MOTHER FUCKER S. DHINABALAN HINDU PRIESTS IS DIRECTLY COLLABORATING WITH SHIV SENA AND RSS THE CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE AND HATRED

RISE AND FALL OF SHIV SENA AND RSS  THE CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE AND HATRED –

Filed under Uncategorized By Dr. Wasim AhmaD

believed to have been pressed into prostitution, and are being treated as victims.

Nihar is the son of the Sena supremo’s eldest son Binda, a film producer who died in a road accident in 1996. A police officer said Nihar–who the cops are searching for–had interests in several bars in the city. He maintains his own household in Bandra (East).

The women are believed to have been pressed into prostitution, and are being treated as victims.

Nihar is the son of the Sena supremo’s eldest son Binda, a film producer who died in a road accident in 1996. A police officer said Nihar–who the cops are searching for–had interests in several bars in the city. He maintains his own household in Bandra (East).The officer said that most ladies’ bars in the city are a cover for dancing (which is banned) and “other immoral activities”. They are owned by powerful politic Nihar Thackeray, a grandson of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, has been booked under the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA). He is believed to be the owner of a ladies’ bar in Santa Cruz (West) from where nine women were rescued after a raid by the police in the early hours on Wednesday. The women are believed to have been pressed into prostitution, and are being treated as victims

.READMORE Powerful Hindu Politician Bal Thackeray grandson

booked for immoral activities while Hindu Terrorists

GEORGE TOWN, March 27 — Two hundred members of the Penang Hindu Priests Association, who were members of the Bayan Baru division of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), announced that they were leaving the party.

The chairman of the Penang Hindu Priests Association, S. Dhinabalan, said they had decided to leave the PKR because they were disappointed with the party that failed to champion the cause of the Indians in the state.

He said they made the decision to leave the party after losing their trust in the leadership of the party under Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“We left the PKR because of frustration and dissatisfaction that the PKR leader failed to fulfill the promise to champion the cause of the Indian community until today,” he told reporters after lodging a police report on the sex video allegedly involving Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Bayan Baru Police Station, here.

The Penang Hindu Priests Association has 280 members throughout Penang. —

THE MANY TERRORIST ATTACKS ENDURED BY THE CITY HAVE WHETTED OLD RELIGIOUS ANIMOSITIES AND NOW MORE PEOPLE ARE REFUSING MUSLIMS PLACES TO LIVE IN INDIA’S CAPITAL.

“IT’S NEVER BEEN SO BAD,” SAYS PRABHAT SINGH, ANOTHER BROKER, WHO IS AN OLD-HAND IN THE DELHIHOUSING CIRCUIT. “SINCE 9/11, IT’S BECOME WORSE EVERY YEAR.”

IT’S NEWS WHEN PROMINENT MUSLIMS ARE DENIED HOUSING BUT COUNTLESS REJECTIONS ARE DOLED OUT EVERYDAY. BROKERS ADMIT THAT THIS KIND OF DISCRIMINATION HAS BECOME PART OF THE HOUSING SCENE AND PEOPLE FEEL RATHER NUMB ABOUT THE PREJUDICE.

KNOWING THAT HOUSE-HUNTING WILL END IN FAILURE, BROKERS DON’T BOTHER TAKING ON MUSLIM CLIENTS. “IT’S A WASTE OF BOTH OUR TIME,” SAID SINGH, MATTER-OF-FACTLY.

WITH MORE THAN 160 MILLION MUSLIMS IN A MAJORITY HINDU COUNTRY OF 1.2 BILLION PEOPLE, INDIA HAS THE LARGEST MUSLIM MINORITY POPULATION IN THE WORLD AND THIRD LARGEST MUSLIM POPULATION.

HINDUS HAVE GENERALLY PREFERRED NOT RENTING TO MUSLIMS BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT MEAT COOKED IN THE HOUSE. LANDLORDS OF THE JAIN FAITH ARE EVEN MORE PARTICULAR ABOUT RENTING TO VEGETARIANS. BUT SOME WOUNDS RUN DEEPER THAN MEAT. FOR AN OLDER GENERATION, THE PARTITION OF INDIA STILL CUTS DEEP.

ASHOK, AN ELDERLY LANDLORD IN A POSH DELHI LOCALITY, DOES NOT RENT TO MUSLIMS. SITTING ON THE VERANDAH OF HIS HOME ON A NIPPY EVENING, HE RECALLED LEAVING HIS ANCESTRAL HOME IN RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN AND DESCRIBED HIS HARRIED JOURNEY ACROSS THE BORDER.

“WE WANTED TO LIVE THERE BUT COULDN’T…HOW MANY HINDUS LIVE IN PAKISTAN,” HE SAYS. “THESE DIVISIONS HAVEN’T CHANGED FOR SO LONG AND THEY WON’T CHANGE.”

SINCE 9/11, FINDING HOUSES FOR MUSLIMS HAS GONE FROM TIRESOME TO QUITE IMPOSSIBLE IN GOOD NEIGHBORHOODS. IN GRUNGIER PLACES HOWEVER, RENT MONEY CAN TRUMP OTHER CONSIDERATIONS. “IT IS THE EDUCATED SORTS WHO MAKE MORE FUSS SINCE THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR REPUTATION,” SAYS SANDEEP MUKHERJEE, ANOTHER BROKER.

THE CURRENT BRAND OF ISLAMOPHOBIA IS MORE PERVASIVE BECAUSE FEAR HAS MADE INTOLERANCE EASIER TO JUSTIFY. WITH NEWS CHANNELS BRINGING EVERY TERRORIST ATTACK SO CLOSE TO HOME, THERE IS A GROWING CROP OF PEOPLE, WITHOUT PAINFUL OLD MEMORIES OR DIETARY RESTRICTIONS, WHO DON’T FEEL GUILTY SHUNNING MUSLIMS.

A MIDDLE-AGED LANDLORD SIMPLY SAYS HE DOESN’T HAVE TIME TO DO THE EXTRA LEGWORK OF CHECKING WHETHER THE LODGER IS “SAFE.” A LOUDSPEAKER OF HIS NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETPLACE IN DELHI BELTS OUT A MESSAGE FROM THE POLICE, “PLEASE TAKE ALL PRECAUTIONS WHEN RENTING.”

EVEN BROKERS SAY THAT RENTING TO MUSLIMS IS A HASSLE BECAUSE THE POLICE WANT ADDITIONAL VERIFICATION, MORE PAPERWORK AND THE ENTIRE TRANSACTION IS SPRINKLED WITH AN AIR OF SUSPICION.

HAVING SO MANY DOORS SLAMMED IN THEIR FACES IS CRUSHING YOUNG MUSLIMS ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO WANT TO BE PART OF THE MAINSTREAM.

HUMANYUN CAN VIVIDLY CONJURE UP THE TWO TIMES WHEN HE WAS DENIED HOUSING INDELHI. IN ONE INSTANCE, THE LANDLORD RETURNED HIS MONEY AFTER LEARNING THAT HE WAS FASTING FOR RAMADAN. “THE DAY THAT GUY RETURNED ME THE CASH, I CRIED,” HE SAID.

