Born on 23 January 1926, Poona. Did anyone ever think that an ordinary cartoonist of the 'Free Press Journal' would one day rule the Indian state of Maharashtra? Delhi's masnad will shake at his arrogance. Bal Kesh Thackeray is an enigma in South Asia. He was also known as Bala Saheb to his devotees. He never stood for election.
He did not sit in any administrative position. Despite this, he was one of the most powerful people in India - 'Maharashtranch Godfather'! Like an Indian adaptation of Mario Pujo's novel The Godfather. Ramgopal Varma made films 'Sarkar' and 'Sarkar Raj' in Bollywood on the example of Bal Thackeray. Where Amitabh Bachchan played the title role.
- In the early 1950s, Thackeray was only known for his cartoons. There were strong political puns in his cartoons. And the editor often cut and printed. In protest, he quit his job as a cartoonist in the Free Press Journal and started the Marathi political weekly 'Marmik' in 1960 with his brother.
- In the early 1950s, Thackeray was only known for his cartoons. There were strong political puns in his cartoons. And the editor often cut and printed. In protest, he quit his job as a cartoonist in the Free Press Journal and started the Marathi political weekly 'Marmik' in 1960 with his brother.
At this time the idea of 'Marathi Manus' came to his mind. An attempt to highlight 'Marathi identity'. Then Bombay (now Mumbai) was abuzz with 'outsiders'. On that occasion he became the spokesperson of the common Marathi people. He declared that his only goal is to protect the sons of Bhumiputra. In a very short time he won the hearts of the Marathi people.
Thackeray, who had a keen political mind, decided to form a political party in 1966, following in the footsteps of his father Keshav Sitaram Thackeray. According to that decision, Shiv Sena (Tiger Army), one of the most extreme extremist organizations of the subcontinent, was formed on June 19 that year. The declared ideology of the party is 'We are Marathi of Maharashtra and Hindus of Hindustan'. Thackeray continued to preach, people from other states were coming and taking over their city, Mumbai. At that time he targeted South Indians, Gujaratis and Marwaris.
He took control of the whole of Mumbai by leading the Amarathi Khedao'. He announced that Shiv Sena's aim is to ensure employment for every Marathi speaker. Thackeray openly stated that he would not hesitate to resort to violence to achieve his goal. The popularity of Shiv Sena is increasing.
His words became the last word in the city of Mumbai, becoming the 'protector' of the Marathi language. The commercial capital of India became the 'controller' based on provincial politics. Thackeray's Shiv Sena's Vijayarath capitalized on caste-religion-language hatred. Thackeray became the 'Emperor of Marathi Hearts'.
Hatred was the basis of Thackeray's politics. Sometimes Gujaratis, sometimes so-called Bangladeshis, sometimes South Indians and sometimes people of different religions were his targets. It can be said that he always finds political enemies. The ultra-right Hindu nationalist leader started his career as an oblique satirist but never tolerated any slant towards his party and politics.
The emergence of Hindutva politics in India in the late 1980s. That rise allowed Thackeray to assert his authority in national politics as well. Maratha hero Shivaji Maharaj's 'Hindu Padpadshahi' was his political base. In 1985, after taking over the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, he joined hands with the BJP in 1988. The Babri Masjid became one of the 'militant defenders of the Hindu community' in post-demolition Indian politics.
Shiv Sena's role in the Mumbai riots of 1992-93 is unquestionable. Thackeray's 'larger than life' character was well established at that time. In 1995, the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance came to power in Maharashtra. Thackeray became the 'tyrannical remote control' of that government. Such was the thrust, which brought every influential man of Mumbai close to him. From the industrialist to the film industry, no one dared to be deprived of his 'love'!
This Hitler-loving leader 'ruled' Mumbai and Maharashtra in his own way. Adolf Hitler was considered an extraordinary man. Thackeray considered Hitler to be a great artist and Hitler's speech to be a brilliant milestone of eloquence in human history.
There is no other claimant to share the credit of the Shiv Sena behind the Muslim-hatred attacks in Maharashtra over the last three decades, like the art-literature of dislike - i.e. anything I didn't quite understand - like Maqbool Fida Hussain's picture or Rohind Mistry's novel by tearing up and burning the ocher flag. And it is difficult to find their equals in increasing the demand. When the Pakistan cricket team toured India in 2003, Shiv Sainiks dug the pitch on his orders. Riots were also carried out in the BCCI office.
The hope that Bal Thackeray and his party, the Shiv Sena, had raised, could not be sustained. Power also breeds corruption within the Shiv Sena. Political promises in many cases turned out to be mere empty bullies. Very quickly they began to lose public support. Mumbai and Maharashtra's lifeline is its 'commopolitan' character. So the theory of 'Marathi Asmita' did not last long.
In 1999, the Shiv Sena alliance was defeated in Maharashtra. The loss of power started from then. Several influential leaders left the party. Conflict also arose between son Udbhav Thackeray and nephew Raj Thackeray. Thackeray tried to resolve the dispute but failed. On March 9, 2006, after leaving the Shiv Sena, Raj Thackeray formed the 'Maharashtra Navanimran Sena' in Kakar's ideals. 2009- Bal Thackeray's daughter-in-law Smita also left Shiv Sena. Joined Congress.
n the last few years of his life, Thackeray was very much like a debilitated tiger. As the Shiv soldiers marched down the streets, he remained a silent spectator. Mohammad Rafi-Lata Mungeskar's songs and cricket fans also welcomed Thackeray's Michael Jackson. Even Pakistani cricketer Javed Miandad is a guest of his family in his house 'Matoshri'. Although Bal Thackeray expressed controversial views, he never wanted to consider himself as anti-Muslim. Although he described himself as anti-Pakistan.
This 'uncrowned emperor' of Mumbai breathed his last on November 17. The chapter on Bal Thackeray is over. But the trend of radical conservative politics that he started was not over. This politics of divisiveness will repeatedly challenge co-existence and communal harmony.
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Bal Thackeray
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