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A Study of the Articulation and Perception of Shiv Sena's Ideology

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A Study of the Articulation and Perception of Shiv Sena's Ideology THE APPEAL OF NAT1VISM : A STUDY OF THE ARTICULATION AND PERCEPTION OF SHIV SENA'S IDEOLOGY DIPANKAR GUPTA Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. The Shiv Sena (literally), the army of Shivaji) movement was initiated formally and in an organised manner on the 19th of June 1966 in Bombay. However prior to this, Bal Thackeray, the Shiv Sena chief, had already popularised in the pages of his journal Marmik (later to become the Shiv Sena mouthpiece) most of the ideas which the Shiv Sena was to later explicitly embrace. The Shiv Sena movement used nativism as its basic ideological plank, and demanded that as Bombay was the capital of Maharashtra, Maharashtrians should be given opportunity to make the most of what their capital city had to offer them; or to be more specific 80 percent of all jobs and economic opportunities should be reserved for Maharashtrians in Bombay. For the Shiv Sena believed that Maharashtrians were discriminated against in the capital of their own State, while migrants from other states, especially from South India, were cornering most of the jobs and economic opportunities in the city. This paper is devoted primarily to an examination of how exactly this nativist appeal in the Shiv Sena's ideology was articulated within a coherent ideological framework which in turn won over and motivated such a phenomenal number of adherents as soon as it was formed. Till 1974, it may be recalled, the Shiv Sena was the single largest party after the Congress in the Bombay Municipal Corporation, and easily the most "visible" organization in this Metropolis. Though its popularity has now waned somewhat, it is by no means non-existent. But rarely, if ever, is the ideology of a movement or its popularity, based on a single item. In the case of the Shiv Sena, though Vol. 29, No. 2, September 1980 SOCIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 108 SOCIOLOGICAL BULLETIN the nativist element formed the core of its ideological structure, it incorporated other issues as well, and provided a scale of values to its partisans, by drawing upon diverse sources of social and political activity, which eventually reinforced its principal ideological thrust. In the following pages we shall try to elaborate on these other issues, and also on how they were utilised to lend cogency to the particular brand of nativism fostered by the Shiv Sena. A study of the ideological firmament of the Shiv Sena necessarily also impels us to examine what elements in this ideology motivated the Shiv Sainiks, or in other words, the nature of ideological perception among the members of this organisation. This might throw some light on the dynamics of ideological formation, and on how the ideology of a movement under- goes mutations in order to expand, broaden and consolidate its support structure. 1. The Perspective Ideology, according to the Oxford University Dictionary is "the manner of thinking characteristic of a class or an individual." The analysis of ideology is an essential and integral component of socio- logical study of movements. There is a general consensus among sociologists that a movement owes much of its distinctiveness and character to its ideology. The ideology of a movement is vital for it postulates the platforms and the goals of the movement, mobilizes the people into action and provides "a cognitive map of expectations and a hierarchy of values in which standards and imperatives are proclaimed" (Wilson 1973:91-92). Therefore, the internal structure and character of ideology also assumes importance. It was Mannheim who made explicit the fact that "a class of individual may express a range of ideas which phe- nomenally appear to be diverse, yet noumenally have a unity in an underlying spiritual matrix" (Schurmann 1968:18). E. Shils in a more recent treatment brings up the same point when he writes, "(Ideologies) are interpreted around one of a few preeminent values, such as salvation, quality or ethnic purity" (Shils 1968: 66). But as Schurmann rightly observes, organisations are different from "classes and individuals in that they are products of conscious creation therefore the unity cannot be in an underlying spiritual THE APPEAL OF NATIVISM 109 matrix but in a conscious conception of unity" (Schurmann 1968: 18). Schumann's opinion is important therefore in the study of organizational ideologies as exhibited in movements and political parties. He views organizational ideology as a "systematic set of ideas with action consequences serving the purpose of creating and using organisations" (Ibid). The ideology of an organisation therefore "is the manner of thinking characteristic of an organisation" (Ibid), wherein the link between ideas