No longer funny…

A Marathi Manoos’ house is ransacked in Jamshedpur for no other reason except that he belonged to the wrong “state”

A 10-year old boy – almost certainly too young to understand what the fuss is all about – gets killed in Bihar

Four people are killed in violence at Kalyan that erupted after Sh Raj Thackeray’s arrest.

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation suffers a loss of Rs 30 Lakhs in two days of violence which resulted in  286 of its buses being damaged.

And the last “not funny” bit:

A Sikh group supports Raj’s cause and his “approach” since the “state doesn’t provide suitable enviournment for non-violent struggle”…Oh, by the way, they also express alarm at the “heavy influx” of migrant population into the state and accuse all political parties of “pursuing narrow political ends” [ link ].

Will Sh Thackeray now show genuine leadership and commitment to national interest and call off his mis-guided supporters?

Related Posts:

There is a “राष्ट्र” in “महाराष्ट्र”… 

After Maharashtra, it is the turn of West Bengal 

B Shantanu

Political Activist, Blogger, Advisor to start-ups, Seed investor. One time VC and ex-Diplomat. Failed mushroom farmer; ex Radio Jockey. Currently involved in Reclaiming India - One Step at a Time.

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64 Responses

  1. Hemant says:

    I agree and I think it was never ‘funny’. Actually this is like having ‘black sheep’ in a family (we have many!). If the family head is not strong the family gets destroyed.

    The same is happening to India. The centre is ‘weak’ lead by ‘weak’ and probably ‘unqualified’ people…

  2. महेश पाटील says:

    @ Shantanu , the previous post of rashtra in Maharashtra has almost reached 100 post.. well the current post topic “no longer funny” would be hard for especially myself to remember and use the search option in the blog to find this post… as i always use the word “Maharashtra” while searching.. so i would appreciate if you could start a new post or insert in the name of Maharashtra …

  3. B Shantanu says:

    Mahesh: Thanks…I have added some tags to the post.

    If you use the search box (just below “Comments” on the right) and type “Maharashtra” or “Marathi Manoos”, this post should come up on top of the page.

    Pl. let me know if this is not happening.

    Thanks.

  4. v.c.krishnan says:

    Dear Shantanu,
    It requires a lot of temperament to accept some of the arguments of both sides. There should be a fundamental reason for this unreasonable behaviour of Shri. Raj.
    I am not willing to enter into the polemics of an argument that everything should be sorted out by discussion and all that nonsense.
    Is it because that people of India have started being insecure and are now going into a shell. This is not the India we have known.
    We know, even from the colonials history, that India has always welcomed all types of people from every walk of life. Why is this happenning?
    Is it because of the education background that has rid us of our values and has made us only automatons for money and sex?
    Have we been reduced to this level of behaviour which even an animal will abhor, because of the conflicting religious thoughts that are pouring into our minds and making even enimies of friends?
    Is it because of our freedom which we misuse to every extent?
    Is it because the politicians have made the states from where the people objected to by Shri. Raj, such a hell that only babudom is the only answer?
    Is it because of the reservation policies that have generated such agnst?
    Why is this happening? If we do not find an answer this country will be torn asunder and we will be the losers.
    Regards,
    vck

  5. Indian says:

    Yes, I agree VCK.

  6. tarique says:

    why blame only raj thackeray and make the whole issue one sided. raj’s supporters went berserk over his arrest and destroyed public property and government buses. but why did bihar react 10 times more than thackeray’s boys once he had been arrested ???the biharis destroyed more government and public property than the MNS. who will pay for that loss ??in our criticism we must not forget to be rational .

  7. Hemant says:

    very well said @tarique.
    What Raj did or the arguments he made to support regionalism was wrong and equally wrong were the media and leaders (?) like Lalu, Paswan etc.

    Some of the comments made by Lalu were even worst than what Raj and Co were saying…

  8. v.c.krishnan says:

    Dear Sir,
    I am ashamed as an Indian that these things are happening in Bharat. I have known Mumbai for more than 35 years now and I very frequently travel to Mumbai and not even once, yes sie, not once have I felt alien.
    The Taxi wallahs are still willing to come for short distances for minimum fare. They return even small change of 1 or fifty paisa.
    Chennai Taxi wallahs and Auto drivers are a nightmare for any body on this earth. I never travel by them given the chance. The other day when somebody wanted to transport a body in pouring rain for a distance of just three Kms. the auto wallah demanded Rs. 1000/- for it and the family was absolutely poor.
    Even as of last week I had no problems. I think it is something else fundamental. Can it be that it in view of the shrinking economic base the people in Mumbai are feeling insecure.
    Can it be that the MNS has followers who now believe that the Lalu’s and Paswan’s who have made crores by exploiting the people of the states should be punished in this manner?
    These Lalu’s and Paswan’s have kept the people of the state in abject povert, indignity being heaped upon them and keeping the people illiterate so that they can be in power anbd make more moneypower.
    Do they feel that the contribution and sacrifice of the Mumbaikers, including the Marwaris, Sindhis, Gujeratis, Tamils, and host of Indians over the years should not be frittered away and without any contribution, by somebody else, should not take away the work from the Mumbaikar
    progeny?
    Do they feel that let the people of these states force these Lalu’s and Paswan’s to feel the heat so that they start learning a leson in growth and development?
    I do not know the answers.
    I am just throwing my thoughts around to find out a cause as there is already an effect.
    Regards,
    vck

  9. A Nair says:

    THERE IS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE IN THE MAHARASHTRA AGITATION.
    1. I am sure that there must a rule in Railways that the Class IV employees have to be locally recruited. Same can be found out by a RTI request.
    2. Evidently Mr Laloo Prasad has directed people from Bihar to go and appear in exams in every state in India and thereafter must be preferentially giving employment to only Biharis.
    3. Why else does he not hold elections in Bihar only and select all Class IV employees for railways.
    4. It takes a Goonda “Raj” to take on the Laloo Raj.

  10. Dirt Digger says:

    This is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.
    Lalu claiming high ground is hilarious.
    While Raj’s practices are abhorable, his point is important.
    The abuse of power by Lalu should be stopped. I would say personal interest in most cases comes first before National interest. Ergo I would disagree with you.

  11. tarun garg says:

    this is just a start and if we don’t stop this thing here we will be like russia. broken and divasted. if we want to save our country then we,the people/public/common man/ voter/texpayer/ or many other name will have to show this leaders that we are united. wht raj and laloo is doing is they are playing with us and sadly we are activily participating. it is not there fault it is our fault that because of our small gain we are pushing our country on the verge of dividation. raj and laloo knows wht they are doing but we don’t understand that our inaction is doing getter harm then there words. we shd stand toghether, work toghether if we really want to stop all this. untill we unite and work jointly this will continue.

