Welfare concerns or attention seeking gimmicks?
By Lakshmi Kuraswami
Known for its cosmopolitan nature, Mumbai has always been open to all Indians and their entrepreneurial skills. Well, not anymore, if Raj Thackeray can help it.
The prejudiced and inflammatory remarks about north-Indians made by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray have shocked the rest of India. Following his statement, violence in the form of attacks and vandalism by the MNS and retaliation from the Samajwadi Party by burning effigies have left the city in a state of fear, not of terrorists or heavy rains but of ‘Mumbaikars’ themselves.
Thackeray attacked Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan’s decision to become the brand ambassador of his home state, saying, “Though he has become a star in Mumbai, his interest is in Uttar Pradesh.” He also hurt the sentiments of Biharis by saying “Chhat puja is an unnecessary drama,” and targeted Railway Union Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav saying, "Lalu Prasad says that Raj Thackeray is trying to divide the country. How can he say that when he himself favours the Biharis in the Railways?"
These statements were an obvious political gimmick to bring the MNS into the limelight. Raj Thackeray hoped to become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. However, unable to match the popularity of the Shiv Senapresident and and estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray, this remains a dream Surely Raj Thackeray was on his way to becoming a political failure. At this point, he played the Marathi loyalty card and hit out at migrants (predominantly from UP and Bihar) in Mumbai.
However even making these statements have failed to incite the people he was attacking. Yadav brushed the statement aside calling Thackeray a ‘child in politics.’ Amar Singh, President of the Samajwadi party protested on behalf of the Bachchans, who did not even react till much later.
In a country that claims to be the poster child for globalization and liberalization, it is ironic that people like Thackeray are still putting the welfare of their state above the country. Moreover, his remarks, which have fed the insecurities of the marginalized in Mumbai, have not created a stirring amongst the rest of the Mumbaikars.
Thackeray, who achieved his 15 seconds of fame in the name of state loyalty, is actually smothering the multi-regional spirit of Mumbai. However by raking up issues of regional identity, he is ignoring Maharashtra’s real problem: the agrarian crisis.
|
