Bal Thackeray: the Only Thackeray! Aroon Tikekar 18 3Rd Floor, Army & Navy Building Sokal Hoax and Shiv Sainiks Dr

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Bal Thackeray: the Only Thackeray! Aroon Tikekar 18 3Rd Floor, Army & Navy Building Sokal Hoax and Shiv Sainiks Dr Freedom First Between Ourselves… The Liberal Magazine As we go to press two entirely different events have provided round the clock TV ‘spectacles’ in between “breaks.” Number 547 – January 2013 The gruesome gang-rape in a bus in Delhi of a medical student, and Advisory Board: that too in Delhi, drew national anger. TV channels cashed in. Alongside Mr. Sharad Bailur expressions of shock and concern and the hysterical manner in which the Mr. A. V. Gopalakrishnan privacy of the victim and her family was invaded, it lacked dignity and was Mr. Firoze Hirjikaka in poor taste. Couldn’t all this have waited till the doctors had done their Mr. Ashok Karnik bit? There is much deficiency in governance in this country; there is universal Mr. Farrokh Mehta acceptance of the fact that the law is observed more in its breach and a million other issues that could be debated when emotions calm down. But the moment Mr. Jehangir Patel was seized by competing channels for gain - the all important TRP. Mr. Nitin G. Raut Brig. S. C. Sharma (retd.) The other is the return of Narendra Modi. The fact is that he won Mr. Kunwar Sinha convincingly and proved yet again that he continued to enjoy the confidence Mr. Sameer Wagle of a majority of the people of Gujarat. But one couldn’t miss the sarcasm, innuendoes and the disdain regarding this man who trumped the Indira Editor: Congress thrice. It was mostly about how unsuitable Modi was to be Prime S. V. Raju Minister, mocking his ambitions, even asking how he can even dare. Very grudgingly most channels admitted that he campaigned on governance and Associate Editor: development and not on caste, religions or similar divisive issues more as Prof. R. Srinivasan asides. This was of little interest to the purveyors of visual news who had Editorial Team: other axe to grind. Dr. Rca Godbole Editor Ms. Hina Manerikar Dr. Jyoti Marwah In this Issue Mr. Nitin Raut From Our Readers 4 Effective Governance in a Federal Polity Manohar Parrikar 5 Administration, Accounts, The Economy: 7 Subscription, Circulation: The Employment-Unemployment Conundrum Sunil S. Bhandare 8 Industrial Chaos Kashinath A. Divecha 11 Ms. Kashmira Rao A Brush with Nature Contact: “Isn’t it Dangerous?” Ashish Chandola 14 Point Counter Point Ashok Karnik 17 Indian Committee for Cultural Freedom Bal Thackeray: The Only Thackeray! Aroon Tikekar 18 3rd floor, Army & Navy Building Sokal Hoax and Shiv Sainiks Dr. Rca Godbole 22 148, Mahatma Gandhi Road Sting Operations: An Abuse of Press Freedom? Nitin G. Raut 24 Mumbai 400001 Cornucopia Firoze Hirjikaka 26 Telefax. 022 22843416 /66396366 Foreign Relations in the 21st Century Editor’s Cell: 9820016392 Obama-2 : Second Term Activism Abroad B. Ramesh Babu 30 Georgia : A Dream Becomes a Reality Dr. R. G. Gidadhubli 32 Subscription: The Wisdom of C. Rajagopalachari Annual: Rs.200: Two years Rs.350 Folk Genius 34 Three years: Rs.500 From the Memoirs of Minoo Masani 35 A Soldier’s Tale Overseas: Annual only US$20 / £10. What a Rest Day! Brig. Furdoon S. Mehta (Retd.) 36 Cheques/DDs in favour of ICCF Book Reviews When Generals Failed - The Chinese Invasion Email: [email protected] by Brig. Darshan Khullar, Reviewed by Brig. Suresh C. Sharma (Retd.) 37 Web: www.freedomfirst.in Beyond Auditing - An Autobiography by G. Narayanaswamy, Reviewed by Dr. R. Srinivasan 38 Educating Adults G The Right to Education Act (7) Suresh Sharma 40 Published by J. R. Patel for the Indian Committee G Prof. G. Venkatasubbiah B. M. N. Murthy 41 for Cultural Freedom and printed by him at Union G How to Learn Politics from Children Sharu Rangnekar 43 Press, 13 Homji Street, Fort, Mumbai 400001. Tel. G Bhimsen Joshi and the Kaiserbagh Bar Sharad Bailur 45 22660357, 22665526. Typeset at Shubham Print & Web, 59, Dr. V. B. Gandhi Marg, 1st floor, Fort, Nostalgia: Mumbai 400001. Tel. 22842619. Freedom First This month in January 1956 facing page 46 Freedom First January 2013 3 From Our Readers FDI in Retail accumulated over the years. He even pleaded with the The FDI Issue (FF 546 Dec.2012) write up is very auto guy to visit him daily so that he can keep returning enlightening. I think Freedom First ,should get published all his money. In utter shock and disbelief, I came home in regional languages. It is very urgent to save Democracy. and switched on the TV wondering what Arnab Goswami had to say about the new India that I was witnessing. Lalitha Subramaniam. [email