Raj Thackeray and the Danger of Competing Regionalisms

COMMENTARY Khalsa from Punjab came out in support Raj Thackeray and the Danger of Thackeray, arguing that the present political set-up does not allow space to of Competing Regionalisms ventilate such grievances other than by resorting to violent means. So it comes as no surprise that having been allowed to go Mahesh Gavaskar scot free for the violent, disruptive acts of his party activists Raj Thackeray now feels Thanks to the government of he arrest of Raj Thackeray, the he can command respect. Take his recent Maharashtra’s soft approach, the leader of the Maharashtra Navnir- statement after the dismissed crew of Jet Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Tman Sena (MNS), which has gained Airways knocked on his door seeking his notoriety as a rabid outfit clamouring to intervention in the labour dispute. Though led by Raj Thackeray has been defend Marathi pride against “outsiders”, the Jet Airways management may have able to develop an aura of an and the violent response by his supporters salvaged the situation hastily by withdraw- anti-establishment party that signal that Maharashtra is once again in ing its ham-handed decision, Thackeray, espouses the legitimate demands the throes of linguistic chauvinism. Des- clearly buoyed by the unexpected plea of perate to latch on to any cause that will the employees, gloated that this was just a of the Marathi-speaking catapult his fledgling splinter group from trailer and that the film would unfold population in the state. Pressure the Shiv Sena into the limelight, Thack- shortly. Not only do these statements from the centre belatedly forced eray has proved through the repeated acts convey that Thackeray treats life as a film the state government to arrest of violence that his followers have indulged with himself as hero, but they also show that in over the past couple of years that his he perceives himself, on the basis of some Thackeray but the local parties heart pulsates with the same vitriolic anti- sundry adventurous deeds applauded by are unable or unwilling to fight immigrant rhetoric that his uncle Bal large sections of the regional media, as in- the MNS politically. A more Thackeray churned out four decades ago. vincible. On the flip side, the Jet Airways dangerous and larger implication Raj Thackeray has revived with alacrity case clearly shows that Thackeray’s rough- the issue of alleged increasing marginali- tough tactics have captured the popular of the MNS “success” in capturing sation of the Marathi Manoos in Mumbai imagination with all the self-contradictions attention is that regional parties (and over time in some other cities in the that are entailed in such a perception: a everywhere – which are yet to state), an issue which the Shiv Sena, ever man capable of delivering the goods on the grow out of their region-specific since its shift to Hindutva and nurturing sheer basis of his clout and at the same time of ambitions to play a role at the national being unaccountable to the law of the land outlook – may feel emboldened to level, has tended to downplay in recent for his acts or for those of his followers. This bully the centre and make it a site years. That Raj Thackeray has been suc- was the way in which his uncle enthroned for competing regionalisms to cessful in reviving an old issue was clearly himself as the un-anointed leader of the settle their scores. evident when Mumbai and the urban areas Marathi-speaking public of the city in the in adjoining Thane district came to a halt early part of his political career. on October 21, a scene normally witnessed in the past only on the diktats of the Shiv A Parallel Government Sena supremo. To conclude that the recent Take the case of the MNS campaign in protests following his arrest were sponta- September demanding that signboards on neous would be far off the mark. In fact, shops and commercial establishments in amidst the growing inefficacy of the state Mumbai should be in Marathi. This was to apparatus at the centre as well as in the score points over the rival Sena-BJP com- states, inciting party cadres to take the law bine which runs the municipal corpora- into one’s own hands for alleged grievances tion in Mumbai, and whose rules dating has become an alluring ploy for any back to the 1970s clearly mention that the upcoming/opposition leader. The Shiv Sena nameplates be in local language. Inciden- has been known for these outrages, and tally it was the state government, not to be if one casts a glance over the recent deeds left behind in the race to reach out to the of the MNS, such vigilantism has been its sons-of-the soil, that took the lead in this hallmark since inception. case by issuing circulars to that effect, Mahesh Gavaskar ([email protected]) Some may justify it as a way to attract with a deadline and threat of a hefty fine