and action is indirect. Schurmann further distinguishes the two components of ideology. One is pure ideology (or theory or Weltenschaung - the preeminent values' of Shils quoted above) and the other is 'practical ideology' (or thought). The pure ideology or Weltenschaung "states values, moral and ethnical conceptions about right and wrong. The ideas of practical ideology state norms: rules which prescribes behaviour and thus are expected to have direct action consequences" (Ibid: 38-39; emphasis added). Keeping the above view in mind, we may consider the Shiv Sena ideology in the following scheme: (i) The Weltenschaung or the world view; (ii) practical ideology -its structure and evaluation. But while doing so it is necessary also to examine (iii) the perception of this ideology among the Shiv Sainiks. This will give us an idea of the various elements in the Shiv Sena's ideological and organisational structures which appeal to the partisans of this movement, and how much importance each element has in winning sympathizers to its fold. From this, we believe, some interesting conclusions may emerge. Therefore, the last section of this paper will be devoted to such an exercise.. 2. The World View The Weltenschaung of the Shiv Sena, its view of the world, that which finds variegated expression in its practical ideology is not a well thought out and closely knit structure. Shivaji's life and legend, however, serve as major points of reference in the world view of the Shiv Sena, and accordingly it may be arranged around the following categories. 110 SOCIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 2.1 Idolization of Shivaji Shivaji is the legendary hero of the Shiv Sena. His daring exploits and the traditional myths built around his life as a consequence serve to justify much of Shiv Sena's practical ideology. The popular conceptions of Shivaji's views and of his values find their way with unfailing regularity in every issue of the Marmik to lend legitimacy to its hortatory and pragmatic proclamations. Shivaji's exploits and the might of the Maratha Empire convincingly buttress the Shiv Sena's belief in the greatness of Maharashtrian culture and of Hinduism both of which it lavishly eulogises. According to Bal Thackeray, "whenever I am undecided I think of how Shivaji would have looked at the problem, what would be his opinion and how he would act. Only then I am able to come out with a clear decision" (Personal Interview). 2.2 Patriotism Man's supreme duty is towards his nation. Any infringement of this basic duty is an anathema to Bal Thackeray and to the Shiv Sena. No other country or power should take precedence over one's own (Marmik: 17.9.68)2 One should be proud of one's culture and tradition and serve to make it stronger. Then fore, in the view of the Shiv Sena to be a good Hindu is to be a good patriot. Pro-Hinduism is equated with patriotism (Marmik: 21.3.69). 2.3 Justice The Shiv Sena believes that true justice can be rendered if every one is treated equally, and that one should not bite the hand that feeds one (Marmik: 17.1.67). One should also get one's just reward and there should be no distinction based on caste. Bal Thackeray disagrees with the caste system (Marmik: 21.3.67), which he feels is an unjust institution. There should be no exploitation of one man by another or of one state by another. All states should get equal privileges. But if one is exploited by another, and if activities are indulged in, which corrode the foundation of society, then one must fight against them, and pay the wrong doers in their own coin (Marmik: 17.7.66). One must not be hesitant in using violence and extreme punitive measures to aid a just cause (Marmik: 19.8.66). THE APPEAL OF NAT1VISM 111 2.4 Conception of Man According to Bal Thackeray ''man cannot live on bread alone" (Marmik: 19.8.66). He must be given full spiritual and aesthetic freedom and no curbs should be placed on him. As long as he is caged he can never be happy nor will be able to realise his full potential. Bal Thackeray believes that his own experience as an artist brought this realization to him (Marmik: 17.1.67; see also Nossiter 1974: 25). Though he believes that any structure which cur bs the basic liberty of man is morally improper, he does not advocate anarchism for he believes that this liberty should not be wantonly misused to weaken the foundations of the nation and of society (Marmik. 17.1.67). The above is a brief statement of the world view or 'Weltenschaung' of the Shiv Sena which provides the "moral and ethical conceptions of right and wrong." In the following sections we shall examine how this is reflected in the practical ideology of the Shiv Sena. Practical ideology focuses on issues and events and thereby determines the scope of the movement (or organisation) and the Weltenschaung guides and justifies the stand it takes in various in- stances.
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