protected] The panelists for the evening included the usual * suspects from all the political parties and the topic was The Nov.1962 War corruption. Surprisingly, instead of trading charges at each “A Forgotten Tale of Heroism” by Brig. Sharma other, they were falling over each other in accepting the (FF546,Dec.2012) was an outstanding piece; very crisply blame. Manish Tiwari owned up the 2G, Coalgate and all written and so informative. In fact I did not know much other scams and promised to return the loot to the of this story that we had given a very strong resistance national exchequer. Ravi Shankar Prasad did not like this in the Western Sector. and was defending the Congress stating that BJP was the originator of all the scams and the Congress was merely Why is it that our military historians did not being made a scapegoat. Manish Tiwari was furious and highlight this while we are all the while judging the entire said the BJP’s image has been tarnished by the Congress 1962 operations only through the failure of the Eastern and apologized on behalf of Sonia Gandhi. Sector? V. Balachandran, Mumbai. Friend, Arnab was a mute witness to the proceedings [email protected] and for the first time, he could neither contribute nor * contradict any of the claims or counter claims made by I Had a Dream... the panelists. Arnab, alluding to conspiracy theory, concluded that both the Congress and the BJP have joined I dreamed last night that the whole of India has hands to make him redundant. become honest overnight. This included not only the notoriously corrupt politicians, policemen and government He signed off by saying that he will soon start his servants but also the Mango man or the aam admi who own Dance Reality show along with Saroj Khan and Farah has always grumbled that he has been at the receiving Khan. After this bitter experience he swore never to include end of the stick without acknowledging his part in the any politician to judge his new show. system. While all this wondrous things were happening I I woke up to the knock of the milkman who told awoke to the right of the alarm on my cell. It was about me that from today, milk will cost only Rs. 10/- per litre time for me to get up, dressed and goes to work in my instead of Rs. 35/- that he has been fleecing from me all office. these years by over-charging and contaminating the milk N. R. Balasubramanian. [email protected] with sewage water. As the day progressed, I had to call the electrician to fix a bulb. He arrived within five minutes and did not charge anything for the bulb saying he too Subscripton Renewal has been over charging me all these years and from on he, will not take any money for any repair work as Have you renewed your subscription? If your compensation for past sins. subscription is due (or overdue) check your code number on the envelope. If it says December 2012 it means your The regular vegetable vendor was equally generous subscription is due for renewal effective January 2013. If as he offered 1 kg of free vegetables of my choice for it says January 2010 or 2011it means your subscription is every 200 gms that I bought. After all this shocking kin in arrears for three or two years respectively. episodes since morning, I decided to hit the local bar. First the auto driver and then the bar owner, both of them did The subscription is Rs.200 for one year, Rs.350 for not allow me to even open my purse. All this, they said, two years and Rs.500 for three years. Please do not send was because of Team Anna which had instilled a sense for more than three years. of Desh Bakhti in them. They were also feeling bad for Cheques/DD should be in favour of ICCF preferably cheating the common man all these years. payable at par or add bank charges of Rs.50/- You can On my return journey, a policeman stopped my auto also remit by money order to: Indian Committee for Cultural and handed out a Rs.500/- note to the driver saying he is Freedom, 3rd floor, Army & Navy Building, 148 Mahatma only returning a part of the ill gotten wealth he has Gandhi Road, Mumbai 400001. 4 Freedom First January 2013 Effective Governance in a Federal Polity Manohar Parrikar Basically, indecision and maladministration appear to be transgressing and trespassing each other’s zone of work. It seems to be the highlight of governance these days. Federalism has its own impact; whatever the Centre does obviously has its impact on state governments. a record for the first time. No single party has managed to get a majority of 21 in the state, after attaining statehood. When Goa was a Union Territory, there were governments which enjoyed a single party majority; perhaps that was because they didn’t have much power.