THE 32-YEAR-OLD KASHMIRI-MUSLIM AVOIDS TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE HE HAS FINALLY FOUND A HOUSE IN A DECENT NEIGHBORHOOD AND DOESN’T WANT TO CAUSE TROUBLE.

HOMEOWNERS TEND TO GIVE PLACES TO MUSLIM DIPLOMATS FROM ABROAD AND INDIAN MUSLIMS WHO WORK IN WELL-KNOWN COMPANIES THAT CAN VOUCH FOR THEM.

HUMANYUN AND HIS WIFE BOTH WORK IN MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES BUT THEIR NEW LANDLORD NEEDED FURTHER CONVINCING. SO, HUMANYUN ASKED PEOPLE HE KNEW IN HIS LANDLORD’S OFFICE TO ALSO PUT IN A GOOD WORD FOR THE COUPLE.

“BEFORE YOU ARE TRUSTED… YOU ARE NOT TRUSTED,” HE SAYS.

COMPETING REALITIES, HOWEVER, MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO DISMISS INDIA’S CLAIMS OF SECULARISM. SHANTY NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE BEEN THE STAGE OF THE BLOODIEST COMMUNAL CLASHES BUT ALSO WHERE HINDUS FAST WITH THEIR MUSLIM FRIENDS DURING RAMADAN AND HAVE LIVED TOGETHER FOR GENERATIONS.

LANDLORDS, WHEN CHARGED WITH BEING INTOLERANT, DEFENSIVELY ASSERT THAT THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM RENTING TO CHRISTIANS, SIKHS, BUDDHISTS OR ANY OTHER RELIGION.

EVEN THE APPETITE FOR BLOODSHED HAS DIMINISHED. MULTIPLE TERRORIST ATTACKS HAVE NOT LED TO COMMUNAL VIOLENCE IN THE COUNTRY. BUT THE REFLEX MANTRA OF “UNITY IN DIVERSITY” PREVENTS ANY GENUINE STOCKTAKING ON WHERE RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY REALLY STANDS TODAY.

INDIFFERENCE IS ONE WAY OF DESCRIBING PREVAILING SENTIMENTS. KAMLA, A MIDDLE-AGED LANDLORD, FOR INSTANCE, EXPLAINED THAT SHE HAS NO DESIRE TO SEE MUSLIMS HARMED BUT SHE WANTS NO INTERACTION WITH THEM. “JUST STAY AWAY,” SHE SAYS.

KAMLA HAS RENTED HER PLACE IN AN UPSCALE DELHI LOCALITY TO CHRISTIANS BUT NO MUSLIMS ARE WELCOME–NOT EVEN FORMER INDIAN PRESIDENT A P J ABDUL KALAM OR BOLLYWOOD SUPERSTAR SHAH RUKH KHAN. “THEY CAN FIND HOMES IN THEIR OWN COLONIES,” SHE SAYS.

HE LATEST MANIFESTATION OF SEMI-FASCIST TERROR UNLEASHED BY THE CHAUVINIST POLITICAL OUTFIT  SHIV SENA ON ANY ONE AND EVERY ONE WHO DARES TO DIFFER WITH IT AS BECOME A SUBJECT OF NATIONAL CONCERN.  MEDIA, MINORITIES, BOTH LINGUISTIC AND RELIGIOUS, POLITICAL PARTIES, TRADE UNIONS, FILM STARS, CRICKETERS, INDUSTRIALISTS- THE SHIV SENA SPARES NONE. THE SHIV SENA LEADER AND FORMER LOKSABHA SPEAKER MANOHAR JOSHI UNABASHEDLY SAID: OUR BOYS WILL NOT TOLERATE ANYBODY WHO CRITISISES SHIVA SENA’S SUPREMO BAL THAKEREY. BAL THACKERAY’S VITUPERATIVE ATTACK DOES NOT SPARE EVEN INDIA’S LEGENDARY CRICKETER SACHIN TENDULKAR.

THE LATEST  ACTS  OF SHIV SENA ARE NEITHER NEW, NOR WILL BE THE LAST. THE HISTORY OF SHIV SENA REVEALS THIS.

THE SHIV SENA, DURING NEARLY FOUR AND A HALF DECADES OF ITS EXISTENCE, HAS ALWAYS SYMBOLISED THE SEMI-FASCIST FACE OF REACTION. THE RAPID GROWTH OF THE SHIV SENA IN MAHARASHTRA SINCE THE MID-EIGHTIES IS, IN FACT, CLOSELY LINKED TO THE PARALLEL GROWTH OF THE SAFFRON BRIGADE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL DURING  THE SAME PERIOD.

THE SHIV SENA HAS SYSTEMATICALLY TARGETTED DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF MINORITIES IN A  CYNICAL ATTEMPT TO BUILD ITS MASS SUPPORT. SUCH MINORITY TARGETS HAVE INCLUDED NON-MAHARASHTRIANS, MUSLIMS AND DALITS. THE COMMUNAL RIOTS AND CASTE ATROCITIES UNLEASHED BY THE SHIV SENA CONSTITUTE ONE OF THE BLACKEST CHAPTERS IN THE HISTORY OF MAHARASHTRA.

THE LINKS OF THE SHIV SENA WITH MAFIA GANGS, ORGANISED CRIME, EXTORTION RACKETS AND CORRUPTION SCANDALS ARE  NOTORIOUS.

RABID ANTI-COMMUNISM HAS BEEN A FUNDAMENTAL AND CONSISTENT PLANK OF THE SHIV SENA EVER SINCE ITS INCEPTION. IT IS THIS ASPECT THAT HAS ENSURED IT THE FIRM SUPPORT OF BIG BUSINESS.

IT WAS THE RULING CONGRESS  PARTY THAT NURTURED AND SUPPORTED THE SHIV SENA FOR OVER TWO DECADES FROM THE MID-SIXTIES TO THE MID-EIGHTIES. IN THE EARLY PHASE, THIS SUPPORT WAS GIVEN TO BREAK THE COMMUNIST HOLD OVER THE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN MUMBAI; IN THE LATER PHASE, IT WAS TO SETTLE FACTIONAL SCORES WITHIN THE CONGRESS ITSELF. AT THE SAME TIME, IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT, WITH THE SOLE EXCEPTION OF THE COMMUNISTS, ALL OTHER OPPOSITION PARTIES IN THE STATE HAVE ALSO COLLABORATED WITH THE SHIV SENA AT VARIOUS TIMES, THEIR LEADERS SHARING THE PLATFORM WITH THE SHIV SENA SUPREMO AND SOME OF THEM EVEN GOING TO THE EXTENT OF STRIKING ELECTORAL ALLIANCES WITH THE SHIV SENA IN LOCAL ELECTIONS.

