Shatrughan Sinha is the only film-star in Mumbai to be addressed by the state identity – Bihari Babu. There is no Punjabi Babu, Bengali Babu, etc. in the tinsel town. Yet it was he who on March 7 showered fulsome praise on the Thackerays – Bal, Raj and Udhav – and said that there is nothing wrong in having a fresh defbate on the concept of dharti-putr (son of the soil). He spoke these words very loudly and clearly before the electronic media for everyone to hear.
He is not alone. Many in the film world, media and politics have suddenly emerged as the apologists for the Thackerays – some retract their statements later. But the case of Shatrughan is quite different. While the others may have said something under pressure from the goons of Thackerays, the Bihari Babu sounded more like a Maharashtrian Babu before the TV as he refused to utter any word against the street-barbarism on display in the western Indian state. He showed no respect to the sentiment of Shri Kishun Singh of his home state, Bihar, whose hands were chopped off by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activists in Pune at the height of mob frenzy. Singh from Siwan used to sell Bhujja (roasted gram) and the only crime was that he was a Bihari.
Extreme love for land is the classic fascist trait. The Nazi concept of German fatherland is known to all. The RSS is a great champion of this theory. After all Shiv Sena was a close ally of Shatrughan’s party, the BJP, the political wing of the Sangh Parivar. The only difference between the two outfits is that while Shiv Sena uses this diction at the state level, the BJP’s hate campaign is extended to the national level. It is another thing that at one point of time the interest of the two clashes. Yet the Shatrus failed to understand it. Interestingly, none of the BJP or Janata Dal (United) leader condemned Bal Thackeray or his nephew, Raj, though it is true they did flay vandalism in that state. After all Shiv Sena was a partner of the NDA for six long years in the Centre and most probably would again join it in future. They both endorse the same concept of extreme nationalism.
But many like Shatru tend to ignore history. The Nazis were the first to eliminate even those Jews, who out of sheer compulsion, tried to befriend them. The fascists under Mussolini did the same thing in Italy. In India the Sangh Parivar men committed the same crime against the so-called Muslim cadres of their own outfit. Among the first to be killed in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992 was the Muslim president of the Town BJP’s Minority Cell. In 1989 in Bhagalpur too a local BJP leader belonging to the Muslim community was eliminated by a gang of rioters led by the local Sangh Parivar men.
If a man like Amitabh Bachchan, who never flaunted his UP identity – he is not called UP Babu – can be targeted, what guarantee is there that Shatrughan Sinha will be spared in the fit of anger. Bal Thackeray’s storm-troopers do not differentiate between outsiders, who support their cause and insiders who oppose it. Shatru will have to be cautious of the enemies within his own rank. He was quoted as saying that he worships Bal Thackeray like a god. But isn’t it the fact that the credit of introducing Chhath in a big way on Mumbai’s beach goes to him? While living in Mumbai whom will he now worship: the Shiv Sena generalissimo or Chhathi Mayya?