The MNS menace

The tragedy of Maharashtra is that this agenda seems to dominate everything,with no other party daring to present a confident,liberal alternative. Almost every time,the MNS has set a line and all the others have lined up behind it for fear of alienating the angry urban voter. The Congress and the BJP think they can continue this hypocrisy,saying one thing in Maharashtra and another in north India. In the process,they have all colluded in turning Mumbai,once the hub of Indian modernity,open and inviting to hopeful outsiders,into an intolerant hick town. Mumbais politics has remained merely an arena for venting grievance,instead of working on its desperate crises in employment,housing and infrastructure,its power deficit,its inability to convert investment promises into projects. And so,the MNS goes from strength to strength,working on the fears and lack of self-worth in its core constituency,those who think that migrants come and steal jobs,rather than recognising that the labour market stretches,in a flexible economy.

Compare Raj Thackerays worldview with that of the man he almost confronted,Nitish Kumar. Nitish also appeals to group pride Bihars administrative successes and the upswing in its fortunes have created a new self-image for its people. Nitishs visit to Mumbai is also a political strategy,but it is about celebrating being Bihari,of working around the country as well as preserving loyalty to Bihar while Thackerays political strategy is about confining Maharashtrians to the least they can be.

Curated For You

Nagpur neurosurgeon Dr Chandrashekhar Pakhmode dies of heart attack at 53, was fit, had clean ECG 3 days ago: Which cardiac risks are we missing?

Parmeet Sethi says except him, everyone at home including Archana Puran Singh, sons are vegetarian: They just dont know

They secured 150 convictions: Meet Sonipat lawyer couple turning Indias darkest legal files into justice