THE SHIV SENA HAS ALWAYS BEEN UNDER THE AUTHORITARIAN GRIP OF ITS DEMAGOGIC SUPREMO BAL THACKERAY,  WHO  HAS NEVER DISGUISED HIS CONTEMPT FOR DEMOCRACY AND ADULATION OF DICTATORSHIP. HIS SERVILE SUPPORT TO THE EMERGENCY WAS COUCHED IN THESE IDEOLOGICAL TERMS. THACKERAY HAS PUBLICLY GLORIFIED THE LIKES OF ADOLF HITLER AND NATHURAM GODSE.

THE GENESIS OF THE SHIV SENA

THE SHIV SENA WAS FOUNDED ON JUNE 19, 1966 WITH THE  AVOWED INTENTION OF FIGHTING THE ALLEGED INJUSTICE IN EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER MATTERS BEING FACED BY THE MAHARASHTRIANS IN MUMBAI.  THE REASON CITED FOR THIS INJUSTICE WAS THE INFLUX INTO MUMBAI OF PEOPLE FROM OTHER STATES, AMONGST WHOM THE  SHIV SENA MAINLY TARGETTED SOUTH INDIANS. IT THEN SIMULTANEOUSLY TOOK UP CUDGELS  AGAINST THE  COMMUNISTS, BRANDING THEM AS ANTI-NATIONAL, AND LAUNCHED ITS  STRIKE-BREAKING ACTIVITIES AND OTHER ATTACKS AGAINST THE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT. THE BIAS AGAINST MUSLIMS AND DALITS WAS VERY MUCH THERE EVER SINCE ITS INCEPTION.

THE SPADEWORK FOR THE FORMATION OF THE SHIV SENA HAD  STARTED SIX YEARS EARLIER, WITH THE LAUNCHING OF THE MARATHI WEEKLY “MARMIK” BY BAL THACKERAY ON AUGUST 13, 1960, JUST THREE MONTHS AFTER THE FORMATION OF THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA ON MAY 1, 1960.  THE PUBLICATION OF THE  FIRST ISSUE OF “MARMIK”,  SIGNIFICANTLY, TOOK PLACE AT THE HANDS OF THE FIRST CHIEF MINISTER OF MAHARASHTRA AND A TOP CONGRESS LEADER, Y.B. CHAVAN!

THE SAMYUKTA MAHARASHTRA MOVEMENT

THE LAUNCHING OF “MARMIK”, WHICH BECAME A PRECURSOR TO THE FORMATION OF THE SHIV SENA, TOOK PLACE AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF A HUGE MASS MOVEMENT FOR SAMYUKTA MAHARASHTRA, I.E. A UNITED MAHARASHTRA INCLUSIVE OF MUMBAI, KONKAN, WESTERN MAHARASHTRA, VIDARBHA AND MARATHWADA REGIONS BUT EXCLUSIVE OF GUJARAT.

THE FORMATION OF A UNILINGUAL STATE OF MAHARASHTRA, WITH MUMBAI AS ITS CAPITAL, WAS ACHIEVED ON MAY DAY 1960 ONLY AFTER A LONG AND BITTER MASS  STRUGGLE.  THIS DEMOCRATIC STRUGGLE BEGAN IN 1955, LASTED FOR FIVE YEARS AND SACRIFICED  105 MARTYRS IN BRUTAL POLICE FIRING  ORDERED BY THE MORARJI DESAI-LED STATE GOVERNMENT IN 1955-56.   TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE  ARRESTED AND BRAVED LATHI-CHARGES IN THE COURSE OF THIS MOVEMENT.  THE STRUGGLE WAS LED BY THE SAMYUKTA MAHARASHTRA SAMITI, WHICH MAINLY COMPRISED THE SOCIALISTS, COMMUNISTS AND OTHER DEMOCRATS.

THE SAMITI FOUGHT THE PARLIAMENTARY AND ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS OF 1957 JOINTLY AND SUCCEEDED IN GIVING A BIG JOLT TO THE CONGRESS, WHICH COULD SCRAPE THROUGH ONLY BECAUSE OF ITS SUPPORT IN GUJARAT AND VIDARBHA. THE SAME YEAR, THE SAMITI ALSO SWEPT THE BOMBAY MUNICIPAL CORPORATION POLLS, ROUTING THE CONGRESS. THE SAMYUKTA MAHARASHTRA MOVEMENT ACHIEVED VICTORY, BUT AS WE SHALL ANALYSE LATER, IT ALSO GAVE RISE TO A STRONG STREAK OF REGIONAL CHAUVINISM WHICH WAS LATER EXPLOITED BY “MARMIK” AND THE SHIV SENA TO THE HILT.

BAL THACKERAY HIMSELF, ALONG WITH SOME OTHERS WHO FORMED THE SHIV SENA, HAD BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE RSS IN THEIR EARLY YEARS, AND THIS HAD THE INEVITABLE IMPACT  ON SHIV SENA IDEOLOGY AND ORGANISATION. THACKERAY WAS A CARTOONIST WHO DID A BRIEF STINT WITH THE “FREE PRESS JOURNAL”,  AN ENGLISH DAILY IN MUMBAI. HE SOON FELL OUT WITH ITS MANAGEMENT AND STARTED HIS OWN WEEKLY “MARMIK”.  FOR SIX YEARS, THACKERAY WROTE PROVOCATIVE PIECES IN “MARMIK”, HIGHLIGHTING INSTANCES OF INJUSTICE TO MAHARASHTRIANS IN MUMBAI, ESPECIALLY IN THE MATTER OF WHITE COLLAR JOBS.  LISTS WERE REGULARLY PUBLISHED OF THE NAMES OF OFFICIALS IN GOVERNMENT CONCERNS AND PRIVATE COMPANIES, MAKING OUT THAT MOST OF THE OFFICERS WERE NON-MAHARASHTRIANS, MOSTLY SOUTH INDIANS.

THE TARGET OF “MARMIK” WAS NEVER THE CONGRESS GOVERNMENT POLICIES. BUT ITS TARGET WAS INVARIABLY THE “OUTSIDERS” WHO WERE SNATCHING AWAY JOBS  FROM THE “SONS OF THE SOIL”.  AS A MATTER OF FACT, THACKERAY ALWAYS MADE IT A POINT TO PRAISE THE CAPITALISTS, ALTHOUGH MOST OF THEM WERE NON-MARATHI, UNDER THE PLEA THAT IT WAS THEY WHO PROVIDED THE JOBS! HE ALSO STROVE TO BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CONGRESS RULERS, AND EVERY ANNIVERSARY FUNCTION OF “MARMIK” USED TO BE GRACED BY CONGRESS BIGWIGS.

THE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THIS WEEKLY WAS, IN FACT, THE MAIN FACTOR THAT PROMPTED THACKERAY TO FORM THE SHIV SENA, AND IT WAS THIS “MARMIK” READERSHIP THAT EVENTUALLY BECAME THE NUCLEUS  OF SEVERAL SHIV SENA  ”SHAKHAS”, OR BRANCHES, IN THE URBAN BELT OF MUMBAI AND THANE DISTRICTS.

