This was Raj Thackeray’s reaction on being questioned about his concept of ‘Marathi manoos’ and his ideals, in an interview published in a leading Marathi weekly LokPrabha on February 12, 2008. The Maharashtra Nirman Samiti (MNS) and its chairperson Raj Thackeray have always been in the limelight for all the wrong reasons. Be it their ideological crusade against north Indians in Mumbai or their sons-of-the-soil theory, the MNS has created many a controversy. Heavily criticised by the Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena among others for his party’s tactics in responding to issues, Raj Thackeray seems to believe firmly in his ideals and justifies his party’s stand. Termed a ‘dictator’, his aim is to continue campaigning for greater rights for the ethnic Marathi people of Maharashtra and protect its identity as that of a ‘Marathi’ state.
The Language debate
The most recent controversy in which the MNS has been embroiled relates to their attack on Abu Azmi, a Samajwadi Party MLA for taking his oath in Hindi and not Marathi. MNS party members created a ruckus in the Maharashtra Assembly and physically assaulted Azmi.
A case of insult to the Hindi language and treason has been filed against Raj Thackeray and four suspended party MLAs. Asserting the use of Marathi in the Legislative Assembly was heavily criticised among the political fraternity. India being a democratic country, such an action violates its ideals of national unity and integration; and when a particular political party chooses to separate a state on the grounds of language and communities, the question of individual rights emerges. But the party appears to take the suspension of its MLAs as a matter of honour and a way to attract popular attention to its politics.
Regional languages strengthen local bonds within a State, and each State has its regional language for all forms of communication, including administrative and public. No one objects to English being used in the Kannada speaking state of Karnataka, or Tamil speaking Tamil Nadu. So why has the issue of Marathi vs. Hindi become such a huge debate in Maharashtra and why only this state is apprehensive of other communities migrating to Mumbai, are question that need to be answered.
As stated on the MNS website, “These illegal, unemployed migrants are claiming employment opportunities available in the State while the Marathi Manus is left unemployed and the farmers are forced to commit suicide.”
Mumbai vs. India
The influx of migrant populations from other states to Mumbai has been the root of the party’s issues against the Samajwadi Party and the Shiv Sena. Raj Thackeray had written a letter on November 14, 2009 to the State Bank of India (SBI), a day before its all-India recruitment exam, to consider locals for their 1100 new clerical job posts. In a similar instance, Raj Thackeray has been charged with rioting, stoking religious tensions in the railway examinees assault case of October 2008, when MNS activists attacked North Indian candidates appearing for the all-India Railway Recruitment Board entrance exam for the Western region in Mumbai.
Also, attacks were witnessed against North Indian shopkeepers in February 2008 when MNS party members destroyed government property in a move to vent their anger against the reported move to arrest Raj Thackeray. In the same month, Thackeray’s speech on the issue of migration from other states sparked a huge public controversy. He went to the extent of criticising the celebrated actor Amitabh Bachchan, a native of UP.
Referring to the North Indians as ‘thugs’, he said in an interview: “These thugs want to take over Maharashtra and Mumbai. I am a hurdle in their path. Our leaders are silent or have their vested interests in north Indians' business here. The need for an agitation against them has been felt in the last few years since these UP-Bihari started spreading their wings against the locals.” He added, “Globalisation doesn’t mean ignoring one’s own mother tongue. These people are denying what belongs to Maharashtra, trying to kill it.”
Mumbai, the ‘city of dreams’ has always been the city where people across India come in search of a livelihood and with dreams of a secure future. India’s financial capital and home to its largest film industry, the city of Mumbai boasts of a vibrant ethos. However, the existence of such linguistic chauvinism attacks not only the individual sentiments of the communities, but instigates violent political actions among the states.
It is unfortunate that when many are against this ‘goonda raj’, there are also those individuals who bow down to the comments and ideals of the MNS. For example, when the party objected to the referring of Mumbai as Bombay in the film Wake Up Sid, the director Karan Johar instantly apologized to Raj Thackeray who threatened to disrupt the film’s screenings. The director obviously had the interests of the film and its revenue as a priority, rather than objecting to such authoritarian comments in a democratic society.
Raj Thackeray – the businessman
The multi faceted MNS leader, who doubles up as a builder, has made a fortune by selling his stake in Kohinoor Mill No. 3 at Shivaji Park. Raj Thackeray and his business partner Rajan Shirodkar made a whopping Rs. 300 crore when they sold their stake in the mill, four years after they had bought it amid controversy.
Raj Thackeray might be wooing the Maharashtrian public with his ideas of ‘Marathi manoos’ and his affection towards the language. However, in reality this ‘businessman’ facet of his personality makes his ideologies seem like a mere political gimmick.
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