Raj Thackeray stokes regional divide

b2b · Post by **b2b** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 5:10 pm

Raj Thackeray has again made headlines for wrong reasons. Mumbai and mumbaikars have always welcomed and embraced everyone coming to the city.

This political gimmick is unnecessary, unwarranted and will spark tensions among common residents of the city of Mumbai and state of Maharashtra. Raj has lost his political sheen since leaving Bal Thackeray & forming his own party MNS. Instead of Nav Nirman his party is only busy in destroying things.

Mumbai on alert after violence
Amitabh Bachchan?s house attacked
Film star swept up in Mumbai anti-immigrant backlash
?Big B likes UP more than Maharashtra?

On the other hand people like Amar Singh are trying to take political mileage from it to their benefit.

Amar Singh lodges FIR against Raj Thackeray

Desi · Post by **Desi** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:22 pm

The entire Bal Thackeray family, his son and nephew included have done no good for Maharashtra or for India. Its very formation was on abhorrent principles.

When Raj broke away, I felt that that may be demise of Shiv Sena if NNS gains power and was naively hoping that NNS will move away from sons of the soil policies but they did not and that is what they adopted.

restlessdesi · Post by **restlessdesi** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:44 pm

With continued migration of non maharashtrians into mumbai, and the alienation of more liberal maharashtrians, one would think that such sons of soil policy would translate into dilution of the votebank for MNS/Shiv Sena. Or perhaps there is no such thing as bad publicity when it comes to politics. Time and elections will tell.

The only good thing may be that "the sons of soil votes" will be split between Shiv Sena and MNS and both these parties will die a natural death.

I watched some of these "riots live"...a handful of mns people beating up cab drivers...cops conveniently absent within a 100 meter radius of all action, majority of mumbaiites continued driving on their way home past these rioters or just standing and watching on the streets. A couple of hundred people armed with nothing (maybe a handful with sticks and stones) can bring the city of mumbai to a halt is shameful.

It is also sad that the Chief Minister belonging to Congress does not have the cajones to take on a relatively small timer like Raj Thackeray on.

Going_nowhere · Post by **Going_nowhere** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:48 pm

restlessdesi;78279
It is also sad that the Chief Minister belonging to Congress does not have the cajones to take on a relatively small timer like Raj Thackeray on.[/quote]

Raj Thackeray would gain political mileage if he were to be put in jail for causing riots. Congress doesn't want that to happen.

layman · Post by **layman** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:49 pm

And we are criticizing Malaysia for adopting sons of soil policy.

sftrade · Post by **sftrade** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:11 pm

I see MNS flags in my area when in the past there used to be Shiv Sena or Dalit signs. Its a sign of the times and it should not be dismissed lightly. Raj has stirred the pot and people like Amar singh and others have mocked him and tried to portray themselves as the leader of the north Indians. I find stark similarities to May 1 2006 which was organized as the day without an immigrant. Most amercian's had no clue on the extent of illegal immigration until they saw people marching on the streets asking for ammnesty. The whole US immigration policy has taken an about turn after that. poor and middle class maharashtrains see a bleak picture for themselves in Mumbai and they have seen fancy cars, rich lifestyles and real estate climb to record levels without them benefitting in any way. Raj has provided an outlet to the anger by targetting the easiest group of low income north Indians. In karantaka there were sporadic incidents against North Indian software engineers which by any standards are very low in numbers as opposed to the North Indians in Mumbai.
India is definitely not shining for the poor whether they are maharashtrains or the North Indians.

manuchabria · Post by **manuchabria** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:17 pm

This is to be expected.

Whenever the economy tanks all these worms come out of the woodwork.

Expect more of the same

mn_op · Post by **mn_op** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:33 pm

Mumbai is in utter need of protection. The city is becoming more and more unmanageble and much more criminal. Average maharashtrian in Mumbai (liberal or not) don't quite want more of North Indians and this dislike is going to turn serious in near future. While, we as Indians must have a basic right of settling anywhere in India, there must be a mechanism to distribute the population evenly across the country. UP and Bihar have been a net exporter of its people as those states are blessed with incompetent leaders. These immigrants with their values are going to cause major upheavel in Mumbai. Do we want Mumbai to be larger and dirtier version of Patna???