THE FIRST MASS RALLY OF THE SHIV SENA WAS  HELD AT THE SHIVAJI PARK IN MUMBAI ON OCTOBER 30, 1966. IT WAS THE DAY OF  DUSSEHRA, AND ON EVERY DUSSEHRA DAY IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS, SIMILAR SHIV SENA  RALLIES HAVE BEEN HELD ON SHIVAJI  PARK. LIKE THE “SHAKHA” CONCEPT, THIS PRACTICE, TOO, HAS BEEN LIFTED FROM THE  RSS, WHICH HAS REGULARLY HELD ITS ANNUAL DUSSEHRA RALLIES AT NAGPUR.  THERE WAS A LARGE TURN-OUT FOR THIS FIRST-EVER SHIV SENA  RALLY, WHICH IS SAID TO HAVE  SURPRISED THACKERAY HIMSELF. CONGRESS LEADER RAMRAO ADIK ALSO ADDRESSED THIS SHIV SENA  RALLY.

THE CARD OF REGIONAL CHAUVINISM

THE TWO MAIN DEMANDS RAISED BY THE SHIV SENA  WERE 80 PER CENT  JOBS IN GOVERNMENT CONCERNS AND 80 PER CENT HOUSES IN STATE HOUSING BOARD COLONIES  FOR MAHARASHTRIANS. IN SUPPORT OF THIS, A VIRULENT  CAMPAIGN WAS UNLEASHED THROUGH THE LATE SIXTIES AND EARLY SEVENTIES.  ATTACKS ON SOUTH INDIAN ESTABLISHMENTS BECAME A REGULAR FEATURE, AND IT WAS THEN THAT THE EXTORTION RACKET UNDER THE NAME OF “PROTECTION MONEY” BEGAN. IN 1968, CINEMA THEATRES SCREENING HINDI FILMS BROUGHT OUT BY SOUTH INDIAN PRODUCERS WERE ATTACKED AND THE SHOWS BROUGHT TO A HALT.  THE SHOWS BEGAN ONLY WHEN CONSIDERABLE SUMS OF MONEY CHANGED HANDS.  DEMONSTRATIONS WERE HELD ON GOVERNMENT CONCERNS DEMANDING JOBS FOR MAHARASHTRIANS, AND MANY OF THESE TURNED VIOLENT.

IN 1972, AN ORGANISATION CALLED THE STHANIYA LOKADHIKAR SAMITI (SLS) WAS SET UP. IN A BID TO ATTRACT WHITE COLLAR EMPLOYEES, THE SLS SET UP ITS UNITS IN LARGE GOVERNMENT AND SEMI-GOVERNMENT CONCERNS LIKE THE RBI,SBI, LIC, GIC, AIR INDIA, RAILWAYS, OTHER NATIONALISED BANKS AND SO ON.  IN MANY OF THESE CONCERNS THERE WERE  ALL INDIA UNIONS LED BY THE LEFT, WHICH PROVED DIFFICULT TO BREAK.  HENCE, THE SLS TRIED A NEW TACTIC.  IT CONCENTRATED ON THE DEMAND THAT 80 PER CENT OF THE STAFF MUST BE MAHARASHTRIANS AND FOCUSSED EXCLUSIVELY ON THREE MAIN QUESTIONS AFFECTING THE MARATHI EMPLOYEES, VIZ, RECRUITMENT, TRANSFERS AND PROMOTIONS. IT BACKED UP THIS CAMPAIGN BY DEMONSTRATIONS AND OTHER INTIMIDATORY MEASURES.  THIS ENABLED THE SHIV SENA  TO ATTRACT THE MIDDLE CLASSES.

IN ANOTHER EFFORT TO PLAY THE REGIONAL CHAUVINIST CARD, THE SHIV SENA   TOOK UP THE UNRESOLVED MAHARASHTRA-KARNATAKA  BORDER DISPUTE.  THIS RESULTED IN THE FIRST FULL-SCALE RIOT UNLEASHED BY THE SHIV SENA  IN MUMBAI IN FEBRUARY 1969.

ATTACKS ON COMMUNISTS AND ON WORKING CLASS UNITY

ANTI-COMMUNISM, ATTACKS ON WORKING CLASS UNITY AND SERVING AS A HANDMAID OF THE CAPITALISTS ARE ALL PART OF FASCISTIC IDEOLOGY AND PRACTICE.  THE SHIV SENA  DISPLAYED ALL THESE FEATURES IN AMPLE MEASURE RIGHT FROM ITS INCEPTION. IT MADE THE COMMUNISTS ITS FOREMOST POLITICAL TARGET. AND IN THIS ENDEAVOUR, IT RECEIVED UNSTINTED  SUPPORT FROM BIG BUSINESS, THE CONGRESS STATE GOVERNMENT AND LARGE SECTIONS OF THE CAPITALIST-CONTROLLED MEDIA.

BUT THE SHIV SENA  DID NOT STOP AT VERBAL PROPAGANDA ALONE. EGGED ON BY BIG BUSINESS, IT STARTED USING THE MARATHI CHAUVINIST CARD TO BREAK WORKING CLASS UNITY. WITH SOME GROUND THUS PREPARED, IT BEGAN TO DISPLAY ITS MUSCLE POWER TO BREAK COMMUNIST-LED STRIKES, OVERTHROW THE ESTABLISHED AITUC/CITU UNION AND REPLACE IT  WITH THE SHIV SENA UNION WHICH WOULD THEN SIGN AN AMICABLE  AGREEMENT WITH THE MANAGEMENT. IN THIS STRIKE-BREAKING PROCESS, SEVERAL MILITANT WORKERS OF THE COMMUNIST-LED UNIONS WOULD BE DISMISSED AND REPLACED BY SHIV SAINIKS TO STRENGTHEN THE SHIV SENA  HOLD IN THE FACTORY.

SOME MAJOR EXAMPLES OF COMMUNIST-LED UNIONS THAT WERE BROKEN IN THIS MANNER WERE THE  AITUC UNIONS OF LARSEN AND TOUBRO, T. MANEKLAL AND PARLE BOTTLING PLANT IN MUMBAI, AND THE CITU UNIONS OF DEVIDAYAL CABLES, WYMAN GORDON AND  SURENDRA INDUSTRIES IN THANE.  BUT THERE WERE ALSO MANY OTHER INSTANCES WHERE THE CITU AND AITUC SUCCEEDED IN REPULSING THIS SHIV SENA  ONSLAUGHT.   NEVERTHELESS, TAKING THE PICTURE AS A WHOLE, IT IS TRUE THAT COMMUNIST-LED UNIONS DID SUFFER MAJOR SETBACKS DURING THIS PERIOD.

