BJP, RSS' false claim on Dr Ambedkar: Hindutva groups' love for legacy of the man who quit Hinduism

Sixty seven years after independence, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its political outfit BJP have aggressively begun a drive to appropriate the legacy of Dr BR Ambedkar.

Dr Ambedkar, one of the greatest icons of modern India, had nothing in common with the ideology of the Sangh Parivar which is now going all out to claim Ambedkar as its own.

RSS stands for caste system, Ambedkar had quit it

Ambedkar suffered the atrocities of upper castes and throughout his life fought the barbaric caste-system.

He realised that millions of 'Shudras' (untouchables) can never get justice under India's Brahmanical system. His vision and his works for the uplift of the masses, have made him a hero of India's majority population comprising Backwards, Dalits, Tribals and Religious Minorities,

But leaders of Sangh including its Sarsanghchalaks always supported caste system that divides society on the basis of castes. After independence, he drafted the constitution of India.

Dr Ambedkar quit Hinduism, along with millions of his supporters, followers and devotees. They embraced Buddhism. This was a big setback to the right-wing forces in the country.

Still, they remained firm on their agenda and kept supporting caste system openly. Now a days, they are less vocal but known to justify it privately.

For the purpose of leaving Hindu religion, he chose Nagpur, the city that was headquarters of the caste Hindus and their power centre, RSS. This was important message.

For decades Hindutva leaders had an aversion for Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. Ambedkar's 22 vows can never be palatable to Hinduism.

The first three of Dr Ambedkar's vows:

1. I will neither regard Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh as gods nor worship them.
2. I will neither regard Ram and Krishna as gods nor worship them.
3. I will not regard any of Gauri-Ganapati etcetra of Hindu dharma as gods or goddesses nor worship them.

Read all the vows on this Page

It is clear that following Ambedkar is a path, no Hindutva-wadi can accept, as it means the death of oppressive caste system as well. Few years after independence, Home minister Vallabh Bhai Patel allowed the RSS to function only on the condition that it would follow India's constitution.

RSS had never believed in India's constitution and after Gandhi's assassination it was banned. Even today RSS never unfurls the national flag on its headquarters or other offices, because it believes in Saffron flag.

RSS has no figures or icons, played no role in freedom movement

However, electoral considerations have compelled the Hindutva groups to change their strategy. From Vivekananda to Madan Mohan Malviya, Subhas Chandra Bose  to Dr BR Ambedkar, it wants to appropriate every prominent figure.

The reason is RSS has no figures or icons. It played no role in reform in Indian society. It was not interested in freedom movement and its leaders played no part when the entire nation was in the grip of the fervour to struggle for independence from British rule.

BJP and its ideological gurus today shamelessly claim that they believe in Ambedkar's philosophy. The truth is that the party has remained firm on the Sanghi traditions and just aims at luring Dalits.

Sangh Parivar at Dr Ambedkar's doorstep for its own survival

For a long period, Hindutva strategy has been to co-opt its detractors, if it fails to overpower them. With passing years, Ambedkar's stature has grown manifold.

It is their compulsion that they have to reach Ambedkar's doorstep for their survival. But Ambedkar's message can never be appropriated by them. If Sangh even tries seriously, it will be the collapse of its own order.

Betraying the Bahujans: Dalit politicians, secular leaders joining hands with BJP ahead of 2014 elections

One after the other, Dalit leaders are now flocking to join the the BJP- led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The final push to get BJP more than 200 seats seems succeeding now as an even the most vociferous anti-brahminism leaders have no hitch in supporting Narendra Modi.

Is plan NAMO succeeding now. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) expected the BJP to use Modi's aggression to get more seats. Once the figure of 200 is crossed, there is hope that finding coalition partners would not be too tough.

RPI's Ramdas Athavale has been with BJP and Shiv Sena for sometime. Udit Raj, who heads Justice Party, and has been a hardcore anti-manuvadi has recently joined the party. Udit Raj's desperation is understandable. 

Despite a long movement, he has failed to get electoral support. In UP, Mayawati is the tallest Dalit leader. No other party or individual stands close to her, as far as Scheduled Caste (SC) votes are concerned. So it is not too shocking.