Recommended publications
  • India: the Shiv Sena, Including the Group's Activities and Areas Of
    Home > Research > Responses to Information Requests RESPONSES TO INFORMATION REQUESTS (RIRs) New Search | About RIRs | Help 29 April 2011 IND103728.E India: The Shiv Sena, including the group's activities and areas of operation within India; whether the Shiv Sena is involved in criminal activity; if so, the nature of these activities (2009 - March 2011) Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa The Political Party The Shiv Sena, a political party in the Indian state of Maharashtra, was formed in 1966 and is led by Balashaheb Thackeray (Political Handbook of the World 2011, 632; MaharashtraPoliticalParties.com n.d.a). Other party leaders, according to the Political Handbook of the World 2011, include Uddhav Thackeray, the party's executive president, and Anant Gheete, a leader in the Lok Sabha (2011, 632). The Lok Sabha (House of the People) is a unit of the national Parliament, along with the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) (India 16 Sept. 2010). Members of the Lok Sabha are directly elected by eligible voters every five years (ibid.). In 2009, the Shiv Sena won 11 seats in a general election (Political Handbook of the World 2011, 632). The Political Handbook of the World notes that Shiv Sena is "closely linked" to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) (2011, 632). The Press Trust of India (PTI) reports that on 6 March 2011, the BJP leader "said his party's alliance with Shiv Sena will remain intact at [the] Maharashtra and national level" (6 Mar. 2011). In 14 April 2011 correspondence with the Research Directorate, an honorary senior fellow and chairman of the Centre for Multilevel Federalism, at the Institute of Social Sciences in New Delhi, noted that the Shiv Sena was "the main opposition party" in the Maharashtra legislative assembly of 2004 to 2009.
    [Show full text]
  • Secularism's Last Sigh?