IN ORDER TO GIVE THIS DRIVE AN ORGANISED CHANNEL, THE SHIV SENA  SET UP ITS OWN TRADE UNION, THE BHARATIYA KAMGAR SENA (BKS) ON AUGUST 9, 1968. THE ANTI-WORKING CLASS STAND OF THE SHIV SENAN BECAME CRYSTAL CLEAR WHEN IT PUBLICLY OPPOSED THE STATE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES STRIKE AND THE TEXTILE WORKERS STRIKE IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES AND  BACKED THIS UP BY OPPOSING THE GREAT RAILWAY STRIKE OF 1974.

THERE WAS ONE MAJOR SECTION OF THE WORKING CLASS WHOSE SUPPORT AT THE UNION LEVEL CONTINUED TO ELUDE THE SHIV SENA , AND THIS WAS THE THEN THREE LAKH STRONG TEXTILE WORKERS OF MUMBAI, A LARGE MAJORITY BEING MAHARASHTRIANS.   HISTORICALLY, THE TEXTILE WORKERS HAD LONG BEEN UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE GIRNI KAMGAR UNION (GKU) THAT WAS LED BY THE COMMUNISTS.  THEY HAD FOUGHT AND WON SEVERAL MILITANT STRIKE-STRUGGLES UNDER COMMUNIST LEADERSHIP RIGHT SINCE THE TWENTIES.  HERE THE SHIV SENA  BEGAN TO USE THE MOST REPREHENSIBLE TACTICS BASED ON OUTRIGHT VIOLENCE AND NAKED TERROR.

IN DECEMBER 1967, THE CPI HEADQUARTERS OF MUMBAI AT DALVI BUILDING IN PAREL, WHICH IS SITUATED IN THE VERY MIDST OF THE TEXTILE AREA, WAS SAVAGELY ATTACKED BY SHIV SENA ACTIVISTS AND ALMOST DESTROYED. ORGANISED ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO BREAK UP COMMUNIST PUBLIC MEETINGS AND SEVERAL LEADERS AND ACTIVISTS OF BOTH THE CPI AND THE CPI(M) WERE PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED.  THE CLIMAX WAS REACHED ON JUNE 6, 1970, WHEN ARMED ACTIVISTS OF THE SHIV SENA  MURDERED THE SITTING MLA OF THE CPI, KRISHNA DESAI. KRISHNA DESAI WAS A POPULAR AND MILITANT MASS LEADER IN THE TEXTILE BELT AND HAD BEEN ELECTED MUNICIPAL CORPORATOR FOUR TIMES BEFORE HE WAS ELECTED TO THE STATE ASSEMBLY IN 1967.  THIS WAS THE FIRST MAJOR POLITICAL ASSASSINATION IN MUMBAI SINCE  INDEPENDENCE, AND IT SENT SHOCK WAVES THROUGH THE CITY AND STATE.  THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ENTIRE OPPOSITION ALONGWITH THOUSANDS OF  INCENSED WORKERS, MARCHED IN KRISHNA DESAI’S FUNERAL  PROCESSION. OPPOSITION LEADERS DIRECTLY ACCUSED THE SHIV SENA AND THE CONGRESS STATE GOVERNMENT IN  GENERAL, AND BAL THACKERAY AND VASANTRAO NAIK IN PARTICULAR, OF BEING HAND IN GLOVE IN THE PERPETRATION OF THIS HEINOUS CRIME.

COMMUNAL, CASTEIST AND AUTHORITARIAN SLANT

THE COMMUNAL AND CASTEIST MOBILISATION OF THE SHIV SENA STARTED IN A BIG WAY IN THE MID-EIGHTIES. BUT EVEN IN THIS FIRST PHASE, THE SHIV SENA  SLANT BECAME CLEAR FROM A FEW STRIKING INSTANCES. THACKERAY PERSONALLY INTERVENED ON THE SIDE OF THE HINDUS IN TWO MANDIR-MASJID DISPUTES, WHICH HE UTILISED TO RAKE UP COMMUNAL TENSIONS. ONE WAS THE DURGADI SHRINE AT KALYAN IN THANE DISTRICT; THE OTHER WAS THE MAHIKAVATI SHRINE AT MAHAD IN RAIGAD DISTRICT.  BUT THE BIGGEST COMMUNAL INCIDENT IN WHICH THE SHIV SENA  WAS INVOLVED IN ITS EARLY YEARS WAS THE BHIWANDI RIOTS OF MAY 1970, WHICH ALSO SPREAD TO MAHAD AND JALGAON.  THE RIOTS WERE IGNITED IN CONNECTION WITH  A SHIV JAYANTI PROCESSION.  43 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN BHIWANDI, 39 IN JALGAON AND  PROPERTY WORTH CRORES WAS DESTROYED.  THE JUSTICE MADON COMMISSION OF INQUIRY SQUARELY LAID THE BLAME ON THE FOLLOWING ORGANISATIONS FOR THE RIOTS: SHIV SENA, JAN SANGH, HINDU MAHASABHA, RASHTRIYA UTSAV MANDAL AND BHIWANDI SEVA SAMITI (BOTH RSS OUTFITS) AND ALL INDIA MAJLIS TAMIR-E-MILLAT.

AS FOR THE CASTEIST SLANT, THE FIRST FLASH POINT CAME IN JANUARY 1974, WHEN THERE WAS A VIOLENT CLASH BETWEEN THE SHIV SENA  AND THE DALIT PANTHERS.  THE DALIT PANTHERS WAS SET UP IN 1972, BOTH AS A CHALLENGE TO THE INJUSTICE OF THE SOCIAL SYSTEM AND AS A REBELLION AGAINST THE THEN MORIBUND AND DIRECTIONLESS REPUBLICAN PARTY OF INDIA (RPI).  THE PANTHERS BEGAN BY TAKING UP BOTH CASTE AND CLASS ISSUES AND ALSO LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN TO EXPOSE THE REGRESSIVE ASPECTS OF SOME HINDU RELIGIOUS TENETS. CAPITALISING ON CERTAIN SPEECHES MADE BY PANTHER LEADERS ABOUT HINDU DEITIES, THE SHIV SENA UNLEASHED RIOTS AGAINST DALITS IN THE WORLI BDD CHAWLS IN MUMBAI.  THE RIOTS THEN SPREAD TO OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY AND CONTINUED FOR A WEEK.  DALIT PANTHER LEADER BHAGWAT JADHAV WAS BRUTALLY KILLED BY SHIV SENA ACTIVITIES.  THUS BEGAN THE FEUD OF THE SHIV SENA AGAINST THE DALIT COMMUNITY.