  12. महेश पाटील says:


    In the name of secularism… Hindu’s are still suffering
    and now in the name of Nationalism… please dont make marathis of Maharashtra suffer

    जय हिंद! जय महाराष्ट्र!!

  13. Gypsy says:

    I find that there is more to the current situation than meets the eye. Raj Thackeray is a much smaller fry as compared to what the “leaders” in the Center are doing. I am more concerned about the creation of several Pakistans waiting to emerge out of the dinosaur eggs of partisan, vote bank policies of the UPA. Assam is already on the verge of hatching. So are Kerala, parts of UP and West Bengal. Where will it stop?

    As for what Raj and his followers are doing is the result of covert demographic imbalance generated by Laloo. People fight against inequities, injustice and partisanship thrust upon them by people in power. If someone were to ask under the RTI the demography and state-wise representation of people recruited in the Railways during the time Laloo has been Railway minister, people will see the reason for Raj’s agitation. It is not just in Maharashtra this has happened. In Gujarat too, this large scale recruitment of people who are not native to Gujarat has been done in Railways. If you research the back issues of” Gujarati daily “Akila”, you will find a small voice raised against injustice done to the sons of the soil in railway recruitment.

    In the whole situation, when ‘small voices’ and gentle agitation arising out of helplessness from the unemployed locals are not heard, someone picks up cudgels on behalf of people. One lawyer was drawn by a small paragraph “Indian Franchise” in a Durban newspaper and it precipitated into a national movement. Another more assertive person raised an army to fight the British. Those were great people. I am not comparing the personalities – just the movements. Here we have an insignificant son of the soil, with a strong following because his straight talk failed and turned violent. I am strongly opposed to violence; however, I have a question to ask. What do you advise people to do against a blatantly shameless, strong armed, powerful person(who incidentally can cause the present Government to fall with the aid of his crime-lords-turned politicians) who wants to keep on openly perpetrating injustice? If there is an easy, effective way of getting justice from the likes of Laloo, surely the affected people of Maharashtra would like to follow.

  14. tarique says:

    *** COMMENT COMBINED ***

    mahesh , hindus are not suffering in the name of secularism.hindus are suffering because of a caste system from ancient times which goes on till today in our country. in north india, the upper caste thakurs humilate the dalits very badly. i have witnessed the caste system very closely in uttar pradesh and i must tell u it ‘humilates’ all humanity. the faults in the hindu caste system gave political space to outside religions and faith to grow. all christians and muslims and buddhist converts are from hindu society. if u think secularism is a curse for hindus then u must take the blame for sowing its seeds long long ago.marathis are suffering not because of nationalism or biharis but because of lack of dynamics to venture outside the state and take a risk.they may be justified , because maharashtra is rich in agriculture and is blessed with a port city. yet a fact is that not all marathis are farmland owners or entreprueners.these are the agitated classes of marathis who mostly see raj thackeray as a ‘leader’.marathis are very gifted and talented in every activity they take up with full interest. i often meet a lot of successful rich marathi middle class people in dubai and a few in malaysia. they went outside, brought the best of their gifted talent out and succeeded. i will be very sad if talented marathi youths who i admire a lot for their simplicity and honesty , get carried away with MNS agitations and end up empty in life. i may be wrong , but i said what i felt in my heart.

    ***

    my assesment may be wrong , but i feel raj thackeray is being used by sharad pawar to weaken the shiv sena hold in maharashtra .

  15. महेश पाटील says:

    @Tarique.. about the varna or the caste system in Hindus whether it has worked or failed i am not a scholar on that.
    you may be right on thatone.

    What I am talking is ,with respect to pseudo secularist political netas..in the name of secularism how they are exploiting the minorities and hampering the majority. similarly

    Now all the north netas who themselves are pseudo nationalist.. are talking and preaching nationalism to people of Maharashtra. instead of developing their own states.

    ***************************************

    I totally support the statement given by Home Minister R.R.Patil and appriciate the good work of Mumbai Police of
    shooting down ‘Rahul Raj’ a youth from bihar who was franticaly shooting and waving his gun at the public and hijacked a BEST bus in Mumbai.

    Anyone trying to get bandook(gun)raj in Mumbai has to be dealt in the same manner

    I Pity Laloos,Nitish Kumars and Ram Vilas Paswans statement against Maharashtra police… everyone knows how good Bihar is

  16. महेश पाटील says:

    links to the above news of shooting of rahul raj..a youth from bihar who was saying ” he was here to kill raj thackeray”

    http://newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/31726

    http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Nitish_shocked_at_killing_of_Rahul_Raj/articleshow/3646881.cms

    http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080070286

  17. tarique says:

    mahesh , i had tears in my eyes for rahul raj . i felt he was on the wrong side of the law ,yet his intention was not at all wrong to kill or injure anyone with his outdated ‘desi ‘ pistol.arushi , jamia youths , pragya singh , rahul raj, the list is growing everyday .a dance carnival of politicians and media bosses on the dead bodies of our ‘youngistaan’.

  18. Indian says:

    To all

    Shantanu if you permit me to use this language than there is one saying very well for politicians. From Lalu Prasad to Raj thackrey. It is typically made for politicians.

    “Nange Ko Nahane Ka Kya aur Nichone ka kya”. I have translated this in Hindi so everyone can understand.

    What can I do, it is old saying so have to use this words.

    Jai Hind!

  19. Rajesh Patil says:

    Raj Thackeray has definitely been encouraged by the Congress(I)-NCP combine to divide the Hindu Nationalist votebank of BJP-Shiv Sena.

    But has Raj Thackeray also been paid and laid by the Islamic mafia?

    This is a classic case of the “Good Cop, Bad Cop” technique by the Islamic mafia to divide the Hindus (on linguistic/regional lines) and destroy the emerging Hindu Nationalist votebank, in order to eventually destroy Maharshtra and Islamize India.

    Please read all the 3 articles below.

    Read: “The Muslim face behind Raj Thackeray’s anti-outsider campaign”
    http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-muslim-face-behind-raj-thackerays-antioutsider-campaign/314335/

    and: “Azmi trains North Indian Hindus to attack Marathi Hindus with lathis”
    http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200805051863.htm

    and: “Even though several Hindus were hurt in the attack, Abu Asim Azmi helped only the sole Muslim victim financially”
    http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Offers_pour_in_to_help_Bihar_boy_hurt_in_Maha_train_attack/articleshow/3023459.cms

    One Muslim (Haji Arafat Sheikh, educated in Anjuman Islam school and who proudly flaunts his Haj returnee title) mocks a sacred Hindu Puja (Chhat Puja) as Hatt Puja. This Sheikh then leads a violent, anti-North Indian Hindu crusade on behalf of MNS.