    TSpace Research Repository tspace.library.utoronto.ca Secularism’s Last Sigh? The Hindu Right, the Courts and India’s Struggle for Democracy Brenda Cossman Version Publisher’s Version Citation Brenda Cossman, "Secularism’s Last Sigh? The Hindu Right, the Courts (published version) and India’s Struggle for Democracy" (1997) 38 Harvard International Law Journal 113. Publisher’s Statement Reproduced with permission from the Harvard International Law Journal: Brenda Cossman, "Secularism’s Last Sigh? The Hindu Right, the Courts and India’s Struggle for Democracy" (1997) 38 Harvard International Law Journal 113. How to cite TSpace items Always cite the published version, so the author(s) will receive recognition through services that track citation counts, e.g. Scopus. If you need to cite the page number of the author manuscript from TSpace because you cannot access the published version, then cite the TSpace version in addition to the published version using the permanent URI (handle) found on the record page. This article was made openly accessible by U of T Faculty. Please tell us how this access benefits you. Your story matters. VOLUME 38, NUMBER 1, WINTER 1997 Secularism's Last Sigh?: . The Hindu Right, the Courts, and India's Struggle for Democracy Brenda Cossman* Ratna Kapur** India forces us to think, sometimes in tragic moments, of the function ofreligious thought within secularism. This is again a challenge for the times. If you look around the world today this is a very important issue; this particular kind of sometimes fun­ damentalist; of other times religious orthodoxy erupting within secularism, not simply in opposition to it.- -Homi Bhabha! The struggle to secure the constirutional and political protection of secularism in India has been long and difficult, and secularism's .ene­ mies remain numerous.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter Ii History and Hrm of Newspaper Industry
    CHAPTER II HISTORY AND HRM OF NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY 2.1 ORIGIN OF NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY 2.1.1 History of newspaper History of newspaper is one of the dramatic experience for the world it is considered as a turning point in the world. In the beginning only political news were spread to the people through oral communication. Then poster showing news came into existence and news were published through these posters. Julius Caesar the first person who introduced newspaper (poster) in Rome in 59 B.C. In the 10th century A.D. The Chinese government also introduced a newspaper in Peiping in 10th century A. D. This was continued for a long time i.e. till 1911.In 1956 Venice with intention to convey the world news to his people he prepared the news and kept them in the public places.[1] Print media is considered as the most trusted element of the media world. Newspapers cater not only the local interest, but also the national and international interests. The history of these particular mass media communicator in India is traced back in the year 1780 with the production of the Bengal Gazette from Calcutta (K0olkata). History of the newspapers in India[2]is also interesting. Printing was not there in existence in the ancient period. There were no means of communication. In those days Ashoka the greatest Emperor introduced his own means of communication. He started publishing the events in the form of small pictures drawn on the walls of the temples. Political news were also published in the same manner, and announcers were also appointed, and they made their announcements in a crowded places.
    [Show full text]
  • PSCI 104 Multiculturalism and Its Critics Research Paper Guide and Assignment
    PSCI 104 Multiculturalism and its Critics Research paper guide and assignment Step #1: Read Laurent Gayer and Christophe Jaffrelot, eds., Muslims in Indian Cities: Trajectories of Marginalization (New York: Columbia University Press, 2012) (pp. 1-79; 311-329) Step #2: Attend a special session of class (March 28) in the Ames lab classroom with librarian Chris Sweet as you learn to use the Ames search engines to access in- depth information on the Hindu-Muslim riots in India. Step #3: Use your search engine skills to research one of the topics below (you will be assigned topics in class). Prepare a 10 minute discussion of the topic to be presented to our class. Presentations will be offered (without the use of Powerpoint) on April 2 (1-7), 4 (8-14), 9 (15-21), and 11 (22-25). 1. K. K, Shastri and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) 2. Narendra Modi 3. The Personal Laws and the Shah Bano case 4. Bal Thackeray and the Shiv Sena 5. The Dalit Panthers 6. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Hindutva 7. Arend Lijphart’s “consociational democracy” and India as an example 8. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar 9. Disha 10. The Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) 11. The 1980 Mandal Commission Report and the “backward” castes. 12. Raj Thackeray and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) 13. Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) 14. The Mughals and the British “divide and conquer” strategy 15. The Textile Labor Association (TLA) of Gujurat 16. The Ahmedabad Millowners Association (AMA) 17. Syed Ahmed and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) 18.
    [Show full text]
  • Rohan Lambore
    FORBES & FIFTH Rohan Lambore Rohan Lambore is a junior at the University of Pittsburgh major- ing in Political Science, Urban Studies, and International Studies. When he isn’t found mulling intensively over world politics and conflict resolution, he can often be found watching movies with his family and friends, listening to his favorite Indian music, or reading a variety of books on foreign policy and civil war theory. He plans to one day attend graduate school where he would like to complete a MA or a PhD program in world politics and conflict studies. After attaining his degrees he would like to work in the policy sector, hopefully affecting world order and peace at either the national or international level. Lambore An Era of Volatile Transition: Uncovering the Hindu-Muslim Tension in Mumbai, India Introduction “If this city is to move forward into a less communally tense and more promising future, then it seems that only God can help us reach there.”1 This insight from one of Mumbai journalist Sandeep Unnith- an’s numerous city-wide interviews ironically sheds light on a rather most talked-about and touchy subject within one of India’s most rapidly growing hubs today. The consistent problem of inter-religious tensions (Hindu-Muslim) within Mumbai seems to be at the discussion table for practically every urban planner, elected official, police officer, philan- thropist, and even common citizen who convenes to address the city’s progress. With a metropolis population of just under 20.5 million2, Mumbai has emerged as the fourth most populous city in the world and is one of the most densely populated.
