The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Dealing with MNS

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Thursday, Oct 23, 2008
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Dealing with MNS

The arrest of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray was long overdue. In a free country where all citizens have a constitutional right to move freely, the brand of politics practised by the MNS cannot be tolerated.

The Maharashtra government has shown the requisite political will to deal with Mr. Thackeray. One hopes it will not dither from taking action against him. No one is above the law.

Ravi Ranjan,

Manipal

* * *

Though Mr. Thackeray was arrested at last on Tuesday, he succeeded in getting the public’s attention. One hopes the people of Maharashtra will teach him a lesson in the near future to protect the nation’s unity.

S.K. Rajkishore,

Karur

* * *

The Maharashtra government has acted belatedly against Mr. Thackeray, who has been fomenting trouble for quite some time with the sole objective of gaining a political identity for himself and his outfit. It will only be a matter of time before his brand of regional parochialism spreads its ugly and vicious tentacles to other States. The government should deal with him with an iron fist and signal that it means business.

Girija Maniyan,

Madurai

* * *

Finally, the MNS leader was arrested — a move which should have been made long ago but wasn’t, thanks to the Maharashtra government’s ineffectiveness and lack of political will. Mumbai is what it is today not only because of the local population. The pivotal role of Gujaratis, Marwaris and north Indians in making Mumbai the financial hub of the nation cannot be overlooked. The Constitution guarantees to all its citizens the fundamental right to reside and settle down in any part of the country. None can deny north Indians the right to earn their livelihood in Maharashtra.

No right-thinking individual can support Mr. Thackeray. The Marathi manoos should give the MNS a befitting reply while exercising their valuable vote in the Assembly elections next year, rejecting divisive politics.

Lokesh Jangid,

New Delhi

* * *

The terror unleashed by MNS workers on north Indian candidates who came to Mumbai to appear for the Railway Recruitment Board examinations on Sunday was reprehensible. It was pathetic to see media images of students running hither and thither to escape the wrath of MNS workers.

I wonder whether we, as a nation, are progressing towards becoming a global superpower or fragmenting on the basis of language and religion.

Md. Intekhab Alam Khan,

New Delhi

* * *

What happened on Sunday was a relapse of what happened a few decades ago to south Indians in Mumbai during the formative years of the Shiv Sena. The country failed to contain the problem then and is facing the repercussions now. Had those who indulged in violence against south Indians been dealt with with an iron hand then, the present scenario could have been averted. It is only the short-sightedness of our policies that contribute to our woes.

What we need right now is the revival of the feeling that is supposed to have prevailed before Independence — a pan-Indian brotherhood. Unfortunately, most of our leaders militate against any such unity. I think the slogan, ‘unity in diversity,’ is only a myth.

Joe Anand Kumar,

Puducherry

* * *

Our country is a democracy. We have elected representatives. We enjoy the freedom of speech and follow the religion of our choice. But when some of our politicians decide that we need to be beaten up because we were born and brought up in a certain northern part of India, there doesn’t seem to be any worse demonstration of democratic malfunction. Maybe the MNS has a point to make; but what a way to make it. Nothing can justify the beating up of other human beings who have done nothing wrong.

Soon after Raj Thackeray’s arrest, local trains were stopped, public transport was disrupted, there was violence at railway stations and god knows what. A politician instigates people to attack others to make a point. And when he is arrested, his followers create havoc till he is released. He attains the status of a hero. Once he is released, the cycle begins again. Is this democracy?

Michelle Fernandes,

Pune

* * *

The MNS attacks on north Indians, now a frequent occurrence, have put a question mark on the working of the police. Is there no law to punish the policemen who failed to protect the unarmed and aspiring youth on Sunday? A ban on the MNS should be considered.

Amitesh Anand,

Chapra

* * *

Mumbai epitomises the spirit of unity in diversity. It is unfortunate that the MNS and the likes, speaking for the Maratha ‘pride,’ pursue a highly condemnable and unconstitutional line. This needs to be tackled stringently with all the power at the state’s disposal. Mr. Thackeray’s arrest was long overdue and welcome.

R. Unni Krishnan,

Kochi

* * *

The British set India ablaze with communalism. Since Independence, nothing substantial has been done by successive governments to curb it. Mr. Thackeray is adding fuel to the fire by inciting regionalism. It is time the government realised the gravity of his acts and took stringent and rigorous action to eliminate his influence.

Shalet Jimmy,

Thiruvananthapuram

* * *

The media too can play an important role in curbing hooliganism by downplaying acts of vandalism. It is unfortunate that most newspapers not only front-page the Raj Thackeray stories but also publish huge pictures of him in which he poses as a saviour.

Balvinder Singh,

Chandigarh

* * *

Mr. Thackeray will continue to spit venom to get publicity. If the media decide not to give him coverage, he will automatically stop. The media should publish positive news on the front page rather than highlight the nonsensical statements made by anti-social elements like the MNS leader.

Sonal Keshwani,

Pantnagar

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