I do have grudge against Big B. I mean how can a person goes on saying 'UP me hai Dum, kyonki isame Jurm hai kum'??? We know very well that UP is highly criminal state and probably most of the crimes aren't even reported. Is Mr Bachchan implying that rapes and other such crimes are not even 'jurms' as they are not reported?
I know Mr Bachchan owes a lot to certain Amar Singh forcing him to say what he said, but he (and other UP/Biharis) should alter their ways.

I do think that Mumbai has become much more criminal due to imported characters from UP and Bihar...and I wouldn't mind if they are given some rude education in civility.

Desi · Post by **Desi** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 12:46 am

Wow, I sense some protectionism, territorialism (is there such a word?).

What next, passports to enter Mumbai.

I am from Mumbai and for a free movement and settlement anywhere in India for any Indian - period, No ifs, ands or buts.

Maharashtra, Mumbai, Bangalore or Haryana, etc are not jagirs of some. They are jagirs of all Indians.

[quote]I do think that Mumbai has become much more criminal due to imported characters from UP and Bihar...and I wouldn't mind if they are given some rude education in civility.[/quote]

If there is any criminal activity by anyone, it should be left to the police. I do not think that any one in general populace, the Thackerays included, should become vigilantes to give a rude awakening to some (or all North Indians) based on their "thinking". As citizens, of course if their own lives are not threatened and if they want to when they see a crime being committed, they can step into prevent that, but that is about it and not take law in their own hands to beat the living daylights out of the suspect or walk into CM's office with people who molest women and ask for charges to be dropped.

Shiv Sena was formed with the slogans to drive out South Indians from Mumbai, then they expanded and switched to against Muslims and now they have expanded or switched and want to drive out North Indians - territorial groups like this are the ones that need to be put in their place and they have no right to drive out anyone. They should be dealt sternly by the law.

[quote]These immigrants with their values are going to cause major upheavel in Mumbai. Do we want Mumbai to be larger and dirtier version of Patna??? [/quote]

I am sure that even 30 years back similar statements were made when SS wanted to drive people out of Mumbai. Do we want Mumbai to be larger and dirtier version of Patna? - you ask. I think Indians should not want either Mumbai to be dirty or Patna to be dirty. Not sure what you are implying - how do we keep these people of Patna out - establish Mumbai passports? Should we drive out anyone coming from Bihar and put them on the next train back?

Frankly, I see no problem with people moving from one place to another in India. If there is any problem, it is in the minds of people who have low level of tolerance and a territorial mindset.

[quote]I do have grudge against Big B. I mean how can a person goes on saying 'UP me hai Dum, kyonki isame Jurm hai kum'???[/quote]

It is a political statement and he can say it the same way Balasahib can say, Mumbai aamchi.

[quote]
We know very well that UP is highly criminal state and probably most of the crimes aren't even reported. Is Mr Bachchan implying that rapes and other such crimes are not even 'jurms' as they are not reported?
[/quote]
That is reading too much in a politcal slogan perhaps designed to get under the skin of some.

[quote]I know Mr Bachchan owes a lot to certain Amar Singh forcing him to say what he said, but he (and other UP/Biharis) should alter their ways. [/quote] I am curious that besides Amitabh, which other Biharis should alter their ways and why so? Frankly, I think they have as much right to say this as anyone and whether there is no truth in it, fine. I don't think anyone should be really bothered by such slogans.

Amitabh is a politician too and perhaps he has his reasons, but I believe that he has as much right to say whatever he says and wants as Raj Thackeray has to say that Maharashtra is for Maharashtrians. And we have a right to disagree and voice dissent if we want and even take out morchas in Dadar to the tune of Thackeray - all that is fine. What is not fine is when one takes law in their own hands and attack Amitabh's house and riot in Dadar or grab a guy from Patna and put him on a train.

Going_nowhere · Post by **Going_nowhere** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 12:57 am

I agree with Desi. Nobody should be prevented from living in any place within India. Mumbai is what it is today because of its cosmopolitan crowd. Raj Thackeray or anybody has no right to say Bhaiyyas cannot come to Mumbai.