Click to play videoControversy has hit Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray again as he campaigns for the municipal polls in Maharashtra, not sparing even the President of India.
Launching a personal attack on A P J Abdul Kalam for delaying Mohammad Afzal Guru's hanging, Thackeray said, “The President's long hair has come before his eyes. He cannot see what is happening before him.”
This is perhaps the first time in the history of the country that such personal remarks have been made against the President.
That was the topic of discussion on the show Face The Nation on Tuesday: Should Bal Thackeray apologise to President Kalam for his personal remarks?
With Vidya Shankar Aiyar conducting the show, on the panel to lead the discussion was Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan, along with Head of Shiv Sena's legal cell, Rahul Narvekar and Co-Editor of Communalism Combat, Javed Anand.
Thackeray’s remarks against the President came just a day after he made a controversial justification of the Gujarat riots as well.
Congress Speak
Coming back to his jibe against Kalam, should the Congress now protest and defend the President of India?
“I have total contempt for the cheap gimmicks that Mr Thackeray has indulged in. I believe as a citizen and a Congress person that these should not even be dignified as comment. He has only said it for attention and because he’s bankrupt of ideology,” said Jayanthi Natarajan.
When Vidya Shankar Aiyar asked whether it would be greater sin to let it pass and not protest, Jayanthi Natarajan said there was a fine line between taking something seriously and dismissing it with total contempt. “But yes, we will protest any attack on the office of the President. But this has become a pattern with both, the BJP and Mr Thackeray, to denigrate institutions,” she added.
But what sets this incident apart is that it is the first time that a remark has been made at such a high office. Surely, a formal comment from the Congress is required here.
“Surely, there will be a remark forthcoming, whenever called upon to do so. But even by this discussion, it offends my conscience,” Jayanthi Natarajan added.
Getting away with murder
Turning to Javed Anand, Vidya Shankar Aiyer asked him what he thought of the issue.
“We must remember, Mr Thakeray is the original foul-mouthed Hindu hridaya samrat, though with this statement he has exceeded all the others of the past, directing it at the President. In 1999, he had said, “I p*** on the judgement of courts.” Throughout the 80s and 90s he has called the Muslims “green serpents”. Mumbai’s elite has thought him to very cute. The judiciary, I’m afraid has been very indulgent with him as well. So he’s very used to making such remarks and literally getting away with murder. And how he gets away with such statements, is for the elite and the judiciary to explain. With such statements, you are inciting hatred against Muslims. A PIL was filed against him in the High Court, only to be turned down. It was filed in the Supreme Court as well, and that was turned down too,” said Javed Anand.
Legally Speaking
Is there a course of legal action that can be taken against Thackeray this time around?
“At the outset, one should know that Mr Thackeray is a prominent eminent cartoonist. He has his way of putting things across. All he did that day was putting across the mind, sentiments and feelings of the people in India. I don’t think anyone can get away with attacking the highest institution in independent, democratic India. As far as the Congress is concerned, the party has no right to talk about offending the office of the President. The Congress has done that time and again,” said Rahul Narvekar.
But surely, one wrong does not justify another wrong. Among other things that Thackeray said at the election rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Sunday:
“When the Godhra riots happened, knives were out for him (Narendra Modi) but nobody spoke about the Godhra incident itself. If the reaction of the Babri Masjid demolition could reach Mumbai in the form of riots, then there is nothing wrong if the wave of Godhra incident reached Ahmedabad. It was a spontaneous reaction and there is nothing wrong with that,” he said.
If the remarks against the President was just a reflection of the sentiments of the people of India, what about the justification of the Godhra riots?
“All Bala Saheb said was that what happened in Godhra was just a reaction to what happened to the Hindus. What happened in Mumbai was a reaction of what happened in Ayodhya in 1992. So I don’t think there was anything wrong that he said in the rally,” said Rahul Narvekar.
Turning to Jayanthi Natarajan, Vidya Shankar Aiyar asked her whether she though Thackeray’s defence was justified?
“It’s appalling what Mr Narvekar has said. It is shameful that he should defend Mr Thackeray. Saying Dr Kalam’s hair is falling on his face is a direct insult on the person and it’s in bad taste. It’s tragic that citizens like Mr Thackeray and those who defend him are allowed to say these things on television and get away with it,” she said.
Politics of insult
Another very provocative statement that Thackeray made at that Shivaji park rally on Sunday was when he spoke of the Hindu Rashtra.
"It is my dream that we would create a Hindustan of the Hindus. Maharashtrians or Punjabis alone cannot fight against Islam. That is why, I appeal to all Hindus to break the linguistic wall around them and come together so that we can bring Islam in this country down to its knees."
Taking off from Thakeray’s statement, Vidya Shankar Aiyar asked Rahul Narvekar whether he thought, as a legal advisor to the Shiv Sena, Thakeray could get away with such comments in an independent, democratic India and not be charged criminally?
“Not at all. He is talking about his party ideology. It is an accepted fact that this is a Hindu Rashtra. When Mr Thakeray says ‘bringing down Islam’, he refers to those people who are living in this country but act against the interests of the country,” he said.
Politicians and foul language
Could Thackeray be bringing in the question of religion ahead of the municipal polls across Maharashtra considering, it’s no coincidence that Modi was sharing the platform on Sunday, with him?
“Of course. The idea was quote clear, except I would have thought the civic polls had to do with provision of civic amenities, drinking water among other things. This is the first time I’m hearing that such a poll is about fighting a holy war. But in this case, Thackeray knows he has nothing to offer people to so talks about such things,” said Javed Anand.
But such behaviour is true of other political parties as well. In fact, Modi has used terms like ‘Miya Musharraf’ or ‘Rahul Gandhi not fit to be a driver’, among other statements.
“Narendra Modi or Pramod Mahajan, who is no longer with us, have been coached by Mr Bala Saheb in a way, to use foul language especially against women leaders, Muslims and the Judiciary,” said Javed Anand.
Then why is it that the Indian State seems to be powerless to control a man or others like him who make such statements?
“That is a question best addressed to relevant quarters. Apart from the political class, the Judiciary has been very indulgent with it,” added Javed Anand.
“Thackeray is going to be relegated to the darkest recesses of history
and he’s spewing as much hatred as possible. The issue is, what he said, not the time of the reaction of the Party. We will issue a statement officially. But we will also soon have the pleasure of forgetting about the incident,” said Jayanthi Natarajan.
Final results of the SMS poll:
Yes: 78 per cent
No: 22 per cent
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