is a political commentator based in Belgaum. attention to their grievances. The Dal in case of defiance. But, given the ad hoc 8 november 1, 2008 EPW Economic & Political Weekly COMMENTARY nature of the state initiative and the al- inflammatory speeches and has put him in allocating advertisements not crop up most ineffective writ of the bureaucracy in on notice by slapping numerous cases in earlier? Second, Lalu Prasad is not the first such matters, Thackeray’s simultaneous various courts across the state. railway minister to implement this policy. diktat of a deadline along with the threat Third, these examinations by now have for non-compliance became the talking Indulging the Spoilt Child been held a number of times; how come point. In fact, by adopting more aggressive But the game is certainly not over. Those none of the Maharashtra ministers at the postures than those of his competitors on holding the reins of power in the state at centre or in the state and the ever-vigilant issues centred on Marathi and the Marathi present do not seem to be fully aware of the media got even a scent of this flaw? And Manoos, he not only outsmarted them, more onerous tasks they face after having finally, if this genuinely was the cause, was but in the process amplified his presence initiated action against the MNS chief. The the whole ruckus, which resulted in the death in mass perception. He is not saddled dispensers of justice should be convinced of one candidate and innumerable others with the burden of unkept promises and that the agenda Thackeray and his MNS are being severely injured, worth it? This is not governmental non-action that hampers foisting is detrimental to the state’s interests to absolve the railways, but surely in the his competitors. Rather by keeping his and this should be effectively conveyed to present case the issue appears to be more of agenda of targeting the shop-owners who the masses. But already the wind seems to an afterthought to provide a more plausible do not put up Marathi signboards in focus be blowing in another direction. Plans are justification for theMNS action, more so after and with an army of dedicated muscle- afoot to bail out the beleaguered MNS leader the leader was handcuffed, a prospect men to execute his orders, he exposed the (sections of the regional media are busy which his followers and the regional media shortcomings of his rivals’ claims. At the projecting him as a hero) by displaying a rooting for him perhaps never envisaged. same time he augmented his image as the grand show of Marathi solidarity across party genuine saviour of a “decrepit” Marathi lines at the centre as well as the state. Citing Lalu Is Not Alone language in a multilingual megapolis. the Bihari unity that ultimately forced the The charge of favouritism/nepotism levelled Not surprisingly, K L Prasad, the joint centre to act decisively in this case, moves against Lalu Prasad is serious, but it is commissioner (law and order), Mumbai are being made in tandem to retract from not new. The railway ministry in the larger police, had to admit in the court case filed being punitive to becoming protective to- interest of diverse sections of Indian popu- by the traders targeted during the MNS wards the spoilt child. Arguments are being lace needs to make its recruitment policy agitation that the said agitation was not forwarded to cast the MNS leader in a sym- more nuanced. Moreover, the decision of beyond the bounds of law. With the state pathetic mould and to avoid the negative the railway minister to conduct the same government laws clearly stating so, he had fallout of his arrest on their electoral pros- examinations for the posts in Maharashtra hardly any other defence to put up. With pects, as the state goes to parliamentary outside the state seems to be born out of the pretensions of the state enforcement and assembly polls in six months and a year pique. But, on the other hand, leaders machinery exposed, the state government or so from now, respectively. those belonging to major political parties when interrogated for its pusillanimity to- One such argument seeks to highlight in Maharashtra are also to be blamed for wards the strong-arm tactics of the MNS that the root cause behind the brutal attack the turn of events. Some of them, especially sheepishly replied that Thackeray was meted out to the north Indian candidates those belonging to the ruling coalition, running a “parallel government”. In short, during the recent railway board examina- have thought it more important to go into the government had conceded that Thack- tions was the lopsided policy of the rail- a huddle to take stock of what impact eray had become an anti-establishment way authorities of not publishing adver- Thackeray’s arrest would have on their po- figure with a legitimate cause.

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