If these developments were not surprising, the latest is Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan's change of heart. For more than three decades, Bihar-based Paswan, has been a strong Dalit leader. He was seen as a secular leader, who has solid support among Muslims in North India.

But 'secularism' is no longer in vogue now. His decision has surprised Dalit community though he was an opportunist and earlier too served as minister in NDA regime. Clearly, the BJP is marching ahead of Congress, when it comes to forming coalition ahead of Lok Sabha election 2014. 

All these leaders may not bring many seats, but they can change the perception and help the BJP in shedding the image of 'untouchable' party. So BJP is no longer a Bania party with Brahmin, Rajput and middle-class (section of OBC) support? 

The Dalits are joining the BJP and this symbolism may help the party in the forthcoming parliamentary elections. With Congress in disarray and Third Front no longer a strong entity, the BJP campaign seems to be gaining steam, at least, for the time being.

If Rajiv Gandhi's killers can be spared, then why was Afzal Guru hanged?

The three persons have been convicted for the murder of India's Prime Minister. Yet, the killers of Rajiv Gandhi are going to live.

The Supreme Court has decided to commute their death penalty into life imprisonment. The honourable court's decision is final.

There is no scope for disagreement. But politicians, citizens and activists in Jammu and Kashmir, now ask why 'Afzal Guru' wasn't pardoned.

Was his crime as serious and in the same league. In his case, there was no direct evidence but to satisfy the 'collective conscience' of the society, it was decided to hang him to death.

Even his family was not formally informed about the decision to hang him. It was undoubtedly an inhuman act. His family could have met him a last time before he was hanged. But the government machinery was sure that they had to kill him. Was it a lust for blood?

The signals aren't right. In J and K, it sends the wrong message. Punjab government did it best to save Bhullar from death penalty. The trio--Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan, have been spared the gallows. Why? It is not court's decision alone. 

The reality is that the prevailing jingoistic atmosphere where nothing is allowed to be discussed, if it is 'sensitive'.The BJP is the second biggest party. But it was never serious for capital punishment for Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan. It wanted Afzal Guru to be hanged.

While in most cases, the mercy petitions aren't disposed or the convict gets reprieve by PRESIDENT. However, Afzal's death penalty was not commuted. Why? Is it because he was a Muslim? These are really serious questions. The manner in which Afzal was made an enemy of the nation, proves how media and politicians joined hands to kill him.

It augurs bad for the nation when there is such clear difference on case to case basis. Are we a bloodthirsty nation?

Third generation of Thackerays & need to reinvent Shiv Sena

Bal Thackeray's Shiv Sena is known for inciting mob violence, dividing citizens on communal lines and spreading hate among different sections of society.

It is not surprising that the party is once again indulging in cheap politics. Frustrated by its failure to capture power in Maharashtra due to the rise of Raj Thackeray's MNS, Shiv Sena leaders are again at their vitriolic worst.

Uddhav's son Aditya Thackeray announced that Rohinton Mistry's book Such a Long Journey was harsh on his grandfather and the clowns at the Bombay University duly obliged by banning the book that had been part of syllabus for several years.

Sena leaders can't be expected to read the book but they should have known that the writer was more harsh on Indira Gandhi for clamping emergency than Bal Thackeray's antics. The recent statements of Sena and the party's stand on burqa is once again proof of the fact that we can't afford to ignore Sena.

The ridiculous demand to ban burqa is not unexpected from Shiv Sena, given its track record. But it's time that the laws are updated and vitriolic statements or speeches are brought under the ambit of hate crime so that the guilty be punished.

It is visible to all and sundry that the Shiv Sena is increasingly getting marginalised. The Marathi manoos also doesn't care much about them. In the last 40 years, the party has hardly done any constructive work. It has targeted South Indians, Muslims and North Indians.

The Sena is against English-speakers and against Hindi-speakers also. Its leaders have acted as hooligans and its cadre has taken part in rioting. Uddhav Thackeray was expected to give a new direction to the party but he failed to revive it and now his son Aditya has taken plunge into politics.