    [Show full text]
  • LOK SABHA DEBATES (English Version)
    Eleventh Series, Vol. XV, No. 9 Monday, August 4, 1997 Shravana 13, 1919 (Saka) LOK SABHA DEBATES (English Version) Fifth Session (Eleventh Lok Sabha) > ' V :. ‘ 1 PARLIAMENT L!BE.AfY v * R i t a ..... (I: I, (Vol. XV contains Nos. 1 to 10) LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT NEW DELHI Price : Rs. 50.00 EDITORIAL BOARD Shri S. Gopalan Secretary-General Lok Sabha Shri Surendra Mishra Additional Secretary Lok Sabha Secretariat Shri P.C. Bhatt Chief Editor Lok Sabha Secretariat Shri A. P. Chakravarti Senior Editor Lok Sabha Secretariat [Original English proceedings included in English Version and O riginal Hindiproceedings included in Hindi VERSION WILL UK treated as authoritative and not the translation thereof] CONTENTS [Eleventh Series, Vol. XV, Fifth Session, (Part-1). 1997/1919 (Saka)] No. 9, Monday, August 4, 1997/Shravana 13, 1919 (Saka) bUR,,FCT Columns ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS : ‘ Starred Questions Nos. 161 — 1 6 5 ........................................................................................................ 1__ 24 WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS : Starred Questions Nos. 166— 180 .......................................................................................................... 24—40 Unstarred Questions Nos. 1776 — 2005 ................................................................................................ 40— 193 PAPERS LAID ON THE TABLE............................................................................................................................ 194— 197 STATEMENT BY MINISTER Recommendation of the Governing
    [Show full text]
  • Shiv Sena – BJP – Congress Party – Elections
    Refugee Review Tribunal AUSTRALIA RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE Research Response Number: IND31712 Country: India Date: 1 May 2007 Keywords: India – Gujarat – Shiv Sena – BJP – Congress Party – Elections This response was prepared by the Country Research Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Questions 1. Please provide information on Shiv Sena / BJP in Gujarat and its relationship with the Congress party. 2. Please provide brief information on election results in Gujarat since 2000. RESPONSE 1. Please provide info on Shiv Sena / BJP in Gujarat and its relationship with the Congress party. The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has been in power in the Indian state of Gujarat since 1998. According to Question 4 of RRT Country Research Response IND31126 of 19 December 2006, “in 1998, the BJP won one hundred and seventeen seats in the state legislature compared to the Congress, which won only fifty three. In the December 2002 elections, the BJP secured one hundred and twenty seven seats whereas the total share of seats for the Congress declined from fifty three to fifty”. Question 1 of RRT Country Research Response IND30469 of 11 August 2006 noted that “the Shiv Sena presently holds no seats in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, though is a leading force in the legislative assembly of the neighbouring state of Maharashtra”. Nevertheless, according to Question 1 of the RRT Country Research Response IND30864 of 7 November 2006, the Shiv Sena and its coalition partner, the BJP, hold power in the Municipal Corporation of Mumbai, which is the capital of Maharashtra (RRT Country Research Response 2006, Research Response IND31126, 19 December – Attachment 1; RRT Country Research Response 2006, Research Response IND30469, 11 August – Attachment 2; RRT Country Research Response 2006, Research Response IND30864, 7 November – Attachment 3).
    [Show full text]
  • 'New Outsider' Revive Nativist Politics in Mumbai?
