North bhai Northwest

A few days ago I wrote a post where I called Bal Thackeray the abominable demagogue of my city. What I perhaps failed to mention is that Bal Thackeray has spawned a legacy of abomination. Yes I call it my city because my family has made Bombay its home for the last three generations.

Culturally, I feel much more close to a Maharashtrian from Bombay or Pune than I do to a Tamil speaking person from Chennai or Madurai. And I have no qualms about that; in fact I find it weird when an arbitrary tamilian accosts me and starts exchanging pleasantries. If it weren't for his ethnocentric motives, I would have to tell him to go get a room. But in spite of my natural disinclinations, my family has tried its best to ingest some of our native culture into my consciousness in the name of God, society and other such excuses. I do not refer to Diwali as Deepavali; I do not bother to keep track of when it's pongal or navaratri and wish my folks in advance; nor do I bother to chant the gayatri mantra a thousand and one times during the narali pournima. But then I do believe that my mother tongue is one of the most eloquent languages; I think the adages in Thirukural constitute one of the greatest poems; I regard Kalki as a great author though I have read only his translated works and I think Kamal Hassan is a brilliant actor. I also believe there is nothing that Rajni can't but that belief has nothing to do with my tamil ethnicity. I'm sure others (Chuck Norris included) will vouch for Rajni too.

The situation, I suppose would be similar for most second-third generation people of other ethnicities making their life in Maximum city. But that is not acceptable to Mr. Raj Thackeray who with his party of hooligans is currently promoting the politics of hatred which unfortunately with a leg and a half in a grave, his uncle isn't feeling good enough for. Raj has issued an ultimatum to the north Indians living in his Mumbai that "if they want to remain in Maharashtra then they should stay like Maharashtrians". The workers of his party, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have gone around destroying theatres screening Bhojpuri films, removing effigies of Amitabh Bachchan (He is the brand ambassador for UP and recently started a school for girls in Bihar, which to Raj Thackeray is equivalent to treason) and throwing bottles at his house and generally wreaking havoc in Dadar and Lalbaug.

Raj Thackeray began the campaign against North Indians last week after he slammed some of the north-Indian customs, saying "Mumbai is not a place for the celebration of Chhath Puja (a festival of Bihar) or Bharatiya Uttar Pradesh Divas."

....."If the North Indians want to stay in Maharashtra, then better they learn the Marathi culture and language. Let them learn to celebrate Maharashtra Day instead of any other state events," he said.

There is fantastic polemics everywhere around for anyone who is willing to lend a year and savour them. For instance,

"Why are the Railways full of Biharis? Are Maharashtrians less able?" Thackery had demanded, and these remarks had – as expected – sparked off the wrath of Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav. "Raj Thackeray is a child! Localisation will not be tolerated in an era of globalisation!" Laloo had flashed back.

No, Mr. Laloo Yadav, Raj Thackeray is not a child. Whether his politics will win him his ambitions or not only time will tell but have no doubt that he'll be more than nuisance value in the next few months!