ELECTORAL OPPORTUNISM GALORE

AT THE BIRTH OF THE SHIV SENA , THACKERAY HAD DECLARED THAT IT WAS ONLY A SOCIAL ORGANISATION THAT TREATED POLITICS WITH CONTEMPT. BUT WITHIN JUST SIX MONTHS OF THAT STATEMENT, THE SHIV SENA  HAD PLUNGED INTO POLITICS. ITS FIRST ENTRY DURING THE PARLIAMENTARY AND ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS OF 1967 WAS INDIRECT  AND NEGATIVE.  IT DID NOT CONTEST ANY SEATS ITSELF, BUT GAVE A CALL FOR THE DEFEAT OF LOK SABHA CANDIDATES IN MUMBAI LIKE V.K. KRISHNA MENON (BECAUSE HE WAS AN “OUTSIDER”), S.A. DANGE (BECAUSE HE WAS A COMMUNIST) AND GEORGE FERNANDES (BECAUSE HE WAS A SOCIALIST). MENON LOST, BUT THE OTHER TWO WON.  THE RANK OPPORTUNISM OF THE SHIV SENA BECAME EVIDENT DURING THIS ELECTION ITSELF.  WHEN IT SUPPORTED THE THEN BOMBAY CONGRESS BOSS S.K. PATIL AGAINST FERNANDES, AFTER HAVING LAMPOONED PATIL SAVAGELY FOR SEVEN YEARS IN THE COLUMNS OF “MARMIK” FOR HIS ANTI-MAHARASHTRIAN STANCES.  IN LATER PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, THE SHIV SENA  FULLY SUPPORTED NAVAL TATA OF THE HOUSE OF TATAS, MADE  HUGE SUMS OF MONEY AND ALSO EXPOSED ITS CLASS BIAS. IT ALSO SUPPORTED RETIRED GENERAL OF THE ARMY, K.M. CARIAPPA, ALTHOUGH HE WAS AN  “OUTSIDER”.

LATER THE SAME YEAR, 1967, THE SHIV SENA FOUGHT THE THANE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS WON 17 OF THE 40 SEATS AND MANAGED TO INSTALL ITS OWN MAYOR.  THIS WAS THE FIRST ELECTORAL BREAKTHROUGH FOR THE SHIV SENA. THE NEXT YEAR IN 1968 CAME THE ELECTIONS TO THE BOMBAY MUNICIPAL CORPORATION (BMC). HERE, THE SHIV SENA AND THE PRAJA SAMAJWADI PARTY (PSP) SHOCKED THE POLITICAL WORLD BY CONCLUDING AN ELECTORAL ALLIANCE.

THE SHIV SENA  WON 42 OF THE 140 SEATS IN THE BMC, THE PSP WON 11, BUT THE CONGRESS STILL EMERGED AS THE LARGEST PARTY WITH 65.  THE CPI, HOWEVER, WAS REDUCED FROM 18 SEATS WON IN 1961 TO ONLY 3 IN 1968, THE PWP WAS DECIMATED FROM 8 TO NIL, AND THE NEWLY-FORMED CPI(M) WON 2.  TWO YEARS LATER, IN OCTOBER 1970, THE ASSEMBLY BY-ELECTION NECESSITATED BY KRISHNA DESAI’S MURDER WAS, NARROWLY WON BY THE SHIV SENA , DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE CPI HAD PUT UP KRISHNA DESAI’S WIFE AS ITS CANDIDATE.  THE WINNER, WAMANRAO MAHADIK, THUS BECAME THE FIRST SHIV SENA MLA IN THE STATE ASSEMBLY. THESE ELECTION RESULTS WERE AN OMINOUS INDICATION THAT THE ANTI-COMMUNIST CAMPAIGN OF THE SHIV SENA  WAS BEGINNING TO BEAR FRUIT.

FOR THE NEXT BMC ELECTIONS OF 1973, THE SHIV SENA FORGED AN ALLIANCE WITH THE RPI LED BY R.S. GAVAI! THE SHIV SENA ALMOST RETAINED ITS OLD STRENGTH BY WINNING 39 SEATS, BUT THE RPI HAD TO BE CONTENT WITH JUST 1. SUDHIR JOSHI OF THE SHIV SENA  WAS ELECTED MAYOR WITH THE SUPPORT OF ONE CONGRESS FACTION, THE RPI, AND – THIS IS THE ASTOUNDING PART – WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CORPORATORS OF THE MUSLIM LEAGUE!

IN EARLY 1975, THACKERAY’S RELIABLE MENTOR VASANTRAO NAIK WAS MADE TO STEP DOWN AS CHIEF MINISTER AFTER A RECORD 12-YEAR LONG TENURE, WHICH STILL REMAINS UNMATCHED IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE.  HE WAS REPLACED BY S.B.CHAVAN, A LEADER FROM MARATHWADA WHO WAS FOISTED FROM DELHI.

SERVILE SUPPORT TO EMERGENCY

IN THE BEGINNING OF THE EMERGENCY, THERE WERE RUMOURS THAT ALONGWITH THE RSS AND OTHER BANNED ORGANISATIONS, THE SHIV SENA WOULD ALSO BE BANNED AND ITS LEADERS PUT BEHIND BARS.  BUT THACKERAY STALLED ANY SUCH MOVE BY DECLARING FULL SHIV SENA  SUPPORT TO THE EMERGENCY, OVERRULING THE MISGIVINGS OF SOME OF HIS MINIONS.  HE THEN BUTTRESSED THIS BY PUBLICLY SINGING PRAISES OF NOT ONLY INDIRA GANDHI BUT ALSO SANJAY GANDHI. THUS, THROUGHOUT THE EMERGENCY, THE SHIV SENA  LAY COMPLETELY DOCILE AND DORMANT, RAISING NO CONTENTIOUS ISSUES AND LEADING NO FIERY AGITATIONS. ITS DAY-TO-DAY “SHAKHA” FUNCTIONING AND ROUTINE TRADE UNION WORK WENT ON, BUT IN MUTED FASHION.

IN A SENSE, THE SHIV SENA  SUPPORT TO THE EMERGENCY WAS IDEOLOGICALLY CONSISTENT WITH ITS OFT-REPEATED, FASCISTIC ADULATION OF DICTATORSHIP. HOWEVER, IT IS WIDELY BELIEVED THAT THACKERAY TOOK THIS STAND BECAUSE HE WAS TERRIFIED AT THE PROSPECT OF AN INDEFINITELY LONG JAIL TERM.  THE ONE BRIEF STINT THAT HE HAD OF JAIL LIFE IN 1969 HAD BEEN FOR HIM A DREADFUL EXPERIENCE, AND HE WOULD DO ANYTHING TO AVOID A REPEAT OF THE SAME.