But he should try to understand that unless he does anything constructive, he can't save the party. Forget Parliament or Assembly, even municipal polls would be difficult to win unless Shiv Sena reinvents itself and the party leaders do serious groundwork rather then restricting themselves to issuing statements and vandalism.

Rage against Raj: Bihar youth killed in BEST Bus in Mumbai

Rahul Raj, a youth boy from Patna, who had come to Mumbai searching for a job, was seething with anger as he brandished a pistol from the window of the BEST double decker bus on Monday morning.

He apparently wanted to send a message to MNS leader Raj Thackeray but we will never be able to know what he exactly had on his mind. He had repeatedly told co-passengers that he won't harm them. The Mumbai police shot him dead in an 'encounter'.

Though he was involved in a criminal act, the way he was shot at, has left questions on the ability of police in dealing with such situations. It appeared more of a panic gripped police force's knee-jerk reaction, just like a Brazil guy was shot dead by British police that had mistook him as a terrorist.

More shocking was the response of Maharashtra police and state government. RR Patil said that 'bullet would be answered with a bullet'. Somebody needs to remind him that it is no imperial British government and we are no longer 'native blacks'.

Now Bihar leaders Ram Vilas Paswan, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar have come together over the issue to apparently seek political mileage. The bus number 332 was on way from Kurla to Andheri when Rahul Raj took out his pistol. The boy with an innocent face appeared angry, not just angry, but enraged over something.

He was asking cell phone and wanted to talk to Raj Thackeray. Later reports suggested that he hijacked the bus to get Raj to talk to him. Also, he had fired barely a bullet contrary to police claims. Senior Mumbai police officials held that as Rahul held the bus hostage, he had to be shot dead.

Was he angry at the state of affairs in the country where Raj Thackeray flirts with law and lives with ease just because he is a politician and supposedly 'high and mighty' but an ordinary youth is beaten up for his belonging to Bihar or Uttar Pradesh (or even gunned down on the street by the same police).

The same police that doesn't dare to act against Thackeray and is uneasy even at serving warrants against him for terrorising millions, can of course murder a youth with such ease!

The old saying: Show me the man and I will show the rule, certainly holds true in this nation.

Attack on Maharashtra building in Kanpur: In reprisal to Raj Thackeray's campaign!

The attack on the eighty year old Maharashtra Bhawan in Kanpur, the biggest town of Uttar Pradesh, has apparently come in wake of the MNS' hate campaign against fellow Indians who hail from UP-Bihar.

*[Though Raj Thackeray was arrested late Monday night, he doesn't seem subdued and might continue his brand of politics. Police caught him in Ratnagiri and his lawyers are moving a higher court.]

Marathi trust owns the building used for their functions and a school is also run from its premises. Though no one was injured in the stone pelting and the damage to the cultural building, it has dangerous implications. Congress government and police-administration gave a long rope to Raj Thackeray.

His cadres kept on assaulting North Indians. The latest being attack on youths who went to Mumbai for Railway Recruitment Exam (RRB). Mercifully, the Kanpur attack was limited to damage to building.

However, things are not good else where. In Indore, the biggest City of Madhya Pradesh, Uma Bharati's Bharatiya Janshakti Party has warned Marathis to 'condemn Raj's attacks else face consequences'. Processions in which posters carrying messages of 'mad dog' were held and dogs were taken out to symbolise Thackeray.

This is extremely dangerous for the nation. He should be immediately sent behind bars, so that the mistrust among communities and regions is not allowed to fester and cause harm to our national integration.

*[Arresting his in not enough. Raj has been involved in divisive politics of highest order. He should be booked under sections of Unlawful Acts Prevention Act, to put some sense in his head.]

Bye Bye Manmohan: Will the government fall?

Will the UPA government fall? That's the question everybody is asking.

With Congress, SP and allies yet to reach the vital figure of 272 and over a dozen MPs yet to open their cards, nobody can guess the fate of the present government.

Manmohan, a nice and an non-controversial man, got tricked by the BJP. Its leaders had initially hinted that they would support the deal.

Pushing too hard for the deal, Manmohan and his men managed to stage a coup when they compensated the loss of Communist parties by securing the support of the Samajwadi Party.

