Dabbawalas join protest against Mistry book

The delegation to Saamna was led by Raghunath Medge,president of the dabbawalas’ association,and Sena vibhag pramukh Pandurang Sakpal.

Medge said though the Sena is backing them,it was more a question of Marathi asmita (pride) than one of taking political backing. “We are not looking at this a political issue,but we are certainly hurt by his comments,” he told Newsline.

“It’s easy for Mistry to write something sitting in an AC chamber. But before writing anything against us he should have travelled with us and checked the ground reality,” Medge said.

“We are from the warkari sect and hardly ever cross the line. But when it comes to self-respect we won’t take an insult from anyone. We are vegetarians and have never discriminated against people of any religion and sect. We do not hesitate to carry non-vegetarian food items and do it as our job.”

The Saamna report called Mistry a “two-bit” author who “ridiculed our hard work,sweat and (also) insulted all the Maharashtrians and Marathi culture…. The organisation of dabbawalas demanded that his book Such a Long Journey which severely maligns the Maharashtrians be permanently banned.” It said dabbawalas had threatened an agitation,dared Mistry to come back to India and demanded an apology.

The report said the delegation had pointed out that dabbawalas’ precision has been the subject of management studeis across the world; Prince Charles,Queen Elizabeth,and Richard Branson have lauded their work. Ban the burqa: Sena

The Sena has sought a ban on burqas,too. “The burqa is an identity for Muslim women. Actually,it is a form of fundamentalism and harassment,but if these burqas are being used for stealing children,then we are today demanding a legal ban on burqas,” said a Saamna editorial,referring to a child being stolen by a burqa-clad woman from a civic hospital last week. “The burqa means slavery of Muslim women,” it said,urging the Home Minister to ban it. It sought capital punishment for child theft and stricter security at hospitals.