MARGINALISATION OF THE SHIV SENA

SHIV SENA  SUPPORT TO THE CONGRESS (I) CONTINUED EVEN AFTER THE EMERGENCY AND THE SUBSEQUENT ROUT OF THAT PARTY. IN THE 1977 LOK SABHA ELECTIONS, THE SHIV SENA  DID NOT CONTEST A SINGLE SEAT; INSTEAD, IT WORKED FOR THE CONGRESS. THE REVULSION OF THE PEOPLE AGAINST THE CONGRESS ALSO REBOUNDED ON THE SHIV SENA  AND THE OPPOSITION MADE A CLEAN SWEEP OF ALL THE LOK SABHA SEATS FROM MUMBAI.  THE SAME YEAR, IN THE BOMBAY MAYORAL ELECTION, THE SHIV SENA  BACKTRACKED ON ITS OWN EARLIER ASSURANCE TO SUPPORT THE OPPOSITION AND INSTEAD SUPPORTED THE CANDIDATURE OF CONGRESS CANDIDATE MURLI DEORA, WHO WON.  IN THE 1978 ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS, THE SHIV SENA  CONTESTED SOME SEATS ON ITS OWN BUT DREW A COMPLETE BLANK.  AND IN THE BMC ELECTIONS SOON AFTER, ITS STRENGTH WAS CUT DOWN BY HALF; IT WON ONLY 21 SEATS OUT OF 140 AS AGAINST 42 AND  39 THAT IT HAD WON IN THE EARLIER TWO ELECTIONS. THERE WAS NOW NO DOUBT THAT SHIV SENA  INFLUENCE EVEN IN ITS CITADEL OF MUMBAI WAS BEGINNING TO WANE.

IN THE LOK SABHA ELECTIONS OF 1980, HELD AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF THE JANATA PARTY RULE AT THE CENTRE, THE CONGRESS(I) STAGED A COMEBACK. INDIRA GANDHI PROMPTLY DISMISSED SEVERAL OPPOSITION-LED STATE GOVERNMENTS, WHICH INCLUDED THE PDF REGIME IN MAHARASHTRA, AND FRESH ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS WERE HELD.  THE CONGRESS(I) SWEPT THE POLLS AND, IN ORDER TO TEACH A LESSON TO THE MARATHA LOBBY THAT HAD OPPOSED HER, SHE FOISTED A.R. ANTULAY AS THE CHIEF MINISTER. THACKERAY AND ANTULAY HAD ALWAYS BEEN THE BEST OF FRIENDS; INDEED, SO SPECIAL WAS THEIR RELATIONSHIP THAT THE SHIV SENA  DID NOT CONTEST THE 1980 ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS AT ALL – INSTEAD, IT WORKED FOR THE CONGRESS(I)!  RETURNING THE FAVOUR, ANTULAY GOT THREE SHIV SENA  LEADERS ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WITH CONGRESS(I) SUPPORT!  ALL THE ABOVE EVENTS SHOWED TO WHAT EXTENT THE SHIV SENA  HAD BEEN MARGINALISED DURING THIS PERIOD.

THE EARLY EIGHTIES IN MAHARASHTRA, AS ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY, SAW THE FIRST STIRRINGS OF A NEW DRIVE LAUNCHED BY THE FORCES OF HINDU COMMUNALISM, WHICH WAS SPEARHEADED BY THE RSS-CONTROLLED  SANGH PARIVAR.  CAPITALISING ON EVENTS LIKE THE MEENAKSHIPURAM CONVERSIONS, TERRORISM IN PUNJAB AND KASHMIR, CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES IN THE NORTH-EAST AND SO ON, THE VHP BEGAN TO MAKE DIRECT APPEALS FOR HINDU CONSOLIDATION TO MEET THESE CHALLENGES. GANGA JAL YATRAS WERE TAKEN OUT  ACROSS THE COUNTRY  AND THE RAM JANMABHOOMI-BABRI MASJID DISPUTE WAS DELIBERATELY RAKED UP.  THE COMMUNAL CAULDRON WAS BEING STIRRED UP BY THE SAFFRON BRIGADE.

THE COMMUNAL CARD

THE SHIV SENA  INAUGURATED ITS NEW COMMUNAL DRIVE WITH THE GHASTLY COMMUNAL RIOTS IN BHIWANDI, KALYAN, THANE AND MUMBAI THAT WERE UNLEASHED IN MAY 1984.  THE PROVOCATION FOR THE RIOTS WAS A PUBLIC SPEECH BY THACKERAY WHEREIN HE MADE DEROGATORY REMARKS AGAINST THE PROPHET, MOHAMMED PAIGAMBAR.  THESE REMARKS WERE PRINTED IN EXAGGERATED FORM BY SOME URDU PAPERS. AS A REACTION TO THIS, IN FAR-OFF PARBHANI IN THE MARATHWADA REGION, A CONGRESS MLA, A.R. KHAN ORGANISED A LARGE PROTEST ACTION IN WHICH THACKERAY’S PHOTO WAS GARLANDED WITH SHOES.  THIS IGNITED THE FUSE WHICH LED THE SHIV SENA  TO UNLEASH MASSIVE RIOTS IN WHICH AT LEAST 258 PEOPLE WERE KILLED, THOUSANDS INJURED AND PROPERTY WORTH CRORES DESTROYED. THE RIOTS WERE REPLETE WITH TERRIBLE INSTANCES OF CRUELTY, THE MOST HEINOUS BEING THE ANSARI BAUG MASSACRE AT BHIWANDI. IT HAS BEEN CLEARLY ESTABLISHED THAT THE MAIN CULPRIT IN THESE RIOTS WAS THE SHIV SENA.

WHILE THE BUILD-UP TO THESE RIOTS, CONSISTING OF RABID COMMUNAL PROPAGANDA AND EVEN COLLECTION OF WEAPONS, WAS GOING ON OPENLY FOR TWO MONTHS IN MUMBAI AND BHIWANDI, THE GOVERNMENT DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.  THE ATTITUDE OF THE POLICE NOT ONLY REFLECTED THIS COMPLETE APATHY, BUT IT ALSO HAD ADDITIONAL COMMUNAL BIAS.  EVEN AFTER THE RIOTS, NO ACTION WAS EVER TAKEN AGAINST THACKERAY OR ANY OF THE OTHER CULPRITS.

IN THE LOK SABHA ELECTIONS OF 1984 HELD IN THE WAKE OF INDIRA GANDHI’S ASSASSINATION, THE SHIV SENA   FOR THE FIRST TIME CONCLUDED AN ELECTION ALLIANCE WITH THE BJP. BUT IN THE SYMPATHY WAVE THAT FOLLOWED THE ASSASSINATION, THE CONGRESS(I) SWEPT THE POLLS, WINNING A RECORD 43 OF THE 48 SEATS IN MAHARASHTRA. THE SS-BJP ALLIANCE, WHICH DREW A BLANK, WAS DISSOLVED SOON AFTER, TO BE REFORGED IN A MORE LASTING FORM FIVE YEARS LATER.  IN THE 1985 ASSEMBLY POLLS, THE SHIV SENA   FOUGHT ON ITS OWN AND CHHAGAN BHUJBAL BECAME THE LONE SHIV SENA   CANDIDATE TO GET ELECTED AS MLA. POLITICALLY, THE SHIV SENA   WAS STILL DOWN IN THE DUMPS.

