Raj Thackeray's episode and prospects of Biharis

Vikash Ranjan

New Delhi

Tue, 25 Mar 2008: 

Raj Thackeray made his back with bang by speaking out only for a short span of 90 minutes but that short rhetoric showed his attitude on Monday, when the MNS chief said he was firm on his stand and will continue his agitation against north Indian migrants.

After remaining silent for over a month owing toag order- that banned him from oratory- imposed on him by Mumbai session court for his tirade against the north Indians, Biharis in particular, MNS chief tried to revive the same gimmicks, whose consequence had engulf Maharashtra in doom last month.

On the occasion of Shivaji Jayanti celebrating at Shivaji Park, the junior Thackeray while addressing a crowd of about 10,000 people gathered from across the state, categorically stated that he was not deflected from his earlier viewpoint towards the north Indians. And said, today he would not speak more as the state is passing through dual session of examination in schools and Assembly session. But, promised to listen his party’s stand at the public rally of May 03.

However, in a brief oratory, he pointed his finger towards his critics, alleged them for raising their voice against him. In fact, the leaders from Bihar himself are not serious on the issue except eyeing Maharashtra as a hub of wealth. Why not they spoke even a single word, if they were really serious, when anti-north Indian violence broke out in Manipur last week, which took toll of fourteen people belonging to north India?

Although Thackeray’s chapter had not reached to its culmination as both junior and senior Thackerays are competing each other to carry on the onslaught against the north Indians in Maharashtra only for a sole reason of grasping Maratha vote bank.

Recently, a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan indirectly warned Thackeray, both Raj and Bal, without taking their names that any statements and actions would not be tolerated that infringe the country’s unity and integrity.

But that indirect warning from the Apex constitutional body perhaps has not taken seriously by Raj Thackeray as it seems from his short introductory speech on Monday.

Thackeray’s endless chapter indeed has provided the opportunity to disclose another chapter of why Biharis are at the locus of antagonism from Assam to Punjab and from Nepal to Maharashtra. Why the migrants from Bihar, Jharkhand, and Eastern Uttar Pradesh are despised everywhere and perhaps hold the same position, as are Indians abroad.

Today, the exodus of people from two states- Bihar and Kerala- are on elevated scale, which leave their respective states in search of job, but with a significant difference.

Whereas people from the former owing to very low literacy rate get ready to do every king of job from insignificant to significant ones even at very low wages, the latter carries more educated migrants, who find better jobs, adapt easily to the culture and places of work. This is the sole reason of creating differences among the people and the cause for the Biharis are put up with discrimination.

Education facilitates us not only to getting good and respectable jobs, but also improves our perception on critical issues of health, political rights, and governance. Most of all it makes us proficient to speak and behave well.

Literate people, whether rich or not, are respected everywhere. It can be proved by the example of migrant people from the same state-Bihar, but with a major difference of literacy. One section of people, who are educated generally do not face criticism rather are respected among the society, for instances when they go to give tuition to the locales. Conversely, the uneducated, illiterate people who are mainly confined to the labour class often put up with discrimination.

After education, which is the sole reason of backwardness of any state, comes economy. Why people migrate? It is because they do not able to get joy in their homeland. Once the state, with a plenty of natural resources was economically advanced has now reached to the position of getting award of most economically backward state for the sole reason of incompetency of its own politicians, who has plundered and ruined the state.

However, the Thackeray episode knowingly or unknowingly, has provided the opportunity to the people and mostly to the politicians of Bihar to look into their conscience and do every effort for the upliftment of the state.