    Another Muslim Jihadi (Abu Asim Azmi from Azamgarh) notorious for his defense of Islamic terrorists immediately becomes a self-appointed spokesman for the North Indian Hindus. He offers lip-service but no financial help to the Hindus killed in the violence, but offers money only to the Muslims hurt in the melee. Azmi trains North Indian Hindus to attack Marathi Hindus with lathis.

    Its a win-win situation for the Islamists, either way.

    Can someone point out this Islamic conspiracy to the gullible Hindu masses?

    If the theme here is about “outsiders”, then someone should point out that the only outsider to India (and Maharashtra) is “Islam”.

    If Hindus from UP and Bihar are driven away from Maharashtra, then guess what – the percentage of the Hindu population in Maharashtra will rapidly decrease relative to the Muslim population, thereby leaving the Hindu population more smaller and vulnerable to Muslim mob attacks.

    Remember the ongoing anti-Hindu riots and regular bomb-blasts all over Maharashtra, the gruesome Radhabai chawl massacre of 9 Marathi Hindus (including a handicapped girl) who were burned alive, multiple-murders of Mathadi workers, killings of innocent Hindu civilians over Pat Robertson’s remarks about Mohammed, and of course, the annual, violent attacks on Hindu religious processions (including Ganesh Chaturthi processions) as they pass through the mini-Pakistans that dot Marathwada ?

    Jihadi bombs and Islamic mobs don’t discriminate between Marathi Hindus and North Indian Hindus – they kill all Kafirs with equal glee.

    If Raj Thackeray (and his MNS) had the brains (and the cojones), they should first evict the lakhs of Bangladeshis who are on their way to outnumber Marathis in Mumbai (and increasingly, Pune).

    Read: “Bangladeshis will outnumber Marathis in Mumbai, warns BJP leader”
    http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Bangladeshis_will_outnumber_Marathis_in_Mumbai_warns_BJP_leader/articleshow/3549836.cms

    Every Marathi Manoos should read and carefully ponder over their future and the future of Maharashtra, before becoming a pawn to such anti-Hindu nonsense from Raj Thackeray and MNS.

    Jai Bhavani. Jai Shivaji.

  20. Milind says:

    Finally I found a place where people are not fighting like the cats and dogs and a healthy argument is taking shape. For me it’s a very delicate issue. For one I’m a Marathi who lives in the USA. It’s difficult to side with either side of the argument.

    Do we Mumbaikars want to lose the Cosmo culture of Mumbai?
    Should we stop all the migration? Do we not enjoy Hindi?
    Are North Indians savages?

    The answer that you will get from every Mumbaikars worth his salt will be a big NO!!! But there is some problem somewhere. We can ignore it on our own peril. I don’t think it’s only about jobs. Otherwise Raj would not have got support from smart and upwardly mobile maharashtrian middle class. Railway exam was only a catalyst and there were several other too.

    Maharashtrians are concerned about the increased clout of a largely uneducated or semi educated north Indian population. Many fear that we may get some one like a KripaShankar Singh as our CM in years to come. This fear is not as unfounded as it sounds.

    I grew up in Bombay and had several non Marathi friends. From Catholics to Gujarati and North Indians to South Indians. Never once did it matter that all these folks are not Marathi. And it doesn’t matter even now. But the migration pattern is disturbing. There are so many of them coming and most of them are poor and uneducated. If Bihar and UP can’t control there population then they should be ready to take care it themselves. A Punjab or Maharashtra can’t be expected to take the tab. What we see is the ‘I care a damn’ attitude from these UP/Bihar politicians. Anybody who speaks against it is called a traitor. They will face the music. it’s only a matter of time before karnataka, Punjab,Gujrat and other south Indian states start taking the similar action against the uncouth Bihari ( Not all of them are uncouth). I’m amazed by the attitude or the UP/Bihar people. Nobody is ready to introspect. They are not willing to ask the hard questions. And as they say’ problems can be only solved when you accept the problem’ I don’t mean to support the violence which MNS has unleashed. But however cliche it sounds I support the cause.

  21. Patriot says:

    What is not funny and has never been funny is the way the northern states (epecially – BIMARU) have been subsidised by the southern states and how the northern politicians have taken it as their birthright. We have suffered enough and now if the northerners are getting the boot, they have only themselves to blame for electing politicians on the basis of caste and religion, instead of development and law and order.

    While not a marathi manoos by birth, I consider myself now to be a part of Maharashtra and vice-versa. So, if tomorrow, Raj Thackeray were to give a call to build a new army of Marathas to take on Delhi, I would be one of the first volunteers.

    We have had ENOUGH of the bihari and bhaiyya politicians and we are now ready to say it with sticks and stones, guns and swords.

    Too bad if that is not palatable to the northies.

  22. Patriot says:

    Some facts for your consumption:

    The north of India have the best rivers in the country
    The north has the best and most fertile agricultural land
    Over 90% of the mineral wealth of India is in the north
    The north has never seen a drought in the last 150 years of recorded history
    Nor a famine during the same period

    And, yet people from the north are poor? They have to depend on the alms of the south to survive? Why is this? What is wrong with the people of the north?

  23. B Shantanu says:

    Milind and Patriot: Your comments have reminded me that I still have to write the post about the possibly unequal treatment of different states when it comes to tax proceeds and their distribution…

    Hoepfully I will find some time to post it next week.

  24. tarique says:

    abu asim azmi lost the MLA elections from the muslim majority bhiwandi. he was accomodated to the rajya sabha by samajwadi party by amar singh. now, if common muslims support abu asim azmi then tell me why he lost from bhiwandi ?? why he fails to win seats from nehru nagar in kurla , another muslim majority constituency.

