Divisive Politics will Destroy India

The Maharashtra government did not appear to do it, yet, strangely it gathered required courage and arrested Raj Thackeray, the hatemongering leader of MNS on October 21.

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June 23, 2022

The Maharashtra government did not appear to do it, yet, strangely it gathered required courage and arrested Raj Thackeray, the hatemongering leader of MNS on October 21.

Politics, it is said, is the last refuge of scoundrels. Unfortunately, we the largest democracy on earth, have largest number of this dehumanised species, and they are increasing menacingly. Maharashtra presents a unique example of emergence and evolution of this dangerous tribe. Initial credit for creating this monster goes to Mr. Bal Thackeray, who having been tired of making cartoons, decided to try his lucks in this particular brand of politics. Those were good old days when there was no dearth of honest politicians and responsible politics. He started his career by denigrating and attacking South Indians. Their resilience and criticism by mainstream political parties, particularly Congress, forced him to lie low for some time. His constant appeal to Maratha sentiments gradually increased his strength in civic bodies and then in State legislature. That was the time of rise of Hindutva chauvinism at national level. Soon Shiv Sena and the BJP joined hands and formed their coalition government in the State. Their rule permanently laid the foundations of chauvinism and narrow-mindedness in Maharashtra.

Times changed and Bal Thackeray’s decline led to a split in the party. His nephew Raj Thackeray started his Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). One fails to understand how he proposes to do navnirman (reconstruction) on the basis of hate, violence and divisive politics. It is the same strategy which has been adopted by fascist forces who want to strengthen Indian nation by hating, marginalising and killing Muslims.

Mumbai, the largest and the most cosmopolitan city of Indian Republic, was not built in a day. This grand economic capital of our nation acquired its prestigious status through the sweat and blood of millions of poor workers hailing from every State, especially from the economically weaker North Indian States of Bihar, U.P. and Rajasthan. You will find them toiling and moiling, 10 to 16 hours a day, as cheap labourers, at construction sites, small restaurants, laundries and where not. They can be seen sleeping on footpaths and residing in makeshift jhuggies in this city which has the dubious distinction of housing the largest slums in the world. They deserve our sympathy and help, and not our scorn and hate. It is because of their contribution that Mumbai exists and prospers. But for them the city could not have boasted its present status.

But the blind and selfish hate-mongers are not ready to acknowledge and appreciate this. They want to promote their diabolical agenda by attacking these hapless and poor citizens of Mumbai. Raj Thackeray had the temerity to even challenge the State government to arrest him. He threatened that in the event of his arrest whole Mumbai would burn. The State government, at least now, has acted and apprehended the habitual offenders. Yet it is not clear how far it would go to prosecute the hate mongers. It is the responsibility of the civil society to fight narrow-mindedness, communal passions and chauvinism of any hue. Mumbai, like the rest of the country, belongs to the whole nation. No party or leader can be allowed to divide, discriminate against and hate any section of people. If hate mongers are not shown their proper place and taught a lesson, they may destroy this great nation itself.

Every voter, every responsible citizen of this country should take it as his fundamental responsibility to reject and oppose all such leaders and parties who are indulging in divide and rule tactics and preaching hate and violence in other places in other States.