Aaj ka goondaRAJ

When Readers Digest called it the rudest city on earth in 2006, it almost caused a civilisational upheaval in Mumbai. In 2008, history is repeating itself when Raj Thakre trying to endorse the magazine’s verdict. The extant hullabaloo originated from a chef (Read Raj Thackre) recommended menu of political parochialism which branded our faith and trust in Chhatpuja as new nataks. It went on to smack the first family of bollywood (all Amar Singhs inclusive) and a penultimate showdown between the so called shenanigans of Maharastra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the more quantified but less qualified North Indians who practically move Mumbai- the city that never stops. The occurrences have received denigration from opinionated politicians and from Thakre’s previous political address as well. The scope of the debate is rummaging through new geographies every day, and certainly the states of Bihar and Jharkhand stand an opportunity to ring in their disquiet.

Cause célèbre:
What made the ‘controversy child’ of the Thackre family raise his head again? Which exigencies caused a bunch of monstrous rapids take it head on with the biggest of all north Indian festivals and the ginormous Big B, to beating up the innocent examinees. It’s a clear case of identity crisis and the indulgences justify his hunt of a political resort after his infamous departure from Shiv Sena. If he is trying to do a Gujarat there, he must not forget he is not a Narendra Modi and Mumbai is not an Ahmadabad. These regionalised approaches don’t go well with the cosmopolitan setting of the city. The Indian constitution empowers us to earn our livelihood anywhere in the country. Does Mr. Thackre have an answer to this if we demand ouster of all non-Jharkhandis from local companies such as Tata Steel, CCL, and SAIL? Nothing happened to the affluent political bosses, when trains get cancelled and around 15000 people get stranded in Bihar. The common man suffers. These divisive ways won’t blow any good wind for his sagging political fortunes.


Reality bites:
What is your story Mumbai? Have you done a SWOT analysis on the scenario of new Navi Mumbai (Mumbai minus North Indians)? Can you live on with these diversionary tactics? “The sheer stupidity of his desperations can bring in multitudes of losses to city.21% of the Mumbai population is North Indian and his North India specific tirade clearly shows his bankruptcy of relevant issues and provincial mindset. The poor and uneducated people of states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand come here for livelihood because of homegrown conditions of poor governance, corruption and unemployment. Unlike their well-healed Gujrati or Punjabi counterparts, they can’t flee to New York and London to drive Taxis and sell hot dogs and lingerie. Make no mistake about the highest number of Doctors, Engineers and Civil Servants these fertile and mineral rich regions produce. The rich and famous of Mumbai depend on them for the chauffeur driven school drops, security, and bhelpuris at chaupaati. It’s an LPO (life process outsourcing) intra national industry. If these events continue, we will lose the force to Bangalore and Chennai like the country is losing the manufacturing jobs to China, Korea and Taiwan. Additionally, it will set a disastrous precedence for others to follow and an apparent threat to our 60 years old republic. Can the Marathis tolerate the disrespect of Ganapati as a natak?

What the doctor orders:
Is he the first politician disdainful of observing ethical standards in public life, whether it is openly ill treating a particular section of people or using his self destructive penchant for the theatrical to score some political brownie points and nationwide media coverage? But then again, how different is he from his rivals in the political arena? If he is autocratic, then virtually every party 'boss" is today. If he is narrow minded, what are our leaders who allowed the newborn state to burn under the domicile flames? In the journey to the corridors of power, one sometimes does not have the luxury of being a mahatma. So, the current dispensation in Maharastra should sit up and take notice. A collective legislation with a stern action plan should be moved. For the people, we all should quarantine these self-declared lawmakers by all possible means. Gandhigiri by a few NCP and RJD workers in Bihar can also be an exemplary move for others.

Jaya Bachchan asked, “who is Raj Thackre?” and the question has since been reverberating through out the country. This is not a battle between 'responsible' politics and, a mediocre and departed offshoot of the Thackre Kingdom. Instead, this is symptomatic of a deeper crisis of content that pervades the entire political fraternity. For the ‘Jai Maharastra’ brigade, if the religiously regular bomb blasts and reputation obsessed Mumbai rains couldn’t dampen the mumbaikar’s resilience; what another Thackre can do to its welcoming and harmonious nature? Aamchi Mumbai!