Mumbai faces 'insider vs outsider' clash
Prerana Thakurdesai, Miloni Bhatt, Yogesh Pawar, R
Monday, February 04, 2008, (Mumbai)
Workers from Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have rioted and disrupted a Mulayam rally at Shivaji Park and later they even hurled bottles at Amitabh Bachchan's residence.
There have been no signs of remorse from the man, who has plunged Mumbai into a senseless cycle of action and retaliation.
''Let's see what happens now. We won't stop now. Being aggressive is not always fruitful. But if they challenge us, we will be ready,'' said Raj Thackeray.
It was part of the party's anti-migrant and anti-North Indian stand in Mumbai.
On Monday, the MNS workers were produced in court and let off on bail.
But despite the widespread anger and disgust that their actions have provoked, the MNS kept up their low level attacks on taxi drivers and traders, which were stage managed in some cases.
Desperate to grab headlines, the MNS workers have been calling up select media houses and informing them of their plans to attack cabs and shops.
They even called a Hindi television channel and went with them to Ghaktkopar station. They boarded a compartment of a local train and beat up some North Indian vendors, purely for publicity.
The state government has threatened tough action against Raj's supporters. It has said that it won't allow Mumbai to be held to ransom.
''We won't let anyone take the law in their hands. We will deal with them. From the past few days, I have been noticing that Samajwadi Party workers talk too much. We won't let either the lathi or the sword to continue their battle,'' said RR Patil, Deputy Chief Minister, Maharashtra.
Menawhile, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Chief Minister, Maharashtra said: "I have talked to the DGP and the CP to take stern action. Such things should not spread and should not happen. There is full protection to all those living in Mumbai.''
But the Samajwadi Party's local leader, Abu Asim Azmi, who has also been charged with inciting violence said the state's approach is too soft.
''I went with a lot of hope to the CM. My request was to take strong action against those trying to flare up communal tension. But the CM said, "Azmi, we will do our job and we know how to deal with this," said Abu Asim Azmi, Samajwadi Party leader.
Even stronger reactions came from the Samajwadi Party's national leader, Amar Singh, who is in Jaipur, where he and the Bachchan family have gathered to celebrate Abhsehkh Bachchan's birthday.
Singh said he has lodged an FIR against Raj Thackeray, and said he will also appeal to the Election Commission to derecognise Raj Thackeray's party.
"We will urge the EC to derecognise MNS," said Amar Singh, Samajwadi Party leader.
But Raj Thackeray, seen as increasingly irrelevant in the politics of Mumbai seems to have earned his 15 seconds of fame.
For the third successive day, his effigies are burnt as far a field as Agra and Delhi.
And more reactions came from national leaders condemning his actions and words.
"I condemn attacks in Maharashtra. Our country doesn't have a separate constitution for Maharashtra. Maharashtra is part of our country, and it follows the Indian Constitution," said Mayawati, Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh.
But most political analysts believe that regardless of the headlines he has made. Raj Thackeray's attempts to play the divisive politics of identity will backfire in the only city, where he has any political base.