But the angry Left succeeded in gaining dissidents and those opposed to deal including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) led by Mayawati. Now, tens of millions are being allegedly offered to MPs for the vote.

It is shameful to see the horse-trading and the opportunist MPs and political parties seeking favours. Ajit Singh managed to get Lucknow airport named after his father but later retracted and is now agaisnt the government on the issue.

Even if the UPA succeeds in winning trust vote, it would not be proper to go for the deal in view of the susbtantial opposition to it. N-deal is crucial but crores changing pockets in its name, is shameful.

One only wished that the UPA government had showed similar commitment in fighting inflation that is hurting crores of Indians, every day.

Ridiculous renaming: Call it Charan Singh Airport

Don't say Amausi Airport, now it's Chaudhary Charan Singh Havai Adda. That's what the government wants us to say because it needs the votes of late Charan Singh's son Ajit whose party has three MPs in the Lok Sabha.

That's politics, Simple and Obvious yet, so Obscene. Nothing wrong with a longish name and nobody disputes that Charan Singh was a mass leader. But it's pure opportunism.

Amausi sounded so simple and better. Just to placate Ajit Singh, the airport has been named after his father. In case any other party had got the numbers, any name of their choice would've done that.

Chaudhari Charan Singh has several institutes named after him. Already there is a Charan Singh University. Nobody will take the full name and eventually it will become CCSA, an abbereviation for Choudhary Charan Singh Airport.

But in process a name that carried a desi flavour has been sacrificed and replaced by a politician's name once again. It keeps happening everywhere in this country. Institutions become associated with Gandhis and Nehrus when Congress is in power or the names of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and Deendayal Upadhyay when the BJP is in power.

Charan Singh, the Jat leader, did manage to bring diverse caste groups together in Uttar Pradesh and even became Prime Minister in the Janata Party government for nearly six months but his son, has almost lost the entire legacy.

He knows he stands no chance of becoming the Chief Minister of UP and has thus raised the pitch for Harit Pradesh. Ironically, his hold on the electorate in the Jat-dominated region has also weakened and his party is in a disarrary.

However, the nature of contemporary Indian politcs has again made him important. Especially, when the UPA government is facing a tough task of proving its majority on the issue of Nuclear deal with USA.

So the renaming of the airport will do good to just one man. His ego would swell everytime the plane would land on the airport, named after his father. And thinking that he managed to get it rechristened! That's Indian politics.

Politics over Pilgrimage: Amarnath Yatra

If there is anybody who has gained from the controversy over the Amarnath shrine board issue, then it is the separatists and the communal forces.

For a long time they didn't have an issue and suddenly all our political parties happily gave the anti-Indian forces, something that they needed so desperately.

People of the country and state are paying for the former Governor (Lt Gen retired) SK Sinha's unwise move in the form of violence, fall of the government and the rise in communal feelings. Mixing religion with politics is always dangerous.

When it is done in a troubled state like Kashmir, it becomes even more dangerous. In a matter of days, the entire peace was broken and voices like Hurriyat that had been marginalised are gaining strength.

Veteran journalist Prem Shankar Jha writes that until recently North and South Block were congratulating themselves on solving the Kashmir issue as infiltration was down, tourism was back and violence was contained.

But an immature decision led to valley erupting into protests and now the old bitterness is back among both the sides: the Muslims of Valley and the Hindus of Jammu, who are feeling equally hurt and victimised.

The creation of Shree Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) with the Governor as its head was the first move along with extension of Amarnath Yatra to 45 days towards creating a controversy. The recent decision over transfer of land added fuel to fire.

"The NDA government's decision to make the governor the head of the SASB, provided he was a Hindu, turned a pilgrimage into a political action. It was also a surreptitious violation of India's constitution...", writes Jha, in Outlook.

Now with Ghulam Nabi Azad-led government having fallen over the controversy, nobody has benefited. Congress, PDP, National Congress and the BJP are all to be blamed for this crisis. BJP should have taken a far reasonable position than raising the communal

Bal Thackeray wants Hindu suicide squads: Will he send Uddhav to lead them?