  25. v.c.krishnan says:

    Dear Sir,
    It is once again tragic that we are dragging Hindu Muslim conflicts here. May be if somebody digs deeper we can come out with an act of MNS which deals with Xtians.
    The ball will be in the politicians court and they will end up ” having a ball” and the losers “Bharatiyas”.
    Let us view this extremely “Myopically” and let us not go around once again about nothing for everything.
    The matter is simple enough for the commoner to understand, if it is not so the support for the MNS would have disappeared a long time ago.
    If I am not wrong a very anti BJP channel has pointed out that that one of their page three icons namely Ms. Shoba De is in no mood to criticise MNS but spout the same jargon that ” I AM NOT FOR THE VIOLENCE” but the people of Maharashtra are feeling stressed out on the jobs market.
    The western media and their bandmasters played out the music of the greatness of Shri Lalu as he is a very “Secular Icon” and they cannot let him down.
    In the form of appearing to be very balanced they “PINCH THE CHILD AND ROCK THE CRADLE”. Before it erupts into a communal conflagration and the Mumabaikars objective is lost, the Mumbaikar should dig his heels in and see that the Abu Azmis, Amar Singhs, Lalus and Paswans do not get a foot hold in their political scenario.
    They should understand that today the RJD, LJP and SP are written off cases and they can only survive by igniting the communal cauldron and if they get hold of Maharahtra only the Marathis will be the losers.
    I appeal to all mumbaikars to see that these people do not get a foothold in their state by any means and let the seat of Bharat’s economic center remain alive and kicking for the next generation.
    Ignore the pipings of the Western English media and stick together come what may. The media are paid servants to publish news for their survival and they sell their services to the best newsmakers.
    The maharashtrians cannot sell their stake in their state for ANY PRICE as their stake is priceless. Fight the menace of the Lalus, Azmis, Paswans with all your might and defeat them.
    Remember you are not Hindus, Muslims or Xians; you are Bharatiyas!
    Regards,
    vck

  26. Indian says:

    I agree VCK

    But there are no takers for “Bharatiya”. People are still buried under regionalism. Regional animoisty rules their heart and mind.
    Nationalism fosters regionalism but regionalism can never foster nationalism. In the begining regionalism gives soothig effect but it corrodes our mind, health and work.

    In west people speaks English in offices, work place and in markets but they preserve their culutre and language at home. In west diversity ( public from different countries) is on higher scale, but people lives peacefully without bringing their regional or countries identity anywhere in the public places. I have seen Indians including those who supported sending Gujaratis and South indian back, becoming pussycats. Though they are near to me but I will say openly.

    As VCK said in his earlier comment, it is because of loopholes in laws and unethical govt., bias and uneducated politicians are taking pride and ego on their head. They have more polluted and corrupted mind than this innocents public, and are responsible for creating this chaos. I think politicians are not relevant in todays time. They are adding fuel, without finding solution for it.( I agree with one of the post of Shantanu,(politicains are relevant …) I havenot read it in full but I found that title very …attractive in present time.)

    All politicians, without pampering bias mind, should cometogether and become part of the solution rather than becoming problem themselves. But would they do it? NO! Why? They all are after gaining votes. That proves politicians are not relevant in today’s time.

    Jai Hind!

  27. Indian says:

    Above comment is not by Anonymous, Its by “Indian”. I dont know how that happen?

    *** NOTE by MODERATOR ***

    Indian: You may have forgotten to type your name in the name field. Anyways, it is now corrected.

  28. Indian says:

    The Great Mumbai Textile Strike… 25 Years On

    ‘Except for despair, we achieved nothing’

    January 18, 2007

    So why didn’t the workers protest?
    He smiles and goes back time to January 18, 1982. The day The Great Mumbai Textile Strike was called.

    That day trade union leader Dr Datta Samant told mill workers to keep away from work till they got a bonus and wage hikes.

    Nearly 250,000 workers at more than 50 textile mills went on strike in Mumbai, hoping for a better future. Thousands courted arrest. A few months later, in August 1982, the city police briefly struck work, apparently in sympathy with the workers, and the army and Border Security Force had to be called in to control the unrest.

    It was a watershed moment for Mumbai, then called Bombay, and the nation.

    “We all protested in 1982,” says Salvi, “but except for despair we didn’t achieve anything.”

    As we speak, trucks and tempos piled with construction material move in and out of the China Mill compound.

    Real estate experts estimate that textile mill land in central Mumbai is worth an estimated Rs 10,000 crores (Rs 100 billion) at today’s prices.

    In June 2005, the National Textile Corporation’s Mumbai Textile Mill was sold for a staggering Rs 702 crore (Rs 7.2 billion) to the Delhi-based DLF Group in one of the most expensive real estate deals in the country. Apollo Mills was sold for Rs 180 crore (Rs 1.8 billion) and Jupiter Mills was sold for Rs 276 crore (Rs 2.76 billion). Kohinoor Mill was sold for Rs 421 crore (Rs 4.21 billion) to Kohinoor Projects, a company owned by Shiv Sena MP Manohar Joshi’s son Unmesh, and Matoshree Realtors, on whose board Raj Thackeray used to be a director.

    http://specials.rediff.com/news/2007/jan/18sld2.htm

    Once again help yourself by not letting oneself into the hand of vote beggers politicians. Dont stop the development

  29. महेश पाटील says:

    Abu azmi .. from the way he speaks..and acts what i have seen in person is not less then a goonda.

    @ tarique
    And although azmi being a muslim wasnt able to win from Bhiwandi.. and Mr Patil from Shivsena won is because of Sharad Pawars mastermind Politics… some dummy candidates to eatup muslim votes were made to stand.. hence the muslim vote was divided and a hindu guy from shivsena won.. a chord was struck between Shivsena and NCP.. to not to make a goonda come to power in that MLA constituency.


    One thing i admire about the unity in the politicians of Bihar… i wish the Maharashtras politician also learn something from Laloo,Nitish and Paswan.. and support the
    Marathi manoos and Maharashtra cause… and stop bootlicking the highcommand in Delhi.

    Here is my newspaper interview in one of the leading marathi newspaper , requesting all the leaders of Maharashtra to unite for the cause of marathi

    http://us.f13.yahoofs.com/bc/463b95d9m1c967e4c/bc/My+Documents/marathi_manoos.jpg?bfaU1BJB2boTrM8X

  30. tarique says:

    mahesh , i was trying to get the point across that abu azmi is not a popular muslim mass leader as the media or press or hindus make him out to be . abu azmi or imam bukhari are thrust upon us , when they cannot even win from muslim areas .to remind u that abu azmi at one point of time used to be very close to sharad pawar till he got implicated in the bomb blasts . his financial clout helped him to get acquited from the case within months and he parted ways with mr . pawar for not helping him out .

  31. Indian says:

    How to dealt this with?. Some one said ashamed of saying, “I am Hindu” now it is time to say ashamed of being Marathi?

    http://ibnlive.in.com/news/up-youth-beaten-to-death-aboard-a-mumbai-local/76947-3.html

  32. tarique says:

    no need to feel ashamed of anything or anyone in today’s time .all are naked in the bathroom .there are no ‘men of honour ‘ left , no ‘truthful ideologies ‘ left .

