Thackeray8217;s turnaround

Wonders never cease. In the strange extra-terrestrial zone inhabited by politicians during this election campaign, 180-degree turnarounds ar...

Wonders never cease. In the strange extra-terrestrial zone inhabited by politicians during this election campaign, 180-degree turnarounds are not all that unusual. Even so, the sobriety of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray8217;s remarks on the Ayodhya issue takes one8217;s breath away. In complete contrast to his boast about his followers being responsible for the destruction of the Babri Masjid, he currently recommends a national monument at the site and separate plots for Hindus and Muslims.

It is a sensible way out of the impasse of conflicting demands. Thackeray should be congratulated for having the good sense to realise this at long last and for saying it out loud. Naturally, his motives and sincerity must be questioned. Five years ago to the day, Thackeray was second to none in cynically whipping up religious sentiment to mobilise support for his party. Today he says, quite rightly, such tactics are madness.

So, has power or the fear of losing it compelled a greater sense of responsibility? Will the Shiv Sena revert to its old ways once past the polls? Should Thackeray8217;s latest remarks be treated as throwaways of no real significance? The answer to all three is a qualified yes. There is nothing to suggest an internal Sena debate before Thackeray struck his new posture.

On the other hand, there is evidence by way of opinion polls to show that people are tired of appeals to religion and may even resent politicians who play on such emotions. Then there is the logic of elections which requires parties to cast their nets wide to capture the minorities.

And finally, there is the threat of de-recognition and disqualification by the Election Commission if appeals to voters are made on religious grounds. As Thackeray himself admits, Chief Minister Manohar Joshi had a near escape on this count. These factors clearly went into the Sena chief8217;s calculations. But there is nothing very wrong with a pragmatic shift induced by external circumstances. A great deal of healthy change has come about in this fashion.

As of now, in no way can it be said that Maharashtra is witnessing the birth of liberalism and pluralism in the Shiv Sena. The new ideas may not carry very far down to the ranks or outlast the polls unless reinforced by other factors such as the kind of alliances the Sena makes at the national level and the political scenario within the State. Maharashtra can thank its lucky stars for there is the possibility that religion will not be a dominant theme in the elections.

To jettison Ayodhya, to concede equal status to all religions and to prescribe an end to the harassment of Muslims, as Thackeray has done, comes close to abandoning Hindutva as many see and practise it. Consequently, the distance, in a rhetorical sense at least, between the Sena and its electoral partner, the BJP, has increased. Even in its more moderate avatar and its efforts to reach out to Muslims, the BJP has not given up on its project of building a Ram temple. But it has learnt to live with such contradictions which emanate from old allies like the Samata Party and new ones like Ramakrishna Hegde8217;s outfit. So it should be able to take the Sena8217;s apostasy, as long as it lasts, in its stride.