RESURRECTION OF  THE SHIV SENA

THE RESURRECTION OF THE SHIV SENA   TOOK PLACE IN THE BMC ELECTIONS OF 1985, AND AFTER THAT IT HAS NEVER LOOKED BACK.  THESE ELECTIONS WERE HELD WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF THE ASSEMBLY POLLS IN WHICH THE SHIV SENA   HAD BEEN CLOBBERED, WINNING JUST ONE SOLITARY SEAT, OUT OF THE 34  SEATS IN MUMBAI AND 288 SEATS IN MAHARASHTRA. BUT JUST BEFORE THIS ELECTION, A VERY SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT TOOK PLACE. WHEN ASKED BY SHIV SENA   MLC PRAMOD NAVALKAR IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, IF THERE WERE ANY PLANS TO SEPARATE BOMBAY FROM MAHARASHTRA AND MAKE IT A UNION TERRITORY, CHIEF MINISTER VASANTDADA PATIL HIMSELF GAVE THE FOLLOWING REPLY: “I DO NOT KNOW IF THERE IS SUCH A PROPOSAL, BUT WE WILL FIGHT TOOTH AND  NAIL IF ANYONE TRIES TO SEPARATE BOMBAY FROM MAHARASHTRA”!  ACTUALLY, THERE WAS NEVER ANY SUCH PROPOSAL, AND BOTH PATIL AND THE SHIV SENA   KNEW IT ONLY TOO WELL.  BUT THIS CALCULATED REPLY WAS ENOUGH TO SET THE  CAT AMONG THE  PIGEONS, AND IT WAS ON THIS SINGLE ISSUE THAT THE SHIV SENA   WHIPPED UP REGIONAL SENTIMENTS, AND WON THE ELECTIONS WITH 78 SEATS OF THE 170 AT STAKE!

CAPITALISING ON ITS VICTORY, THE SHIV SENA   LOST NO TIME IN THREATENING ANOTHER ASSAM-TYPE AGITATION TO RID BOMBAY OF ALL “OUTSIDERS”.  THACKERAY EVEN WENT TO THE EXTENT OF DEMANDING THAT 1972 BE CONSIDERED AS THE CUT-OFF DATE, THAT ALL NON-MAHARASHTRIANS WHO HAD SETTLED IN MUMBAI AFTER THAT DATE BE DRIVEN OUT AND THAT NEW LAWS BE FRAMED TO STOP FURTHER INFLUX OF “OUTSIDERS” INTO THE CITY.  NONE OF THIS, OF COURSE, EVER CAME INTO EFFECT, BUT THE SHIV SENA  OFTEN GAVE SUCH THREATS EVEN IN  LATER YEARS.

IN 1986, THE “HOMECOMING” OF SHARAD PAWAR TO THE CONGRESS(I) PROVED TO BE ANOTHER BIG BONANZA FOR SHIV SENA   EXPANSION IN MAHARASHTRA. THIS CREATED A VACUUM IN THE OPPOSITION SPACE WHICH THE SHIV SENA   AND THE BJP, WITH THEIR COMMUNAL APPEAL ON THE ASCENDANT, BEGAN TO FILL. THIS WAS FURTHER AIDED BY THE RISING INCIDENCE OF INNER-CONGRESS FACTIONALISM, WHICH RESULTED IN ALL TOO FREQUENT CHANGES OF CONGRESS CHIEF MINISTERS AND THEIR CABINETS DURING THE EIGHTIES.  THERE WERE AS MANY AS SIX CHIEF MINISTERS IN TEN YEARS. THESE WERE IMPORTANT REASONS FOR SS-BJP GROWTH DURING THIS PERIOD.

ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT REASON THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE GROWTH  OF THE SHIV SENA   AND THE BJP DURING THE LATE EIGHTIES AND EARLY NINETIES WAS THE DECLINE OF THE SHETKARI SANGHATANA LED BY SHARAD JOSHI. THIS ORGANISATION, WHICH CAME TO PROMINENCE IN THE LATE SEVENTIES AND EARLY EIGHTIES AROUND THE ONE-POINT PROGRAMME OF REMUNERATIVE PRICES FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE, CLEARLY REPRESENTED THE LANDLORD LOBBY AND THE RICH PEASANTRY. BUT IT MOBILISED THOUSANDS OF PEASANTS IN MAHARASHTRA FOR MILITANT AGITATIONS AROUND CROPS LIKE ONIONS, TOBACCO, SUGARCANE AND COTTON. ALTHOUGH IT CLAIMED TO BE ALOOF FROM POLITICS, IN THE EIGHTIES IT GENERALLY THREW ITS WEIGHT BEHIND SELECTED THIRD FRONT CANDIDATES. BUT IN THE EARLY NINETIES, SHARAD JOSHI REVEALED HIS TRUE COLOURS AS AN UNASHAMED CHAMPION OF THE LIBERALISATION POLICIES AND THE GATT AGREEMENT. IT WAS THIS THAT LED TO A SPLIT IN THE SHETKARI SANGHATANA AND TO A NOSEDIVE IN SHARAD JOSHI’S INFLUENCE IN THE PEASANTRY. THE PEASANT AGITATIONS ALSO DECLINED. IT WAS IN THESE YEARS THAT SECTIONS OF THE PEASANTRY WHO HAD BEEN LET DOWN BY THE SHETKARI SANGHATANA AND WHO WERE DISILLUSIONED WITH THE CONGRESS, BEGAN TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS THE SHIV SENA   AND THE BJP.

LATER, SHARAD JOSHI FORMED A NEW PARTY CALLED THE SWATANTRA BHARAT PARTY WHICH WAS WIPED OUT IN SUCCESSIVE ELECTIONS AND JOSHI WAS HIMSELF DEFEATED A COUPLE OF TIMES. IN 1999, HE REACHED THE NADIR OF POLITICAL OPPORTUNISM.  THE SAME SHARAD JOSHI, WHO IN HIS HEYDAY USED TO PUBLICLY LASH OUT AT THE SS-BJP AS “COMMUNAL VULTURES”, NOW PLEADED WITH THACKERAY TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OF HIS CANDIDATES IN THE SS-BJP ALLIANCE!  WHEN THACKERAY REFUSED, JOSHI TURNED TO SHARAD PAWAR .

THE HINDUTVA CAMPAIGN AND STATEWIDE COMMUNAL RIOTS

IN NOVEMBER 1986, THE SHIV SENA   GAVE A CALL FOR THE OBSERVANCE OF A “SAFFRON  WEEK” ALL OVER THE STATE TO PROPAGATE ITS VERSION OF HINDUTVA.  THIS WAS IN THE BACKGROUND OF THE RAJIV GANDHI REGIME’S OPPORTUNISTIC DECISIONS AS REGARDS THE SHAH BANO CASE AND THE  OPENING OF THE LOCK OF THE AYODHYA SHRINE.  THE “SAFFRON WEEK” WAS USED FOR THE AIRING OF RABID COMMUNAL PROPAGANDA AND FOR THE STARTING OF SHIV SENA   “SHAKHAS” IN VILLAGES.  ALL THIS SET THE STAGE FOR COMMUNAL RIOTS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE STATE READMORE .MOTHER FUCKER S. DHINABALAN HINDU PRIESTS IS DIRECTLY COLLABORATING WITH SHIV SENA AND RSS THE CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE AND HATRED

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