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Nation first, regions later: Voice of an Indian
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E-mailMade Popular Feb 7 2008
India :
What is the difference between Maharastrians and Marathi-speaking people? Are all Maharashtrains Marathis or all Marathis Maharashtrians? I am a north Indian living in Mumbai for the past three years. I cannot understand the language Marathi just as I can’t understand Punjabi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Aasamese, or even Haryanwi. I read write speak and understand Hindi and English. Now, I want to ask the leaders of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena – ‘Am I eligible to stay in Mumbai to live my life or not?’ If not then do I have the right to stay in Punjab, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Aasam and Haryana?
I think ‘NO’ because according to the MNS supremo Raj Thackeray, knowing the local language is the pre-requisite for staying in any of the states in India, particularly in Maharashtra. More than 13 million people live in Mumbai and more than 70 per cent of them including Ambanis, Bachchans, Khans, Tatas, Birlas, and others don’t know how to speak Marathi and they should leave Mumbai for Marathi speaking people only. I want to ask the political leaders of other parties– ‘Do you have courage to ask these people to leave Mumbai and if they left Mumbai what would you people do in the city that would become dead all of a sudden?’
I do belong to a small town in Uttar Pradesh, a backward state, but I am highly educated person carrying IIT and IIM degree in my hands. Industry is running behind me to recruit me to work for them. Am I looting jobs that suppose to go to any Marathi brother? This is the global world and everybody is free to create his/her own place. Everybody has the rights to go forward to live life happily. This is the world of competition and we will have to compete with others to sustain. We can’t blame others for our failures. How can Mr. Raj Thackeray say that Marathi people aren’t getting jobs because North Indians are here in Mumbai?
North Indians are courageous people. They better know how to live in difficult times because they grow up in completely adverse conditions created by the leaders of their own states. They usually see how bravely their parents face the adverse conditions all the time. It makes North Indian youths strong by mind. They work and work hard; this is the sole reason of their success.
I would blame media for giving so much space to pervert minded Raj Thackeray and his tactics to get cheap popularity in the name of regionalism. Raj Thackeray has succeeded in achieving for what he did all this drama on Mumbai streets. I found Marathi people peace-loving community always ready to blend with everyone. They have no problem with north Indians at large but people like Raj T has. We all know the MNS doesn’t represent even a small section of Marathi people but our media is running in the blind race to make stories on Raj and making him a Maratha brand. Raj T must be extremely happy with the publicity his party has received over the last three days.
Here are some of the questions for Raj T and I am expecting the answers from him-
a) Do you have any formula to define ‘Maharashtrian’, and ‘non Maharashtrian’? Is there any similarity in the name ‘Maharashtra’ ‘Marathi-speaker’?
b) If Mr. A was born in the city in 1950, just after independence, and does not know how to speak Marathi, is he a Maharashtrian or not? If Mr. B arrived in Mumbai in 2007 from Bihar and speaks Marathi well, is he Maharashtrian or not?
c) Are we Indians first or the Maharashtrians, Biharis, Punjabis, Gujaratis, Bengalis first? Isn’t the battle of ‘Maharashtrian’ and ‘non-Maharashtrian’ creating holes in the concept of Indianism itself?
We should not only condemn such kind of politics but also think seriously to stop such nonsense as soon as possible. We are Indians first.
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Kayi
Feb 7 2008
London,
United Kingdom
This is nothing but foolishness if anybody talks about south-north-east-west in the era of globalization. Just think if you Indian would face similar problems in foreign countries. If you remember the Shilpa Shetty episode in 'Big Brother' in UK. Taunting anyone because of their region, country of financial backwardness is a big crime. It is a blunder if happens within a country.
Comment Link
(Global Perspectives)
This is not the problem of India only. It is happening in almost all developing countries. In such countries, the political leaders believe in playing with emotions of common people for their own advantages. This is up to the people how do they take such things. Talking about regionalism in today's global world is senseless step.
(Global Perspectives)
Who is Raj Thackeray? Is he like Kalyan Singh without Bhartiya Janta Party, Raj Babbar without Samajwadi Party, Uma Bharti without BJP, Natwar Singh without Congress? Raj Thackeray is now Raj Thackeray without Shiv Sena and this is his biggest problem. I found here an interesting article on his style of politics.
(Local Perspectives)
This is the real voice of pain coming from the heart of a north Indian who have nothing to gain in their own states because the political leaders have looted the resources and ruined the states, and they have everything to lose when they go in other states to earn living hood. Political leaders such as Raj Thackeray deserves complete ban from politics.
(Local Perspectives)
If Raj continues to do so his political career will take a long dip in Arab sagar. I wish it would happen..
(Local Perspectives)
The episode of Raj Thackeray reminds us that how strong democracy is in India. No body accepts such language even for a minute. There is no place of regionalism even in debate when the question comes to the nation's integrity.