    Will the ‘new outsider’ revive nativist politics in Mumbai? The formation of Maha Vikas Aghadi by the Shiv Sena, NCP, and the Congress has put both the MNS and the BJP in Maharashtra in a crisis Sumeet Mhaskar 16 February, 2020 MNS chief Raj Thackeray is doing all he can to get back into the political landscape of Maharashtra after the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi. File photo: PTI Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)’s decision to shed their pretensions of inclusive politics and explicitly embrace Hindutva ideology is yet another desperate attempt to revive their presence in Maharashtra’s political landscape. After the north-Indian and Gujarati ‘outsiders,’ MNS has decided to focus on Bangladeshi and Pakistani Muslim outsiders for injecting life into their otherwise fragile political existence. More importantly, MNS president Raj Thackeray extended his support to the CAA. Previously too, Raj Thackeray had argued in favour of deporting Bangladeshi and Pakistani immigrants. However, about two months ago he had opposed the introduction of CAA and NRC. Raj Thackeray argued in December that Amit Shah has introduced CAA- NRC to divert people’s attention from the economic slowdown. He further stated that our systems had failed to cater to the needs of our own people, and therefore there was no need to bring in more people and give them citizenship – irrespective of their religious affiliation. However, the formation of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) by the Shiv Sena, NCP, and the Congress has put both the MNS and the BJP in the state in crisis. Since Bal Thackeray’s death in 2012, the Shiv Sena has been reduced to a helpless younger brother by the BJP.
    [Show full text]
  • GIPE-159343.Pdf
    REPORT OF THE COMMISSION OF INQUffi.Y INTO THE COl\1MUNAL DISTURBANCES AT BillWANDI, JALGAON AND MAHAD IN :MAY 1970 By .D.P. MADON JUDGE, HIGH COURT, BOMBAY VOLUME VII -APPENDICES PRICE (For Vols. I to VII)- Rs. 26 REPORT OF THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO THE COMMUNAL DISTURBANCES OF BHI\VAN DI, JALGAON AND MAHAD IN MAY, 1970 VOLUME Vll-APPENDICES CONTENTS APPENDICES Appendix Page A List of notifications and notices issued by the Commission I B List of affidavits filed before the Commission 2 C Dates of the Commission's visits for local inspection to the places and sites of the disturbances . 3i D Dates of sittings of the Commission 38 E List of witnesses examined before the Commission 39 P List of persons to whom notices were issued by the Commission to appear before it and meet the allegations made against them, if they so desired 58 G Li~t of Exhibits produced befonr'the Commission 63 H Sketch of Bhiwandi showing the route of the procession and police bandobast on 7th May 1970 ISS Sketch of Bhiwandi showing the incidents which took place on 7th May 1970 156 J Sketch of Khoni village showing the incidents which took place on 7th May 1970 157 K Sketch of Bhiwandi showing the incidents which took place on 8th May 1970 158 L Sketch of Bhiwandi shov. ing the- incidents which took place on 9th May 1970 159 1\f Skeh:h of Bhiwandi showing the incidenb which took place between 10th May 1970 and 31st May 1970 160 N Combined sketch of Bhiwandi, Khoni and Nagaon village~ showing the incidents which took.
