Thackeray versus who?

It was the result of the government’s silence that Uddhav Thackeray also started making inflammatory statements. Mumbai and Thane became centres for anti-north Indian hate attacks for three days. Chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh kept quiet, as if he was passively supporting the issue Raj was espousing. It seems Mumbai is afraid of the Thackerays.

Is Raj Thackeray above the Constitution and rule of law? Why did the Maharashtra Chief Minister come to Delhi to take permission for arresting him? I am questioning whether the state and central governments are willing to take the blame for the chaos caused by Raj Thackeray’s illegal campaign.

Those who keep regional interest above national interest cannot be trusted to lead the nation. The population of Mumbai is 16 million; of these, 4.5 million people belong to north India. This is why Uddhav Thackeray had started appearing in social events of north Indians to woo them. All political parties in Maharashtra have reconciled to the fact that only ‘Marathi pride’ will not be enough to enjoy power in the state. That’s why in 2004 the ‘mee Mumbaikar’ agitation was stopped. Raj Thackeray is well aware of this and when he had formed his party he wanted to do the opposite of what he is doing now. But recent reverses in local elections have marginalised him. This is perhaps his last bid to claim the place of his uncle, Bal Thackeray.

Assembly polls are approaching in Maharashtra and it seems that all the main players are hand in glove with each other in this crisis. The Maharashtra Congress and NCP are using Raj Thackeray to divert the people’s attention from their failure in governance and development. Raj Thackeray and former Shiv Sainik, Narayan Rane, are drawing closer due to their shared hatred for Uddhav Thackeray. Raj Thackeray thinks that once there is a law and order problem in the state, it would weaken Vilasrao Deshmukh and Narayan Rane could become chief minister.

As far as the Congress and NCP are concerned, people have understood their backroom politics. The BJP, which is a national party, is more sensitive to its regional arrangement. While the BJP’s alliance with other parties has been tenuous, its alliance with the Shiv Sena, in spite of irritants, has been steady over time. Apart from the fact that both are pitted against the Congress and NCP, their antipathy towards non-Hindus also binds them together.