(Global Perspectives)
Raj Thackeray had disturbed the whole city and damaged the thread of harmony among people living in Mumbai. He deserves tight slaps on both of his cheeks for his anti-nation activities. It was strange to see him attending Mumbai’s top cop’s daughter wedding even a non-bailable warrant was issued against him by Mumbai Police. Isn’t this a joke of law of the land?
(Local Perspectives)
There is no shortcut in politics even you have the title 'Thackeray' in your name. You are trying to achieve everything within days. This is not possible. Stop doing brainless politics now.
(Local Perspectives)
Really disgraceful.
This is nothing but vandalism. Instead of using Hindu-Muslim divide and rule card, Mr. Raj is bringing out a new strategy to get political mileage.
I think Indian politics has touched a new low. People should pick up these vandals and beat them instead.
Its time young generation needs to take responsibility and do some thing about it.
This is nothing but vandalism. Instead of using Hindu-Muslim divide and rule card, Mr. Raj is bringing out a new strategy to get political mileage.
I think Indian politics has touched a new low. People should pick up these vandals and beat them instead.
Its time young generation needs to take responsibility and do some thing about it.
(Local Perspectives)
Raj Thackeray is a plain thug. Actually, his father made himself look like one of the bad cartoons he used to draw decades back. His seed is now carrying on the legacy.
In fact, after Bal Thackeray Raj Thackeray has made himself the laughing stock of the nation by trying to play the region over nation card.
In fact, after Bal Thackeray Raj Thackeray has made himself the laughing stock of the nation by trying to play the region over nation card.
(Local Perspectives)
Raj Thackeray is doing to North Indians what his father Bal Thackeray did to South Indians. These are common criminals.
(Local Perspectives)
bal thakrey or bal-ta as we know him here is a hindu radical and terrorist who has lost his issue. as terrorists turn to bite the hand that feed them, now north indians are getting it. because babri mosjid was destroyed in north india by north indian hindus who once collaborated with bal-ta and killed 1000s in mumbai riots.
(Global Perspectives)
Before putting my words here, let me first appreciate Aditya for this wonderful piece of Article, in which he has highlighted rising intolerance in our country.
I am an Oriya and speak Hindi, English besides speaking my mother tongue, Oriya and Telugu due to close proximity of home town with Andra Pradesh. I also know Bengali due to my association with Bengali friends. These are not at all prerequisites to live in other parts of the country.
Today, the North Indians are suffering language-crisis in Maharashtra. The recent developments are blatant violation of fundamental rights enshrined in our constitution. It should be dealt with swiftly. Any political parties trying make a score over peoples’ sentiments should be criticized strongly. Nation first, then region.
I am an Oriya and speak Hindi, English besides speaking my mother tongue, Oriya and Telugu due to close proximity of home town with Andra Pradesh. I also know Bengali due to my association with Bengali friends. These are not at all prerequisites to live in other parts of the country.
Today, the North Indians are suffering language-crisis in Maharashtra. The recent developments are blatant violation of fundamental rights enshrined in our constitution. It should be dealt with swiftly. Any political parties trying make a score over peoples’ sentiments should be criticized strongly. Nation first, then region.
(Local Perspectives)
@ Ankit
It is really vandalism of our nationhood. India is a role model in Asia for Her vibrant political cultural and tolerance. The event like this, is a slap to the founding fathers of nation, the ramifications of which is unimaginable.
It is really vandalism of our nationhood. India is a role model in Asia for Her vibrant political cultural and tolerance. The event like this, is a slap to the founding fathers of nation, the ramifications of which is unimaginable.
(Local Perspectives)
The worst part is that Raj is not admitting any mistake. Why on earth such a man is roaming scot-free? This shows that the administration is afraid of the goons.
(Local Perspectives)
@ Shameen, Bal Thackeray isn’t father of Raj Thackeray, Bala Saheb is uncle of Raj T and Uddhav Thackeray, (working executive president of Shiv Sena) is the son the Bala Saheb.