  33. महेश पाटील says:

    Sitting MLA, Kishore Samritay from MadhyaPradesh seems like have gone nuts or completely lost it.
    So has Amar singh who is supporting Mr.Kishores feelings of vengence towards Raj Thackeray.


    Mr Kishore Samritay has issued a open “supari” of Rs1crore to kill Raj Thackeray,and also top lawyers and legal aid to the person who kills Raj Thackeray

    Now let us see how many north politicians who were demanding arrest of Raj under National Securities Act… make the same demand on Mr Kishore Samritay.

    An immediate arrest should be made against Samritay and immdieately sent to either jail or mental hospital

    Jai Hind Jai Maharashtra

  34. B Shantanu says:

    I would not take him Sh Samrite too seriously…

    He has a tendency to do sensational things such as attempting suicide by jumping into a lake in Bhopal, threatening self-immolation etc.

    As far as I know, he has previously been suspended from the Samajwadi Party and apparently has now been detained by the Police in New Delhi.

  35. B Shantanu says:

    Bihar politician in the dock for inciting mob against Maharashtra official

    …Last month, in response to the attacks on north Indians in Maharashtra, Ashwini Dattarey Thackeray, a Bihar cadre Indian Administrative Service (probationer) officer, was targeted by a mob of over 200 people.

    On October 31, the mob led by Madhav Singh, Purnea district president of central minister Ramvilas Pawan’s LJP, surrounded Thackeray’s office in Purnia, about 350 km from here, and shouted slogans like “Go back Maharashtrians” and “Officer go back, we do not need your services”.

    …The district administration also seized CDs from the local TV channel for evidence that Singh incited the mob against Ashwini Dattarey Thackeray for her being a Maharashtrian.

    …The MNS’ attacks on north Indians, especially from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, in Mumbai and elsewhere in Maharashtra has triggered angry reactions in Bihar, particularly after killing of Rahul Raj by the Mumbai Police in a city bus last month.

  36. Milind says:

    Shantanu, I’m still waiting for the answers which you said you were working on?

  37. B Shantanu says:

    Milind,

    Perhaps you missed my latest post – “Maharashtranomics” and Bihar?

    More to come on this…I have been tied up in various things and have not got around to the analysis on tax revenues and statewise expenditure yet.

    As for problems created by politcians from Bihar and UP, should they not be considered separately rather than taking that anger out on your poor migrant labourer who merely wants to earn a living?

    And how come not a word about the illegal migrants in Mumbai?

  38. Milind says:

    Shantanu,

    Your posts don’t answer the questions that I raised? I don’t hate Bihar. But at the same time I think it’s high time that the Biharis should wake up from denial mode and start accepting things as they are. And then work to improve them.

    You can’t always get away with blaming the nation for your failures.

    Why is it that most criminals politicians are from the cow belt and particularly from Bihar?

    It’s a joke to see Paswan and Lalu taking the moral high ground. Isn’t Paswan the same person who had a Osama look alike campaigning for him in the election a couple of years back? And everybody know about Lalu and RJD and what kind of
    criminals they have in there ranks.

    That’s what scares maharashtrians. We don’t want to see a bloody Lalu Yadav to get elected in Maharashtra.

    Raj Thakre and his lumpen elements are no good. But as they say ‘ it takes one to know one’.

  39. B Shantanu says:

    Milind: A very quick response…

    1. Bihar’s problems are also *our* problems…they are India’s problems and challenges…

    2. Yes, Bihar’s leadership needs to improve but again, bad leadership is not unique to Bihar or UP…

    3. And yes, people (especially those who are educated and more aware) from Bihar and UP should do something to improve things in their state – and many are doing so…Just y’day I had lunch with someone who is extremely passionate about improving things in UP and I know at leaset one person who is doing some tremendous on-the-ground developmental activities in Bihar.

    4. The Central Govt. is as much at fault as anyone else (esp. when it comes to allocations, grants, developmental projects) in this matter

    5. You cannot condemn a whole group of people just because their leaders appear to be rogues or crooks…

    More on this later.

  40. v.c.krishnan says:

    Dear Sir,
    I have suggested in another portion of this blog as to “Bihar”.
    I have had personal experiences with Biharis and let me tell you they are just wonderful human beings as long you do not tread on their toes of mainly the caste variety!
    Every Indian is a Bihari in his own sense. he survives because of his clinging together as a group and finds his identity in his own.
    If you extend the theory you will note that is the common thread in most cases.
    For example if you were to be recogonised for coming on the third page of any secular press, you should first oppose whatever has been existing as a social norm for many milleniums, whether you agree with it heart of hearts!
    You must kill your consicience to survive to be on the pages of “Notoreity” otherwise you will be a dead icon.
    You must appear to break all social mores to be there, and if you want to be “More Exposed” you have act more despicably and behave more and more abnormally.
    That is a the “cause celebre” of all our society leaders and more importantly you must understand that politicians have to be in the lime light to Survive”. This is the malaise that has struck the human phyche.
    Let us take it to different level of perception. We call Bihar underdeveloped and call for its improvement. Is it really underdeveloped?
    We call it underdeveloped because we see it with a perception which has been forced on us for ever so many years, which is no roads, no cars, no inductries no malls none of the trappings which the “iconic human” calls as trappings of development.
    But is this all development is all about? Is scrapping of a way of life and succumbing to a way of life which has destruction of human values and structures and a way of life and also “NATURE”, development, or is it something that we all foolhardily have to accept to be on the “THIRD PAGE” of LIVING!page
    I am sure there will be a large number of Secularists now coming on me like a pack of bricks. Immediately they will come together to add here the broken used whip ah ah What About The Caste system?
    I am not discussing caste in this section. Let us discuss it in the other place in this blog.
    Here we are discussing Bihar vis a vis the other states supposed to be places of development!
    If we were to discuss the Election in the most “Developed Country”.
    What is discussed? I beg the question now! Religion! Is he a christian vs Muslim. Is he a Catholic or a protestant or does he belong to milleu of sub CASTES” of the Christian Religion.
    Oh welllllll he belongs to this church. Oh Oh then is he white or black or is he mixed.
    What is the difference. In one state it is discussed in unlit, muddy dirt streets. In another it is discussed in well lit clean streets. A Brawl is a Brawl where ever or what ever type it is.
    Bihar has maintained its uniqueness in its people. It has maintained its culture. It has maintained its human values as required BY ITS SOCIAL NORMS”.
    Just like other Bharatiyas, Biharis should also be enlightened about the greatness of this country and i AM SURE WE WILL GET THE BEST OUT OF THEM.
    Just like other Bharatiyas who are living in the dark unless the uniqueness of this culture and its greatness of its values and culture are heightened we will not have the country we dream off.
    I am not against Cars, Malls, Roads, Flying to the moon etc. I am also for social structures, and also will like to leave for my progenys Tigers, Lions Hyenas, Birds and a culture by which I am proud!
    Let us look at a blend that will give us a country of unique characteristics which has been the eyesore for many invaders.
    Regards,
    vck
    Regards

  41. B Shantanu says:

    @ vck: very apt: Every Indian is a Bihari in his own sense. he survives because of his clinging together as a group and finds his identity in his own.

