What next in Maharashtra

Vikash Ranjan

New Delhi

Tue, 13 May 2008: 

With the approaching assembly elections, politics from all quarters have been started gaining momentum, which is being expected to be more intense in the coming days. Whether it is Maharashtra's regional parties - Shiv Sena or Maharashtra Nav Nirman Sena (MNS) or the regional parties of other states - all are involv in attacking and counter-attacking by raising petty issues to gain political mileage of it, which is nothing but a political gimmick.

Petty issues, to play politics over, have never been a worrying factor for the Shiv Sena or the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena; if one dies, another rises.

After implementing various tools to wooing marathi manoos- whose success/failure chart will be counted after state's assembly polls- the Shiv Sena, this time leaving behind its nascent political child MNS, once again has recalled its long back agitation during 90s to rename Bombay.

The latest target is made the return of Mumbai-Bombay (M-B) tug of war and the Shiv Sena once again up in arms about the name game raised its arm against the Bombay Scottish School and the Bombay Dyeing Mills. Sena has demanded ‘Bombay’ be switched to 'Mumbai'.

And, as expected to propelling their demand, the only way for these Senas is to resort to non-peaceful agitation whose promos shown to India on Sunday, when Shiv Sena workers vandalised signboards of two prominent institutions, which cling on to the B-word in their initial names. Keep in mind these were only the promos and the rest of the picture they might show in upcoming days.

Even the country's economic hub, Bombay Stock Exchange and the judicial institutions, Bombay High Court could not left from their ambit of M-B demand.

The political heat is again to go on boil with the Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav recent reply to Raj Thackeray's threatening to face the consequences of performing Chhatt Puja in Mumbai. Mr. Yadav has challenged MNS Chief Raj Thackeray to stop him from performing Chhatt Puja in Mumbai.

Significantly, as a rebuff to MNS, Maharashtra's Chief Minister also invited Mr. Yadav to come and perform the Puja and he will himself attend the Chhatt Puja.

The exchange of words will probably decide the course of action to be taken by Raj Thackeray's party as a reaction to the RJD's supremo remark.

Besides, the Shiv Sena's latest stand against name game has again provided weapon to MNS to strike back with bang with marathi manoos issue.

Over the question of “outsiders” and the “marathi manoos” the bhoomiputras of these two parties-Shiv Sena and MNS- are stood shoulder to shoulder and can not leave this issue to take advantage by others; and so recently Sanjay Raut, the executive editor of Shiv Sena's organ Saamna endorsed the aggressive posturing of Raj Thackeray and said there was no question of differing from Raj's agenda as it was not different from the Shiv Sena's stand.

Earlier, Raj Thackeray in his rhetoric had asked leading Mumbai industrialists comprising Tata, Ambanis and Birlas to reserve 80 percent jobs in factories for Marathi Bhumiputras.

The MNS had also asked the State Bank of India to give priority to sons of the soil while recruiting people.

People who are unknown of, or have forgotten India's colonial past, say thanks to Raj for reminding them the policy of “divide and rule”- a vital strategy of Britishers, which made their stay for long in India divided over caste, culture, creed and selfishness.

Both the Shiv Sena and MNS without considering the consequences rake up issues to stir and stimulate the people's sentiments just to gain political advantages.

So far the state administration has been failed to tight the screw over MNS and Shiv Sena. Even the Raj's arrest was viewed by critics as pre-planned as he gained immense popularity since then.

All eyes have now been inquisitively stuck to the Maharashtra to know what next....