Raj T decided to left Shiv Sena because Bala Saheb promoted Uddhav not Raj T, his nephew to lead the party after his retirement from active politics. Raj’s decision to leave Shiv Sena hasn’t paid well and his desperation is coming out through the language he is using against North Indians, Big and Chath Puja. Raj is ambitious person and he ambition is being faded away now due to the lack of organisational support what he had enjoyed in Shiv Sena. he is now on the way to become leaders of goons. I personally so many Marathi people and they are very-much well behaved. This man is just damaging the thread of harmony between Indian brothers. If he continues to be the same politicians, you might see him some day walking down the street beating taxiwallahs, samose wallahs after asking their original places and looting shops of north Indians with their goon followers aiming to become chief minister of Maharshtra one day
Raj T decided to left Shiv Sena because Bala Saheb promoted Uddhav not Raj T, his nephew to lead the party after his retirement from active politics. Raj’s decision to leave Shiv Sena hasn’t paid well and his desperation is coming out through the language he is using against North Indians, Big and Chath Puja. Raj is ambitious person and he ambition is being faded away now due to the lack of organisational support what he had enjoyed in Shiv Sena. he is now on the way to become leaders of goons. I personally so many Marathi people and they are very-much well behaved. This man is just damaging the thread of harmony between Indian brothers. If he continues to be the same politicians, you might see him some day walking down the street beating taxiwallahs, samose wallahs after asking their original places and looting shops of north Indians with their goon followers aiming to become chief minister of Maharshtra one day
(Local Perspectives)
Advocate General says there are enough evidences against Raj Thackeray for creating disharmony in the state by making remarks against people of other parts of the country AND home minister of Maharashtra RR Patil says that there is no any concrete evidence against Raj to arrest him. This is the great Indian political Tamasha.
(Local Perspectives)
In India, anything and everything is possible in politics. What Raj is doing is not new. North Indians are facing the same fate in northeast, J&K and now in Maharashtra. Such incidents can't be happened without political or administrative support. It is happening in Maharashtra just because raj has the support of the state government.
(Global Perspectives)
Raj's remarks against north Indians is as similar with the 1960s’ movement of 'sons of the soil' and the 'insider versus outsider' politics of his uncle that had made Bal Thackeray matter of debate everywhere. Raj has failed in repeating the charisma despite the presence of media so strongly.
(Local Perspectives)
For Raj it is not less than a battle of political survival. His attempts to start an agitation have been backfired and he has become the most hated politician now even in Mumbai. This is the beginning of his end.
(Local Perspectives)
Delhi's Lt Governor Tejendra Khanna is another individual who has jumped in the debate from Delhi and said that north Indians feel proud in breaking laws. two slaps from my side for him also for using such language against common people.
(Local Perspectives)
where was Mr. Raj at the time of Flood, Local Train blasts. We never saw him extending support to the injured people and paying condolences for those who were killed in these incidents. Who is he to question the loyalty of Big B to the state? He should prove his worth in state politics and in society.
(Local Perspectives)
Excellent coverage with well written analysis. I failed to find writing like this all over net in different news sites. Congratulations to Aditya for using your words sharper than swords. Its tough for any politician like Raj Thackeray to answer your questions asking at the end of your article. Electronic media is doing as what Raj wanted. He became the center point of debate on almost every news channels. I don’t think there was nay need to start debate on it. Showing news and visuals were ok. Making Raj as Maratha brand was a blunder media committed and it has done the same on number of occasions in the past. I invite Raj in Rajashthan to teach him a good lesson, let him come here
(Local Perspectives)
So many opponents of this south Indian leader are standing in his way. This is why India is the best example of democracy in the world.
(Global Perspectives)
This is nothing but Raj Thackeray’s age-old political stunt that he keeps on doing every now and then, just to be in news. But why the hell, nobody in this earth can make him understand, that all this would not going to help him…
Anyways RT next time create something new and different, so that media will get some more spice to telecast and write on
Anyways RT next time create something new and different, so that media will get some more spice to telecast and write on
(Local Perspectives)
Raj thackeray represents Marathi pride. He is the voice of billions of Maharastrians. They are saying correctly North Indians are robbing jobs of eduicated marathis.
(Local Perspectives)
Raj and Bal Thackeray are differnt political leaders. Isnit? Why same approach then?
(Global Perspectives)
The media like you should giving attention to terrorists and fundamentalists. They want hype and use media.
(Global Perspectives)
Rajnikath is a Marathi dictating terms in South. His name is Shivaji Rao Gaekwad. Bal Thackeray might well suggest him to leave his billions in the south and take up the job of a bus conductor in the BEST network of Mumbai.
(Local Perspectives)
Mumbai is losing out to Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Delhi. So Marathi Mumbaikars are losing sleep. The numero uno position of Mumbai as financial capital of India stoked their egos a bit because they suffer from inferiority complex from the rest of India. Since that position is slipping out fast from under their a$$es they are worked up.
Raj Thackeray is like a sick head dog whose crown is being challenged by freshers from outside. He fears losing his mating females to them.
Raj Thackeray is like a sick head dog whose crown is being challenged by freshers from outside. He fears losing his mating females to them.
(Local Perspectives)
No one gets away by mistreating Biharis. The ULFA terrorists started killing Bihari labourers in Assam and the next thing they got was a joint operation between the Indian Army and the Bhutanese forces inside Bhutan wiping out the terrorists' camps from the country and decapitating the leadership of a few other terror groups operating from NE. Raj Thackeray's days are numbered. He has stirred the hornet's nest.