    ***

    All, some excerpts from Mr Raj Thackeray by Atanu Dey

    …Raj Thackeray appears to be a misguided, evil-minded politician. The reports I have seen are from the English language main stream media and therefore, to my mind, highly suspect. He apparently has provoked his gang of supporters to attack non-Marathi people seeking jobs in Maharashtra. Recently, a few people have even been murdered.

    According to some people he is a problem and should be locked up. He should be tried and if found guilty, locked up for good. However, I think that he is not the problem but rather that he is a symptom of a larger and deeper problem that he is not responsible for.

    …Raj is playing the same game as the more seasoned politicians in India but as an amateur.

    Take Dr Manmohan Singh, the figure-head prime minister of India. Dr Singh does what he needs to do to get votes. His strategy is simple: pitch one religious group against another and be assured of one religious voting block — the so-called minority vote — will support him. Dr Singh is playing the same game of divide and rule that the British overlords of India had perfected. Dr Singh and his Congress Party present an excellent example of why the politics of division work.

    …It is hypocritical to say the least to be shocked at what Raj Thackeray is doing. He did not create the dismal conditions in Bihar because of which millions of Biharis have to migrate out of the state seeking the most menial of employment. Hang Lalu Prasad Yadav for that crime. Raj Thackeray is not responsible for the dismal infrastructure of Mumbai. Hang the policy makers who extract most of the wealth that Mumbai produces and ship it off to support failing states across India. Raj Thackeray is only responding the only way he knows he can — by fueling the xenophobia that is latent in every human being.

    Also do read some of the comments…they are thought-provoking

  42. Patriot says:

    @VCK:

    Let us not try to ignite false “culture wars” in India.

    “We call Bihar underdeveloped and call for its improvement. Is it really underdeveloped?
    We call it underdeveloped because we see it with a perception which has been forced on us for ever so many years, which is no roads, no cars, no inductries no malls none of the trappings which the “iconic human” calls as trappings of development.”

    NO, I call Bihar undeveloped because the majority of its residents live in abject poverty, without access to basic civic amentities and have to come to Maharashtra to find work so that their family can survive.

    Let us not try to put stupid spin on everything that we discuss.

  43. Patriot says:

    “If we were to discuss the Election in the most “Developed Country”.
    What is discussed? I beg the question now! Religion! Is he a christian vs Muslim. Is he a Catholic or a protestant or does he belong to milleu of sub CASTES” of the Christian Religion.
    Oh welllllll he belongs to this church. Oh Oh then is he white or black or is he mixed.”

    Oh, we are so wise about the US and what it discusses ….. yet, we miss the end-result.

    Obama is elected President of the United States of America, the most powerful political position in the world, by the highest number of votes secured by any American President in its history (of course, this needs to be adjusted for pop growth, but still) – states that have never voted for a democrat since the 50’s and the 60’s voted for Obama. Obama won a *majority* of the White American Men votes, never achieved by a Democrat since Lyndon Johnson in the 60’s.

    American can and does.

    We can only sit and nitpick at the negatives although the overall picture may be vastly positive. No wonder India is *what* it is.

    Can you imagine a Muslim or Chamar Prime Minister of India, elected by the popular vote? That is the equivalent analogy for India. We have a loooooooong way to go.

  44. v.c.krishnan says:

    Dear Patriot,
    Thanks for your response and I appreciate it truly.
    I think you have lost touch with time. It was not very long ago that the HINDU party and not the seculars elected a MUSLIM by the name of Abdul Kalam as the president.
    The same secularists refused to reelect him So how LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG ago was it?

    A Chamar. Please update yourself on theis matter. There is a state which sends the largest number of legislators to the Parliament. There is a state that has sent the maximum number of Prime Ministers to this country. This state also has the largest population. Today this state has a CM ELECTED by public popularity with the ADVISOR as BRAHMIN! who is a ……….. If you do not know the state let me know I will let you know. The CM was not elected not very LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONg ago!

    I have also stated that development means all that you say. I have also added that development also means maintaining the uniquness of all that you lived with, the way of life.
    I love Mumbai also But sadly I do not like the Mithi river which is epitome of beauty and cleanliness. I love Mumbai but I do not like the trains which are so clean and so free to travel that I can stroll in without any problems.

    I love New York but regrettably I like the vagrants who live on the side walks and live of the wasate thrown on the sidewalk more.
    I love development but regretabbly I do not like the existence of Polar Bears, Sparrows, squirills, parrots which exist in spite of best methods of destroying by bringing in more and more cars, flyovers, and polluting vehicles.

    Values should be destroyed at all costs for the sake of development.

    I fully agree with you!
    Regards,
    vck

  45. anonymous says:

    I live close to where Abu Azmi has set up his fiefdom in Colaba. All I can say is he is an Gangster inside and outside. He portrays an image of respectability but make no mistake, he is one of the most dangerous people to have ever set foot in Mumbai. Dangerous for the city, dangerous for the state and above all, dangerous for the peace and sanctity of the citizen.
    He saunters around the place with body guards toting guns and seems to think he is living in Uttar Pradesh here in the heart of Mumbai. He is an arrogant person, filled with a dangerous megalomania and imported several of his UP dons to run businesses in benami in the area. I wish the Shiv Sena and or the MNS has the guts to take him on and demolish the man. He will soon own the city otherwise

  46. Patriot says:

    Dear VCK:

    Let me see if I can correct some of your delusions:

    @ APJ Abdul Kalam:

    1. He was the president of India, not PM – who gives a damn about who is the president – what can the president do, if anything? Have you seen the latest CEC mess?

    2. APJ was the head of our nuclear program, when he was appointed – it was a jingoistic gesture by the BJP, appointing a designer, agnostic scientist to the presidency, not a “secular” gesture as you seem to think.