Bal Thackeray is unable to set off his son Uddhav's political career due to Raj's high-pitched 'apla manush' campaign, and the 'Tiger' is clearly desperate now.

Narayan Rane's supporters attacked the office of Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna in Pune recently and this also came as a shock to Sena that was always notorious for such acts. It never expected such attacks from any other group.

With the tables turned now: His estranged nephew, Raj, setting the agenda and his former supporters like Rane showing an eye to him, beleagured Bal is back to his old ways.

In Marathi newspaper Samna, Thackeray has stressed on the need for suicide squads of Hindus to counter Islamic terrorism. But the 'paper tiger' knows well that issuing such statements is easy to gain cheap popularity among his constituency.

Of course, he is smart enough not to announce that he will send his son Uddhav to volunteer and lead such squads that might enter Pakistan and Bangladesh to catch the terrorists. It is not just an irresponsible statement but also provocative and criminal.

Clearly, Thackeray is feeling the heat. After all, those arrested recently for bomb blasts in Mumbai, belonged to Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, rather than Shiv Sena. It can be tough for anybody to see his empire usurped and his authority getting diminished with every passing day.

At the age of 82, Bal Keshava Thackeray alias "Bala Saheb" still retains his old ways, especially the rabble-rousing rhetoric. But, rather than issuing such 'fiery' statements, the ageing Thackeray could have learnt from his mistakes, tone down his rhetoric and act gracefully.

All his life, the maverick cartoonist turned politician has sparked animonisty between groups, divided this nation and mastered the art of hatespeak. In a country where politicians get away with anything, Thackeray has also flirted with fascism for decades. And he will continue to do so for the rest of his life.

BJP's dream of capturing power in South comes true: Lotus blooms in Karnataka

The BJP appears heading to win half of the seats in the Assembly elections and now the first BJP goverment in Southern India looks almost like a certainty.

The Congress is out of power and the father-son Devegowda & Kumaraswamy have been routed in the polls. The trends indicate that out of 224 constitutencies the BJP was all set to win nearly 110 or even more, which makes it the largest party and brings it in a position to form a government in Karanataka on its own.

The party had tried hard to build a base in the state. Unlike Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala where it is yet to establish a foothold, the BJP had managed to make a dent in the voteshare of Congress over the last decade, especially among Lingayats and other Backward Castes.

The election results are significant. With BJP heading a government in South India, it will be another jolt to Congress that still claimed to be the only national party. Also, the JD(S) leader HD Devegowda who wanted to play as a kingmaker has been rejected. His family-run party has won barely 30-odd seats.

It's BS Yeddiyurappa's moment, for now. For BJP it's a great opportunity to extend reputation below the Vindhyas and focus on governance rather than communal politics which had made it an untouchable in South until now.

First correct your own anglicised name Mr Bal Thackeray!

At last, somebody* had the guts to say it to Bal Thackeray, the cartoonist-turn-politician of Maharashtra who feels that Mumbai is his fiefdom and that nobody else had a role to play in creating the Cosmopolitan, which it is today.

After his nephew's fascistic programme to divide the society on regionalistic lines, Thackeray has also repeated the same line. Shiv Sainiks want Bombay Dyeing, Bombay Stock Exchange (BEST) and Bombay Scottish School to drop the Bombay and change it to Mumbai.

I am staying at a hotel in Allahabad and find a shop bearing the name 'Nagpur dry cleaner'. One of his ancestors may have come to this City in search of livelihood and named the shop after his hometown. It also looks good to eye but a North Indian can't afford to do that in Mumbai in 21st century.

The Banarasi Pan Bhandar-wala in Mumbai changes the name to Mumbai pan bhandar to escape the rowdies of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and Shiv Sena. And even Bombay, the old name of the City, is an anathema to them.

Why? Just because it is colonial? Even Bal Thackeray's name is colonial, the spelling being that of British author Willam Thackeray who wrote Vanity Fair, an English classic. Why doesn't Shiv Sena supremo change it first to Thakre?

Vir Sanghvi*, in his column Couterpoint, in Hindustan Times, asks this question. It takes guts to say that. After all, Indian journalists who love to take digs at politicians really don't have the nerve to take the name of Thackeray sans Saheb.

