Call it megalomania or call it plain coincidences or call it
influence of reading Midnights children, seems like my life is intertwined with
the happenings in India.
On Dec 6th 1992, when Babri masjid was demolished
I was camped at the most non religious place: NCC camp in Kalaikunda in my
first year of IIT when NCC was compulsory.
The nation was burning outside but we were far from humanity unscathed
from any such unrest.
On 29th Sep 1993 when earth shook at Killari, i
had to take refuge of co-hostel mate as my room keys were lost and we were
unable to break the lock.
When rumour spread that all Ganesha idols were drinking
milk, i missed a mid sem paper due to wrong copying of exam calendar.
I was on my honeymoon in Himalayas when IC814 was hijacked
from Himalayas and Rupen Katyal another honeymooner lost his life.
During 2002 Gujarat riots i was in Gujarati dominated city
of Leicester in UK. Now UK has started talking to Modi in 2012.
When kasab and co shook Mumbai in 08, i had a marriage to
attend in Mumbai which i did.
When india was in non congress/bjp rule 96-98, i was working
professional. I started entrepreneurship with NDA coming to power in 98. When
India did nuclear test, and sachin was fire at sharjah we were doing some
records in first quarter sales. When NDA govt lost in 1999 to get re-elected in
1999, my married life started and relocated. Same thing happened in 04 when UPA
came to power, my business took definitive shape. Don’t know what will happen in
2014. Is life going to change in 2014?
Bit deviating from main topic of my discussion.
When Balasaheb died I was in a city of Hyderabad that too
amidst some riots near charminar and passing through Muslim dominated areas of
the old city. What a paradox and let down for someone like me who was fan of
this leader.
After returning to desk, i was reading all and sundry
commenting on legacy, fallacies of this great leader. Earlier in this blog i
had mentioned that we are fast losing on politicians who have mass love and
following. I think Balasaheb was the last. Raj Thakaray has potential. Only
time will tell whether this potential can be converted into coherant and
decisive politics apart from cutting into opposition votes. On NCP side,
supremo has lost lot of ground due to some inexplicable politics, the new
generation and second fiddle is nowhere near. On congress side Baba brigade
looks too disconnected from masses. Regional leaders like Maya, Jaya, Mamata,
have limited appeal. Atalji was last BJP leader loved by masses and he is no
more active. Advani has been made
irrelevant thanks to current leadership. That leaves only Narendra Modi who has
lot of handicaps.
There is no doubt in my mind that Balasaheb was and will be
the last active leader for whom 20 lakh people will turn out to participate in
the funeral. There are some in media who blame it to terror and fear which
resulted in the turn out. That is bull shit. Knowing Mumbai first hand and people’s
sentiment, all those armchair critics are wrong. These are not paid congress
rallies. People love Balasaheb.
Same people are crying that his politics was divisive,
irrational and dangerous. I disagree.
He stopped Mumbai to turn into dead Kolkata when mills were
getting closed due to red brigade. He helped both owners and workers to
survive. Some may point out that he got middle mans’ benefit but at least he
had guts to own it rather than slimy old Mumbai/Maharashtra politicians who
earned clandestinely.
Moreover social organization he created with shakha pramukh
as family head of neighbourhood is something unique and point to study for all
you armchair politicians. Though some may see this phenomenon as a way to
legitimize local goons, but if it works so be it.
He made underworld scared. Extortion was rampant in late 80s
till mid 90s. He created terror amidst gangsters by using discretionary
encounters by police to control menace. Though not 100% eliminated, these days
Mumbai is much safer. I have read bullshit books like Maximum city who cry foul
against this. He will always have detractors.
He is no man of middle road, either you love him or hate him.
He took on casteist Marathi politics head on by appointing
Brahmin CM which no one would dream. The so called inclusive leaders have
divided society to such an extent that Marathi public life, art, history, culture,
drama has every following drawn based on caste. By symbolism he made it clear
that he does not believe in caste. He took sena to hinterlands of western
Maharashtra, marathwada, konkan and vidarbha as could generate support amidst
not so affluent people from ‘political’ community. He united Maharashtra by not
recognizing castes. He had supporters in Dalit movement as well.
Balasaheb wanted Marathi kids to have confidence, our
generation did. Many term this as pariochal politics but it worked well for
Marathi people. We conquered west and do good in IT/real estate/media
opportunities in Pune, Mumbai , Bengaluru, Chennai( no one complains name
changes for these cities as they complain Mumbai to have changed from their
beloved Bombay ). We no more have inferiority
complex but we do have superiority complex thanks to Balasaheb. We respect our
gods like Shivaji. We are not ashamed of Peshwai as ’sponsored’ historians want
us to. We love PL , GA, Vinda, Kusumagraj, Balgandharv, Mangeskars, Phalkes,
tendulkars, gavaskars, bhimsen joshis,
Can any other community boast of such talent except those from Bengal , We love all our saints across caste line. We love
Marathi films, drama, music. Gone are those days when we were ridiculed for
being Ghaatis in our hostel.
He played critical role post Dec 6th. And that’s
where most of liberal, outgoing, liberal oriented, neo modernist, society has
problems to associate with Balasaheb politics. Shivsena was never anti muslim but opposes
anti national elements. There are many Muslim shivsainiks. Shivsena retaliated
every step of jihadist who sponsored riots to create chaos in Mumbai. Man on street was scared and he needed some
solace and support. I am writing this as
i had experienced firsthand. Many would agree with me but its not politically
correct to accept it publically. Please note that no country wants to have nuclear weapons
for using it and nuclear weapons act as strategic deterrent in modern times (I
don’t know about Pakistan and other countries blinded by religion) and no sane
non criminal human wants to kill fellow human being unless its a war situation .
But someone has to act strong in self defence to act as deterrent. Of course mass frenzy was unavoidable and some
violence unjustified. But someone had to fill in vacuum created for lack of
safety for common man. Ideally Maharashtra govt should have but failed
miserable. And proof is that those
enemies sitting in Karachi and Islamabad had to use bombs placed cowardly in
public places to proclaim their vengeance. It showed the way to proclaim their
impotence extending to 9/11, 26/11, 11/7 to use dastardly techniques to kill
real men and women. I had read
statistically, period from independence till 92, had more riots than the period
following it. Indian moved on from Riots (though we ended as victims of
terrorism later, and Gujarat02 and current UP situations are exception)
Balasaheb was a loved
politician which is extinct in todays Indian Politics. Though armchair thought
leaders would have their opinions, but for me he was a father figure in close
family.
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