    3. For the same reasons, the blood-traitors communists opposed him, as they do not want India to be a nuclear power

    4. If the BJP had appointed say, a traditional muslim, there may have been some merit to your argument.

    5. How about the PM? Do you think the BJP will ever appoint a muslim PM?

    @ Mayawati –

    1. I have talked about her accomplishment else where – maybe you missed that – I said Mayawati invented the Rainbow Coalition before Obama’s campaign took it over.

    2. But, the real question is, can she be the PM? Will you accept that with all your caste biases?

    3. And, UP is a caste-ridden, basket case anyway – Mayawati was just the latest politician to use it to her advantage. Her innovation was to get Brahmins into the fold, which was a pretty good innovation, in my opinion. But, my real question was, will India vote for Mayawati as PM, despite her caste and not because of her caste? Guess you missed that.

    And, what values am I destroying?

    Birth-based oppression?
    Denial of equal opportunities?
    Punishment for those who break the law?

    What values, VCK?

  47. Patriot says:

    @ Anonymous:

    Fully in agreement – it is seeing this bigger picture that I fully support Raj Thackeray, even though his practices stick in my throat. But, sometimes you have to fight fire with fire, and risk being burned yourself.

    Also the reason, I fully supported the Mumbai Police action in shooting down the gun-toting chap from Bihar – have to show that you mean business, or else it is short slide to Ranchi.

    And, let us *not* have some inane comparisons to 26/11 now.

  48. v.c.krishnan says:

    Dear Patriot,
    Please read my mail carefully. APJ is the President not the PM anywhere in my mail.
    Please read my mail carefully,; The person who guided the CM of the most populous state was a BRAHMIN! A Brahmin, UP or otherwise a BRAHMIN still!
    AGnostic; Whoops! an individual who believes in humans an agnostic! Make merry!
    One of the Spokespersons for the HINDU BJP a Muslim other than the forgotten Najma. The daughter/Grand daughter of the Maulana; Omigosh Najma what a fall!
    We have to wait. We have had other than Brahmins as CM’s.
    I have never known a Chamar, only Indians. My education in Christian Educational Institutions taught me Castes; I deliberately killed that education and wiped it out of mind; I turned over to Indian Education and I know only Indians;
    I do not know what value systems you are looking at.
    Regards,
    vck

  49. Indian says:

    V.C.K

    I agree! we never look at person from what caste and part they come from. Who has time to look at all these?? We all come together for the purpose of some work and and if we keep discrimiation in mind than work will never be done in the way we want. And we don’t have to as long as they are from India. Its the game of people who are very small in their perspectives, keep carry all that burden on their shoulder and busy dividing the country for their personal goals.

    @Anonymous

    Raj dont like Abu Azmi because he is from S.Party, else he dont mind his being a gangster in Mumbai or illegal activities against the mumbai. Does he? From where did dawood become a big gangster from? How many cares what he did to the city in the past and the present? I have seen only Bala shahib who has genuine concern about Mumbai.

    Raj is very clever, he chooses his enemy wisely.

    @patriot

    Very insensitive statement about the boy. He is already dead. He wasn’t that big criminal that you are celebrating his funeral. It was just a game of small child. If Biharis wanted to do it than they dont need child to carry that work. Every one has seen it as the brain work of unripe, insecure child, except you! No longer funny!

  50. Indian says:

    http://www.rediff.com/news/2009/feb/17mumterror-dawood-gang-to-double-up-for-lashkar.htm

    Does any one care about this? Dawood gang penetrating all over India. This can only be done with the help of locals. Who cares? Right!, they are our brothers and sisters thats all we care about, damn with their anti-national activities.

  51. Nanda says:

    @Patriot.
    There are two different ways to ask a question. For ex, ‘Will Indians select a muslim prime mister’ or ‘Will India select a Prime minister without religious bias’. Now, you know where you stand.

    Second, Congress doesn’t give a chance, its the party which selects, not people.

    Third, In your language, India had selected multiple non-hindu Cheif Ministers, for ex YSR, Karunanidhi, Bhuddhadeb, Abdul Gafoor, AJ John, Antuley, MOHFaruk, Barkatullay khah,Annadurai,Jyoti Basu etc. This is considering only the Hindu majority states. These people couldn’t influence Congress, please don’t blame it on the people for someone’s family politics.

    Please don’t worry, 50 years from now, there will be someone asking ‘will India ever select a Hindu prime minister or chief minister again, atleast an MLA?’, like what is happening in J&K and Northeast now.

    Hindu’s are more secular and inclusive than your perception.

  52. v.c.krishnan says:

    Dear Patriot,
    I forgot to mention something very important to me! The matter is that I have a “BRAHMIN” friend who has a successful business as a person who runs a company which “MAINTAINS AND RUNS CLEAN TOILETS”!
    Does this man become a CHAMAR? Caste does not exist. It is a fiction of the CHRISTIAN MASTERS to destroy a way of life.
    Comprendez!

  53. Patriot says:

    Dear VCK:

    No, I did not mistake your positioning of APJ as President – but, since you responded that to my post about Obama – is the President of India really equal to the President of the USA? Did you think your characterisation was appropriate?

    RE: your point is that the BJP, by appointing a couple of muslims, is a secular organisation? Okay, I believe you, as I am sure do most of my countrymen.

    And, finally, yes caste is a figment of our collective imagination. Je comprenez. I will have whatever it is that you are smoking. Thank you for your wisdom.

    @ Nanda:
    If Karunanidhi is not a hindu, then I am sure that TN is not a hindu majority state, by your definition? Ditto for Bengal?

    Anyway, we have strayed a long way from my original post. This is now become a futile, polemic discussion.

    @Indian:
    Maybe I was insensitive about my reference to the poor deluded boy from Bihar. My apologies for that.

    And, I am sure that you know that I consider any govt’s first duty is security – so, I for sure do not turn a blind eye to anti-national activities as you call it. You are just mixing up different strands of thoughts here.

  54. Nanda says:

    @Patriot.
    I think you are gravely mistaken. 80% of TN are quote hindus unquote. They may support Karunanidhi, but they are not ateists like him. This is a very basic understanding, and its not fair to discuss anything without understanding basics, because it will only lead to biased arguments instead of a knowledge seeking discussion. You might want to consider that.

  55. Patriot says:

    @ Nanda –
    Are these not your assumptions?

    80% of TN vote for either of the two dravidian parties, whose core tenets include atheism. So, one may equally assume that these 80% believe in these core tenets, since they vote for these parties? After all, are these parties not the offshoots of Periyar, who had led such a vilification campaign in the not so distant past?