From Bal Thackeray, he becomes Bala Saheb Thackeray just because his men can take law in their hands. The City and the nation have had enough of this drama. The uncle and nephew are trying to outwit each other in rhetoric. At this rate they may someday demand that the name of the country, India, should also be changed as it is also given to us by British.

The name, Bombay, was changed to Mumbai. Now, as Sanghvi writes, it should happen at its pace and not in such a manner. He ends his piece with the line, 'We are certainly not changing any more names only because he can’t handle his nephew'.

Rahul Gandhi takes bath with special soap after meeting Dalits: Mayawati

With the general elections drawing nearer, the political atmosphere is hotting up and BSP supremo Mayawati fired her latest salvo in a rally on Monday where she made a 'revelation' that the 'prince' of Congress party, Rahul Gandhi purifies himself after meeting Dalits.

The political rhetoric hit a new low when she said: 'I have come to know through my sources that Rahul cleans himself, taking bath with special soap and using incense sticks for his shuddhikaran after meeting the Dalits'.

Feeling cornered and fearing that everybody has ganged up against her, Mayawati is getting aggressive. She earlier hit out at Mahendra Singh Tikait, Buta Singh, Shri Prakash Jaiswal and Sonia Gandhi apart from making harsh statements against other leaders including Rahul in the past.



She termed Rahul's stay in a Dalit house as a show-off. With Samajwadi party supremo (SP) Mulayam Singh getting closer to Congress, Maya is feeling the heat. Besides, she doesn't want Dalits to get back to Congress.

After all, she eyes the post of Prime Minister of India, and for that she needs to keep Dalits all over the country, away from Congress. The sharp rhetoric is part of the same design. After all, her constituency--the Dalits, believe her.

As far as the kind of language used in the politics, the lesser said the better it is. People on constitutional posts have forgotten how to maintain the dignity of their office and their position. And she is no exception.

Tikait brings anti-Mayawati forces together

The Jat leader Mahendra Singh Tikait has suddenly hit headlines. As 10,000 policemen and PAC personnel surround his Sisauli village in Muzaffar Nagar, the heat is now on Mayawati, who not only faces the threat 0f losing Jat farmers' support but also a united opposition against her 'autocratic ways'.

In Sisauli, it appeared that the town had become a battle zone. All the lanes were turned into 'Morchas'. The handcarts were turned upside down to stop the cops from entering the village to arrest Tikait, who made casteist remarks about the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister.

With entire UP police top brass making strategy to arrest him, the 5000 strong Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) activists' force was ready to take on police and Provincial Armed Constabulary of UP police.

Mulayam Singh Yadav was quick to extend support to the Jat leader. Ajit Singh is already behind him. His lieutenant Anuradha Chaudhary was by his side. And Mahendra Singh Tikait, buyoed by the support of Congress and the cadres of even BJP, roared that he would not surrender.

Tikait's second hoorah may prove difficult for Mayawati. Long back he had come to limelight when all of a sudden he became a household name when he organised a huge rally at Boat Club in Delhi, the size of which had shocked political parties. With Mayawati antagonising every other party and all the leaders in UP, it seems Sisauli could be her Waterloo.

Hold Chhat puja in Mumbai: After all, Holi-Diwali are now celebrated in South, Durga Puja & Ganeshotsava reach North India

The merchants of hate and division are creating a needless controversy over Chhat puja in Maharashtra. MNS leader Raj Thackeray has dared Lalu Yadav to perform the puja in Mumbai, after the latter announced his plans with an eye on North Indian votes.

Now the poster girl of Hindutva in the past, Uma Bharti has openly supported Yadav and said that she would also perform the puja. She has challanged Raj to dare stop her from the ritual. At one level you find it all, a non-issue, blown out of proportions.

But the fact is that there should not be any objection to Chhath in Mumbai. Bal Gangadhar Tilak initiated Ganesh Puja in Maharashtra, which was not just nationalist but also had communal overtones. It spread across the state and has in recent years entered Uttar Pradesh and other regions.