    [Show full text]
  • SUPREME COURT of INDIA Page 1 of 34 PETITIONER: DR
    http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 1 of 34 PETITIONER: DR. RAMESH YESHWANT PRABHOO Vs. RESPONDENT: SHRI PRABHAKAR KASHINATH KUNTE & OTHERS DATE OF JUDGMENT11/12/1995 BENCH: VERMA, JAGDISH SARAN (J) BENCH: VERMA, JAGDISH SARAN (J) SINGH N.P. (J) VENKATASWAMI K. (J) CITATION: 1996 AIR 1113 1996 SCC (1) 130 JT 1995 (8) 609 1995 SCALE (7)1 ACT: HEADNOTE: JUDGMENT: WITH CIVIL APPEAL NO. 2835 OF 1989 Bal Thackeray V. Shri Prabhakar Kashinath Kunte & Others JUDGMENT J.S. VERMA, J. : Both these appeals are under Section 116A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act/R.P. Act') against the judgment dated 7th April, 1989 of the Bombay High Court in Election petition No. 1 of 1988 by which the election of Dr. Ramesh Yeshwant Prabhoo, the returned candidate from, Vile Parle Constituency to the Maharashtra State Legislative Assembly, held on 13th December, 1987, has been declared to be void on the ground under Section 100(1)(b) of the Act. The appellant has been found quality of the corrupt practices prescribed by sub-Sections (3) and (3A) of Section 123 of the Act at the election, in that he and his agent Bal Thackeray with his consent appealed for votes on the ground of the returned candidate's religion and that they promoted or tended to promote feelings of enmity and hatred between different classes of the citizens of India on the grounds of religion and community. Consequently, Bal Thackeray, after a notice issued under Section 99 of the Act to him, has also been named for commission of these corrupt practices.
    [Show full text]
  • Semi-Fascism in Action Ashok Dhawale Introduction the Shiv Sena
    The Marxist Volume: 16, No. 02 April-June 2000 The Shiv Sena: Semi-Fascism in Action Ashok Dhawale Introduction The Shiv Sena, during nearly three and a half decades of its existence, has always symbolised the semi-fascist face of reaction. Amongst all the regional parties that are today opportunistically supporting the BJP-led regime at the Centre, it is only the Shiv Sena (SS) that has a clear ideological affinity with the RSS-controlled Sangh Parivar. That is precisely why the SS has been the BJP's earliest and oldest political ally in the country. For the last 11 years since 1989, the two have had an unbroken alliance at both national and state levels. Despite rough patches, this alliance is set to continue for the near future. Although their interpretations may somewhat differ, the SS and the BJP share a common allegiance to the communal and fascistic concept of cultural nationalism and to the aim of achieving a "Hindu Rashtra". The rapid growth of the SS 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. One of the major reasons for thee success of the communal appeal, whether of the SS or the BJP, is of course the fertile soil provided by the deepening economic crisis resulting from the policies of successive Congress governments. Another important reason has been the ruling class tendency of compromising with the communal forces, at both national and state levels. In the case of the SS, as we shall see, this tendency has been exhibited with a vengeance.
    [Show full text]
  • Trajectories in the Construction of 'Maharashtrian' Identity
    © 2018 JETIR August 2018, Volume 5, Issue 8 www.jetir.org (ISSN-2349-5162) Trajectories in the Construction of ‘Maharashtrian’ Identity Rajula Nanji Shah Ph.D. Research Scholar Department of Sociology University of Mumbai, Mumbai, India Abstract: With a theoretical lens of symbolic interactionism and methodological lens of social constructionism, this paper examines the construction of ‘Maharashtrian’ identity through its various predominant trajectories. Harnessing purely on secondary data, this paper intends to understand and survey the trends in emergence of identity politics in relation to ethnicity, particularly relating to language as one of the factors influencing it along with region and religion, while keeping independence and thereby re- organization of states on linguistic basis in its backdrop. For this, four major phases or movements in Maharashtra’s history are discussed that have dramatically influenced the construction of ‘Maharashtrian’ identity. The paper concludes by suggesting the uniqueness of Maharashtrian identity, especially for Mumbai, where the socio-economic dynamics have been comparatively different than the others regions in Maharashtra. Keywords: Identity, Symbolic Interactionism, Maharashtra, Shiv Sena. I. IDENTITY – AN INTRODUCTION The constructionist tradition treats identity as a social construction, not as a natural phenomenon, rather as a human creation that is produced by groups of human beings in order to solve problems, defend or enhance their positions, justify their actions, establish meanings, achieve understanding, or otherwise negotiate their way through the world in which they live (Cornell and Hartmann, 2007). Further, it is difficult to comprehend and understand one’s identity is this complex globalized world, where there is a multiplicity of identities, which are also undergoing rapid changes.
    [Show full text]