Thackeray’s idea this Dussehra: let’s have Hindu suicide squads

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray today used the platform of his annual Dussehra rally speech to sharpen his Hindutva rhetoric and criticise the...

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray today used the platform of his annual Dussehra rally speech to sharpen his Hindutva rhetoric and criticise the Centre’s policies on de-escalation and disinvestment.

In a shrill speech, spelt out earlier in the party mouthpiece Samna, Thackeray urged Sainiks to be ready to die for the ‘Hindu rashtra’. ‘‘Terrorists should be born amongst you too, but they must be suicide squads, ready to die for the cause of making this a Hindu rashtra. Otherwise it will be a lost cause. Tomorrow, if you have to take the Muslims head on, I know my Sainiks will not lag behind,’’ said Thackeray, addressing the party’s annual Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park.

Lashing out at Vajpayee, the Sena leader stated that he thought the Prime Minister would wake up after the Akshardham incident but to the utter surprise of the nation, he continued to be in deep slumber. ‘‘This is not the time for statements. Do we have a Prime Minister who can issue an ultimatum?’’ he said.

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Thackeray also reiterated his criticism of the disinvestment process, saying, ‘‘We will not allow you to sell this nation through the disinvestment policy.’’ Those acquiring public sector entities via disinvestment should be banned from selling it for at least 10 years, he said.

A selective section of US evangelist Jerry Falwell’s anti-Muslim remarks was also read out to the gathering. Later, Thackeray questioned the validity of the Solapur bandh call given by some Muslim organisations.

‘‘They called a bandh because a Pakistani flag was burnt in Solapur. If they feel so much about Pakistan, they should leave this country and go to Pakistan. Look at a woman kicking out Hindus from Bangladesh back to this country. Yet the Centre cannot do anything. The Bangladeshi Muslims should be kicked out of this country. If a woman can do it in Bangladesh, why cannot the men do it here?’’ he said.

Criticising Falwell’s apology, the Sena chief joked that he should become a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party ‘‘which is known for issuing corrigendums the very next day.’’

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Farooq Abdullah and Congress president Sonia Gandhi too came in for attack. Hailing the defeat of the Abdullahs, Thackeray said the people of Kashmir had done a great service to the nation. He said that Abdullah had come to regard Kashmir as his own personal property. Thackeray had words of praise for one BJP leader though: ‘‘Narendra Modi should not go. He is the true custodian of the rights of the Hindus.’’

He ordered the Sainiks to pick up a pinch of Shivaji Park soil (likening it to an ember), take it home and watch it become a raging fire. ‘‘This is a Hindu rashtra and the onus of safeguarding the rights of the Hindus falls on Maharashtrians, who should rise to the occasion. Take that ember with you and be ready to die for a cause,’’ he said.

Reacting to the silence and the scattered applause from the audience, Thackeray commented that they were spellbound by his speech. ‘‘We are lucky to have such a rapt audience, even Sonia Gandhi cannot command such an audience.’’