|
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.
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 issue
to bypass this affirmative action for OBCs. Similarly Thackeray
has been vehement opponent of dalit aspirations in any form. When
the Maharashtra Government published Babasaheb Ambedkar’s book,
‘Riddles of Rama and 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 to Ambedkar’s name came, Thackeray opposed
it strongly leading to another bout of unrest. It is just a
tragedy of our times that despite this clear agenda of Thackeray,
some dalit parties are allying with his party at electoral level.
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.
|
Comments
|
Quick links