    And, btw, Veer Savarkar is on record asserting that atheists are hindus (sanatana dharmis) – unless your contention is that he was a poor, misguided fool, too?

  56. Patriot says:

    @ Nanda –
    Are these not your assumptions?

    80% of TN vote for either of the two dravidian parties, whose core tenets include atheism. So, one may equally assume that these 80% believe in these core tenets, since they vote for these parties? After all, are these parties not the offshoots of Periyar, who had led such a vilification campaign in the not so distant past?

    And, btw, Savarkar is on record asserting that atheists are hindus (sanatana dharmis) – unless your contention is that he was a poor, misguided fool, too?

  57. Patriot says:

    Sorry, double posting by mistake – Shantanu, pls remove the second post

  58. Nanda says:

    @Patriot.
    Oh you don’t know that TN has 80% hindus, ok, you seem to be having no idea about TN. How about say I quote a reference “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Tamil_Nadu#Religion_Data”. Would that clarify your assumptions?

    I will answer you question about Veer Sarvarkar, after we conclude the demography. After all you need your basics clarified.
    You know people like you do, when Hindus vote for non-hindus, you brand them non-hindus. When they don’t vote, you brand them communal. More than lack of knowledge, it lack of good attitude.

  59. Patriot says:

    “Oh you don’t know that TN has 80% hindus, ok, you seem to be having no idea about TN. How about say I quote a reference “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Tamil_Nadu#Religion_Data”. Would that clarify your assumptions?”

    Actually, it would not …. because the issue in question is the issue of Periyar’s ideology, which led to the rise of the dravidian parties and the classification thereof. After all, the dravidian parties went around desecrating all symbols of hindu religion, did they not?

    In another analogy, in Maharashtra, Dr Ambedkar led a mass conversion of “scheduled caste” people into Buddhism – many of these people actually worship Bhimrao as God, in equal place with Buddha. Yet, they are all classified as hindus.

    And, you are attributing motives to me, without even knowing me. Would you like me to do the same to you?

  60. Nanda says:

    Interesting. Refer to the census link by same government http://www.census.tn.nic.in/religion.aspx
    Dr.Ambedkar led mass conversion but its not comparable to TN population. Even if he did 1Million people, its negligible with the total TN population. And its your assumption that they are not classified as bhuddhists.

    Hindu’s accepted periyars ‘pahutharivu’ ideology, it doesn’t mean they all agreed to be ateists. If someone makes a trip to TN, they can see how many people trong to temples, how many wear big ash and kumkum in forehead. Dravidian parties consecrated temples, glad you mentioned here, its atrocious. Hindus didn’t revolt, its their tolerant nature, which is widely being questioned now-a-days.

    Apologies, my intention was not to attribute motives. I stand corrected – but yes, the point is, hindus vote for non-hindus, and its a good example in TN.

  61. Patriot says:

    Dr Ambedkar led the conversion primarily in Maharashtra.

    There is no direct relation to TN, I was just using an indirect analogy – but, an interesting thing happened when I went to search out data on Maharashtra, religion demographics by India census data – it is not available!

    A third party site offers this:
    http://www.mapsofindia.com/census/

    And, the official govt of India site on census data is down or does not allow me to access the data. Therefore, here is a question – does the census actually collect data on religion? If not, did the TN govt collect this data specially?

    Coming back to the debate on TN, if Hindus accepted Periyar’s ideology, without accepting atheism, is it also possible that most members of the two Dravidian parties today also do the same? i.e. they are not atheists? In which case, it would be hindus voting for hindus?

    Also, another diversion on TN – if my memory serves me right, the DK or the Justice Party (the original party of Periyar) never actually came to power in TN? It was only when DMK was formed out of the DK *and* MGR joined and led the party that it won its first elections? In which case, it would be hindus voting for a film star? And, MGR essentially rode a huge anti-Hindi wave to power in TN? So, it was really tamils voting against the imposition of hindi as official language in 1965, rather than any other flavour?

    The consolidation of power by DMK (and then A-DMK) happened thereafter. By which time, one can argue that both these parties had lost their previous strident anti-hindu position, and had become more of regional, language driven parties, albeit one of which is headed by a stated atheist.

    So, the DMK/A-DMK are really not a good example of your points.

  62. Nanda says:

    @Patriot,
    “In which case hindus voting for hindus’ – If you refer to your original question, its about electing the leader. Its hindus electing a non-hindu which in this case Karunanidhi and Anna. As you said, all these parties have hindus. So, hindus even participate in parties where an atheist leads, thats the tolerance I’m talkng about. So the question of ‘can hindu select a non-hindu leader’ is answered.

    MGR was not an explicit ateist, so the discussion is only about Karunanidhi and his DMK. Anti-hindi was a primary card for winning that election, true. I understnad it as, people electing who they thought convincing rather than looking into the leader’s religious position. This is without getting into argument of whether anti-hindi was right or not (separate subject), they supported Karunanidhi without looking at his religious affiliation, which is the matter of discussion.

    This is same as why Whites voted for Obama, because they saw something convincing(good or bad) more than his race. This is the analogy. TN hindus found something(anti-hindi) convincing more than Karuna’s religion. And it continues till now for different reasons.

    Though I provided more than one example, I still believe Karunanidhi was a right example as well.

  63. Patriot says:

    @ Nanda
    “So, hindus even participate in parties where an atheist leads, thats the tolerance I’m talkng about. So the question of ‘can hindu select a non-hindu leader’ is answered.”

    I would concede this point, in the larger context. It is a well argued and well thought out position.

    “I still believe Karunanidhi was a right example as well.”
    I do not accept this point, as my contention is that Karuna would not have succeeded without MGR and his charisma, and he built on what MGR created. So, the people of TN accepted him and Jaya as the rightful heirs to MGR’s legacy, without really going into the question of his atheism.

    However, that is only my interpretation of the political developments in TN and I accept that you can have a completely different assessment of the situation.

    To me, though, in the context of the bigger question that we were debating, Mayawati is actually the bigger phenomenon. If she indeed wins Delhi with a rainbow coalition, I would accept that we have gotten over our age-old prejudices. Although, I think she would be an unmitigated disaster from an economics standpoint.

    Thanks again for chatting. Regards.

  64. Nanda says:

    @Patriot
    Nice chatting with you. Regards
    ———–

    I wish we all first get a chance select the leader 🙂 before even applying the prejudices. In a sense, we don’t get a chance to apply even our prejudices fully, as we nowadays never know who will be our PM, we can only vote for a party. I can’t imagine US elections without a presential candidate. Still keep my hopes alive – Nanda