(Local Perspectives)
Raj Thackeray is now trying to divide Indian media by talking to invite only Marathi journalists in his press conference. He has started making fresh comments on Big B, Media, Political leaders, north Indian 'goons'. Isn't he gone mad?
(Local Perspectives)
I would like to agree with Raj Thackeray on one thing though I condemn everything he and his party workers are doing in the strongest possible way.
India is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural country. In fact, it is like a mosiac of many diversely cultured countries. This is what makes our country the greatest country in the world. But we must not forget that when we go to other countries, we must respect the local traditions, cultures and the population of those places. The same is with any other city or state in India.
People from North India must not use their own festivals and cultural events to intimidate local populations by show of numerical strength. They must neither give in to intimidation, nor try to behave boorishly. It is a fact that most of the mafia gangs, labour and other unions in Mumbai are operated by people from other states especially north Indian states.
India is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural country. In fact, it is like a mosiac of many diversely cultured countries. This is what makes our country the greatest country in the world. But we must not forget that when we go to other countries, we must respect the local traditions, cultures and the population of those places. The same is with any other city or state in India.
People from North India must not use their own festivals and cultural events to intimidate local populations by show of numerical strength. They must neither give in to intimidation, nor try to behave boorishly. It is a fact that most of the mafia gangs, labour and other unions in Mumbai are operated by people from other states especially north Indian states.
(Local Perspectives)
Raj Thackeray's father's party the Shiv Sena is even worse. Showing utter disrespect to the law, they lynched a Congress leader at a rally in Maharastra yesterday. MNS and SS are parties of lynchsters and criminals. The parties must be banned as terror outfits and their leaders must be jailed for life and the administration should issue a shoot at sight order whenever they try to congregate in public places.
(Local Perspectives)
Finally, the central government has taken note of this mad politician and he is under police net now. But who would bell the cat?? An ACP in Mumbai says they would ask Army to arrest him, Great Idea..Long live Mumbai Police
(Local Perspectives)
The drama continues even on 10th day and it went to its peak when police arrested Raj and Azmi. This is all the nautanki of NCP leader Sharad Pawar to divide Maratha vote in Maharashtra. Poor Raj is not able to understand mind game of Pawar, he is happy to get the publicity in media but he is not going to achieve anything in long term because the winner will be NCP if Maratha vote goes away from Shiv Sena.
(Local Perspectives)
Playing politics is matter of life and death for such leaders in India. They are doing the same across the country. You can't name a single living political leader as your ideal.
(Local Perspectives)
how come he got bail so easily when he was supposedly booked for a non-bailable offense? i really didn't understand the drama of his arrest and release.
(Local Perspectives)
RT will be killed someday. Not by a Muslim terrorist but by a common Indian citizen.
(Local Perspectives)
Regional leaders are doing the right thing. The migration from poor state to developed states will destroy the infrastructure of big cities like Delhi and Mumbai. raj T is doing good. Keep it up.
(Local Perspectives)
National interest should be above than regional interest all the time. Integrity of the nation is the most important for citizens.
(Local Perspectives)
Indian media has supported Raj to project him bigger leader than Uddhav Thackeray. This is what Raj wanted media to do. He won the battle.
(Local Perspectives)
Just like Pappu Yadav cried in court yesterday asking for leniency, one day Raj will also cry. He is an accident waiting to happen.
Anand Mohan got death penalty, Pappu got lifer. They were stronger politicians than this puppy called Raj Thackeray. One day he will wet his pants in the courts when he will be sentenced to be executed.
Anand Mohan got death penalty, Pappu got lifer. They were stronger politicians than this puppy called Raj Thackeray. One day he will wet his pants in the courts when he will be sentenced to be executed.
(Local Perspectives)
Mr Raj Thackeray is still shouting in same tone despite Supreme Court's criticism of regional extremist thinking of Thackeray. He is a mad politician.
(Local Perspectives)
I am surprised why the Maharashtra government is avoiding in taking strong action against Raj Thackeray? Everyone is using Raj Thackeray to beat their political opponents in Maharashtra politics it seems.
(Local Perspectives)
Every Marathi living in other places except Maharashtra should be sent back to their native place and the people of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh should start the process from ever where they live. "Send Marathis to Maharashtra."
(Local Perspectives)
I am a Marathi living with my family outside Maharashtra and I would give Raj Thackeray tight slaps on both of his cheeks when I will get opportunity.
(Local Perspectives)
History repeats itself, Raj T would repeat the political success of his uncle Bala Saheb.
(Local Perspectives)
India has so many leaders of similar mindset, this is why every region is developing with almost same pace. Regional feeling is necessity for the overall development of country.
(Global Perspectives)
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