The post below is inspired from Hakim Hazik’s absolutely devastating writeups on Pakistan. I didn’t intend to copy him but this was kinda what I was feeling when I learnt that Shiv Sainiks are gonna make Mumbaikars take another forced day off for “prayer and contemplation”. Most right wing nuts are almost too easy to caricature and Bal Thakre was one of the most contradictory personalities who ever lived.
Our Supreme Leader, reincarnation of ‘philosopher soldier’ Adolph Hitler, the Shadow of God on Earth, Hindu Hriday Samrat, Dharm Dhwaj Rakshak, Chakravarti , Maratha Senapati, Scourge of the Mlecchas, Chhatrapati Shri Bala Saheb Thakre Ji Maharaj, is one with the Force.
Let us show our respect to Him who resolved to put steel in the backbone of Hindus and Marathas by being the most pusillanimous we have ever been. Let us kneel when we are asked to bow down, lie flat on our faces when we are asked to kneel. Let us close down Mumbai for ever.
We cannot live in a world without Our Fuhrer. Let us commit mass suicide.
Someone on 3QD had raised the question that Bal Thakeray prevented a “communist takeover of Mumbai” and deserves our thanks. My reply there linked to his post. http://www.3quarksdaily.com/3quarksdaily/2012/11/bal-thackerays-poisonous-legacies.html#comments
I cut and past it for your review.
I personally believe that actual crimes should not be justified by invoking bigger crimes that were supposedly thereby prevented.
Even if Bal Thakre “saved Bombay from Marxism” and you believe that saving Bombay from Marxism was the bigger need, he should still be criticized for the many crimes committed by the Shiv Sainiks that go above and beyond any mission of “stopping the communists”.
Maybe part of your intent is to underline the fact that we (as in liberals) tend to pick on some crimes and consistently underplay or underestimate others (e.g., I doubt if most of us immediately nodded in agreement with the notion that the communists were a truly vile threat to humanity), but even in that spirit, let me try some other theories:
Many other parts of India that were not run by the Shiv Sena also ended up “escaping a Marxist takeover” (I wouldnt waste too much time with Tariq bhai’s predictions btw; those are standard issue and almost always fail to come true).
Why not assume that if Balasaheb had not unleashed his particular brand of thuggishness, then some less malignant thugishness (one that worked through the instruments of the state for example)could have been arranged by the textile owners. Why assume he was the only way the job could be done?
Thakre’s brand of bullying is ultimately expensive for everyone. It tends to become a bad habit and delays the day when the formally democratic state should monopolize such violence. Even when the state is as far from the “ideal” as India, its still preferable to Maoists or Shiv Sainiks usurpiong the state’s monopoly of violence.
Some such BS is going to happen in the course of events, given the world we live in, but isnt it preferable not to pay tribute to it or say too many thanks…you dont want to keep encouraging them. Especially when they are no longer needed
Ambuj I am seriously offended.
Do you not know (or care) that (Ishwar) Thakre was a leader of the sub-altern (Maharashtrians)? Who just wanted a fair(er) deal “local jobs for local boys” where the south-indian hotel owners (to give one example) were only hiring SI staff.
The very word sub-altern does not send a shiver down your spine?
Your penance will be hard (reading 12 vol of Vijay Prasad’s works).
regards
I will hit like but … http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/2/2012111920121119043152921e12f57e1/In-Palghar-cops-book-21yearold-for-FB-post.html
oh my god! One more reason to not be on facebook.. Also BP mods, don’t rat me out! Though i would be safe in my bubble, i don’t think i could venture far out of it without physical consequences..
Thakre is finally … dead. And I insist on spelling his name Thakre, the way it should be spelled rather than the fanciful and bizarre way he spelled it.
Gosh what a tamasha everyone made of him. Even otherwise intelligent and discerning folk suffered from a bout of selective amnesia and waxed eloquent in his praise.
A good summation of his character was done here
http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/voices/falling-for-a-dumb-debate
Another thing which galls me is the atrocious amount of popularity Thakre enjoys even amongst the educated Marathi folk. Come on guys, you actually are one of the few linguistic communities in India which has serious heroes you can look up to. Heroes with tangible accomplishments. Right from Shivaji to Jyotiba Phule to Bal Gangadhar Tilak. When Ramchandra Guha compiled a list of Indians who created modern India, the most number of people were from Maharashtra. This guy shouldn’t be a blip on your horizon.