a feverish pitch by the
inciting writings, particularly in Saamna and Navakal.” [Volume 1, page 21-22].
“...and violence in January (1993) was taken over by Shiv Sena and its leaders
who continued to whip up communal frenzy by their statements and acts and
writings and directives issued by Shiv Sena Pramukh Thackeray.”
This is just a small sample of
what was the role of Thackeray and his Shiv Sena in The Mumbai violence. After
the Mumbai violence he started being called Hindu Hriday Samrat and had a total
grip on the politics of Shiv Sena. He was unfazed by the impact of his beliefs
and actions. In his famous interview to the time magazine (titled: Kick them
out!) during this time he poured vitriol on the Muslims with all abuses and
hate. As Muslims were fleeing Mumbai he said that Muslims need to be taught a
lesson. If they are fleeing Mumbai, it’s OK; else they should be kicked out.
He has been an opponent of
Indo-Pak friendship all through. Be it the question of Indo Pak Cricket match
or the concert of Pakistani Gazal singers, Mumbai witnessed the ‘direct action’
of Shiv Sainkis in the form of digging the cricket ground pitch at Kotla
cricket ground or vandalizing the Gazal concert in Mumbai. Much before the
coming to fore of the terror of groups related to Sadhvi Prgya Singh Thakur or
Swami Aseemanand, it was Thackeray who had called for the formation of ‘suicide
squads’ by Hindus. A self avowed admirer of Hitler, he conceded that he
appreciates Hitler and that he himself has many traits similar to Hitler. He
believed in Thokshahi (Dictatorship) not Lokshahi (democracy).
The divisive politics of Hidutva
or the identity politics built around ‘sons of the soil’ does run parallel to
his opposition to the affirmative action and aspirations of deprived sections
of society. True to that he opposed the implementation of Mandal Commission,
indicating his anti OBC politics. He was the only one who stated it openly. The
other party thoroughly opposed to Mandal, BJP, which is opposed to affirmative
action for any weaker section of society, dodged the issue and intensified on Ram Temple Krishna ’, Shiv Sena stood to oppose it in a serious way
and there was some violence between Shiv Sena supporters and dalits. When the
issue of changing the name of Marathwada
University
The massive turnout as his
funeral is being read as that he was the voice of Marathi manoos. True a
section of Marathi people adore him, but the larger section of poor peasants,
the workers and dalits from Maharashtra know
that Thackeray has been no representative of their aspirations. With so many
problems nagging the poor of Maharashtra there
is a need to shift the terrain of politics away from identity politics of the
likes of Thackeray to the material issues related to bread, butter, shelter and
employment. The politics of Hindu nation and Marathi manoos is against the
values of Indian Constitution which call for the principles of Liberty , Equality and Fraternity. How did
Thackeray’s politics conform to these is a matter of introspection.
1 comments:
indeed. very thoughtful.
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