People in these states hadn't seen the Ganesha tableaux and the festivity, were surprised but never opposed this 'new culture'. They didn't feel threatened. Similarly, the Durga Puja has now become a national phenonmenon and it is not just Bengalis who participate in it.

Muslim artisans make the idols and people of various religions and regions are part of the celebrations. Until a few years back Holi and Diwali were not celebrated in cities in South India. And if you were in Bangalore or Chennai on Holi, you had a strange feeling.

But North Indians have reached there and now you hear sound of crackers and also colours of Holi splashed in Hyderabad and other metropolitan areas. But when it comes to the most cosmoplitan city of India, the retrogressive and divisive Shiv Sena, and its off-shoot Navnirman Sena, show their xenophobia.

Maharashtrian culture is threatened by Chhath. What nonsense? The culture of Maharashtra is not so weak. The problem is with the governments, both State and Centre.

Those spreading hate, even if they are politicians, should be booked and charged with anti-national activities. The groups and parties who create this atmosphere need to be dealt firmly.
[Photo Chhat puja on Juhu beach courtesy Mumbaidailyphoto]

If the Congress has the guts, it should book these sort of troublemakers and band of goons under the MCOCA because it is organised crime. If one is a leader or member of a political party, he doesn't get license to spread hatred and must not be treated above the law.

But Congress and other parties are equally to be blamed. For pushing its own agenda, it likes to have creatures like Raj Thackeray, who make Shiv Sena and the BJP uncomfortable. That's where lies the failure of Indian political class and our society.

Maharashtra in a Mess: The Big Joke that is Law in India

Raj Thackeray, a thug-politician, issues diktats and his goons go on attacking North Indians.

For weeks this tamasha goes on, thousands are leaving Maharashtra and the worst hit are the poor labourers, not the Amitabh Bachchans and the Shahrukh Khans.

But law doesn't act against the moneyed and the powerful men in India. India's business capital, Mumbai, and cities like Nashik, Pune, Aurangabad, are witnessing exodus of familie belonging to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Thackeray was having dinner with the Commissioner of Police when his men were going on rampage a few days back. And when he was arrested, he gets out on furnishing a 'personal bond' ie a muchalka, a privilege available to the 'respectable' persons in this country.

An ordinary citizens is bundled in the jail and kept behind bars for days without being charged, kept in illegal encounter and put to torture often for no crime. But Raj Thackeray enjoys an unprecedented immunity. And here lies the failure of this nation. In 60 years what we have done to this country and its law!

Raj Thackeray questions Amitabh's loyalty to Maharashtra

Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray seems to be living in a make-believe world and believes that sensational statements and xenophobic comments will make him the Bal Thackeray of future.

Poor Raj doesn't understand that times have changed. Modern India doesn't have a place for such crazy chaps. Raj Thackeray had the audacity to ask questions about the reason Amitabh contested election from Allahabad, later became brand ambassador of Uttar Pradesh and doesn't do much for the state where he lives.

So who is Mr Raj Thackeray to test patriotism of Amitabh Bachchan or any other person. Such statements are terribly against the idea of India, as extreme regionalism hurts national unity for which Thackeray's erstwhile party has always been a claimant.

It was a different era when Bal Thackeray had targeted South Indians and later Muslims, to create the atmosphere of fear. It was the frustration of middle-class and poor Marathi youths that was a reason for Bal Thackeray's rise.

Raj is making wild statements. He doesn't like the Chhat puja, and calls it a 'Naatak', a drama. By making outsiders including people from UP and Bihar as target, he hopes to emerge as a son of soil, a Marathi leader.

Ironically in this country, hatespeak is yet to be treated as a serious crime. And rogue politicians enjoy a sort of immunity from the law. Just like others who have multiple identities, Amitabh is not just a UPite, but also an artiste and a Kayastha.

But if the Navnirman Sena leader dares to question the loyalty of any person, whether a film star or a taxi-driver from Allahabad or Alappuzha (Kerala), by his narrow interpretatation, we can surely question his loyalty to India.

French govt reins in Mittal to rehabilitate sacked workers: Will Indian government dare to pull up Ambani?

When Mukesh Ambani closed his Reliance Fresh stores in Uttar Pradesh, hundreds of employees were shown the door. And there was nobody to speak for them.

The Centre appears to have surrendered to these tycoons who are hailed as 'wealth creators'. The business barons can get away with anything. The bureaucracy, politicians and the journalists have kowtowed to the industralists.

Now contrast this to the French government. Laxmi Niwas Mittal has to commit to the French government that most of the 600 persons who he had to lay off in his Arcelor Mittal steel plant, will be given alternative job by him.

Mittal had been 'summoned by the angry French president Nicolas Sarkozy over the possible layoffs' and the steelmaker was too pleased to bend backwards and commit that the retrenched workers will be given jobs, that will not be too far from their location.

Talk about our government, our bureaucracy and our press. It's all a big joke.

Will Shia Benazir's legacy survive in Sunni-majority Pakistan?

Never in the past so much emphasis was laid on the fact that Benazir Bhutto was a Shia. But, in articles on sites, blogs and converstions I got a feeling that it may be a factor in the politics of Pakistan.

Pakistan has become a more divided country. There is no love lost between Shias and Sunnis. And the radicalization of the population in the Sunni-majority country, will not help PPP.

Benazir Bhutto was a Shia. Her parents (Zulfikar Ahmad and Nusrat) were both Shia and her husband Asif Zardari is also a Shia. It is a spculation but will that be a factor?

In a country where sectarian tensions are deeply rooted, it is not surprising either. People say that Benazir's family always played down their strong Shia leanings, but they are well known.

Emotional reactions apart, the common Pakistani Sunni may not be tempted to vote for PPP and could go for the Nawaz Sharif's Muslim League. Pakistan has more than 80% of its population belonging to Sunni sect.

An acquaintance, who happens to be a Muslim, also shared this view. I have also just seen a You Tube video that refers Bhutto as a 'true Shia Muslim sister who was killed my monster Sunnis'. Benazir was not as popular in Pakistan as the media has made her to be. She had made the deal with United States and was soft towards General Pervez Musharraf.

The sympathy wave after her death can't be discounted. But contrary to what the newspapers in India are telling us that her party may now sweep polls, I think it would not be that easy for Pakistan Peoples Party. Asif Zardari's doesn't have any reputation. He is believed to be a corrupt guy.

The election of a nineteen year old boy, Bilawal, just because he is Benazir Bhutto's son, but who is not allowed to speak and his father presents him as trophy, may not cut ice with electorate.

(Though talking of voting and election in Pakistan is also a joke, given the track record of Army and their ability at rigging). That's all conjecture and the true situtation on the ground will be known only to the citizens of that country.

In the past Pakistan has had Shia leaders including premiers. Even the founder of Pakistan, Mohamed Ali Jinnah was also a Shia. But later years saw growing tension between the two sects .

How a Pakistani tragedy brought sorrow for Indians: Benazir's death

Despite the traditional enmity between India and Pakistan, the death of Benazir Bhutto instantly became a tragedy for Indians also. On Friday millions watched the news in shock and disbelief.

Every face looked sad and concerned. The neighbour's loss became our loss. And Indians were united with Pakistan in this hour of grief. Were not those emotions real? Of course, the Indians were disgusted.

We have suffered terrorism. Lost our Prime Ministers and other big leaders to such mindless violence. Despite tension and wars, Indians, mostly are emotional and when Benazir was assassinated, the hearts of Indians went out to Pakistanis.

This is the true culture of the sub-continent. One had to watch Indian TV channels, newspapers and the reaction of average man on the street to gauge the mood. The Pakistanis must also realise the same. They should understand the dangers of religious extremism.

And make a fresh beginning. The Pakistani nation has almost lost its sovereignty and US interference has reached bizarre levels. There is need for Pak society to understand that friendship with India and peace in sub-continent will bring prosperity for both sides.

PS::

Interestingly, Bal Thackeray in Samna has also lamented the death of Benazir and said that she was a courageous woman who came back to her country to fight fundamentalism. He writes that he felt a personal loss and is sad at her demise. Thackeray further wrote that Pakistan was created for Muslims and the Muslims are themselves hell-bent on its destruction.