A Profile to Remember – BBC Profile: BAL THACKERAY
A Profile to be Remembered – BBC Profile: Bal Thackeray
BBC News | Wednesday, 19 July, 2000
Although he holds no official post, Bal Thackeray is often described as the uncrowned monarch of the western Indian state of Maharashtra.
Referred to as the ‘Tiger’ by his supporters, the cartoonist turned politician has courted controversy ever since he founded the hardline Hindu Shiv Sena party more than 30 years ago.
He attracted particular opprobrium after the 1992-3 communal riots, which he was alleged to have incited.
The Shiv Sena has acquired a reputation of promoting religious and ethnic chauvinism while targetting minorities, especially Muslims.
Last October, it was trounced by the Congress party in elections to the Maharashtra assembly, after ruling the state for nearly five years.
‘Sons of the soil’
Bal Thackeray, who is 73, began his career as a political cartoonist in a Bombay newspaper in the 1950s.
He formed the Shiv Sena in 1966 as a “sons of the soil” movement, to fight for the rights of native Maharashtrians who, he believed, were under threat from other ethnic migrants.
The party ran an intimidating and often violent campaign, targetting south Indians who worked as clerks or owned small restaurants in Bombay.
In later years, the Gujarati and the Muslim communities were similarly targetted.
Mr Thackeray commands an almost fanatical following among his party members.
Although he has never stood for election, he wields power over Bombay through a tightly controlled network of party cells, which can be activated at his command.
Attacks
In the past few years, Mr Thackeray’s fiery speeches and pronouncements have frequently embarrassed the BJP-led government in Delhi, which includes the Shiv Sena.
Two years ago, Shiv Sena activists attacked movie theatres in Bombay over a controversial film with a lesbian theme, forcing it to be withdrawn.
Last year, party activists vandalised a cricket pitch in Delhi, in protest against a tour by the Pakistan national team.
The Shiv Sena also targetted a legendary Muslim Bollywood star, Dilip Kumar, who had been presented Pakistan’s highest civilian award.
Mr Thackeray’s current troubles stem from the inflammatory editorials published in his party newspaper, Saamna (Confrontation) in 1992.
His remarks followed the illegal demolition of the 16th century Babri mosque in the northern town of Ayodhya by Hindu militants.
A judicial committee, which investigated the ensuing communal riots, accused Mr Thackeray of sparking anti-Muslim violence in Bombay, which led to more than 1,000 deaths.
Source: BBC NEWS
Hindu Militant Faces Court
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BBC News | Saturday, 15 July, 2000
Bal Thackeray, leader of the extreme right-wing Hindu organisation Shiv Sena, is set to be prosecuted over his alleged role in anti-Muslim riots in 1992 in which hundreds of people died.
Mr Thackeray said the decision by authorities in the western Indian state of Maharashtra to authorise a police prosecution was an explosion which would set the whole country on fire.
A judicial commission into the riots that followed the illegal demolition of the 15th century Babri mosque at Ayodhya eight years ago accused Mr Thackeray and other Shiv Sena leaders of making provocative statements which sparked off the riots.
His supporters have already taken to the streets to protest against the prosecution decision and have forced the closure of markets in central Bombay.
The city’s suburban rail network has stopped working in the central and western suburbs as railway authorities fear violent protests.
The decision to prosecute was announced by Chhagan Bhujbal, deputy chief minister of Maharashtra state.
In a belligerent statement, Mr Thackeray said: “If you are governing in a vengeful manner then you must be prepared to face consequences as well.”
Mr Bhujbal had “ignited a landmine and this is an incitement to communal riots”, he said.
“If something untoward happens tomorrow then the responsibility will lie solely with the government and Bhujbal,” Mr Thackeray added.
Controversial Leader
Although he held no official post Mr Thackeray wa the uncrowned monarch of a BJP-Sena administration in Maharashtra which was routed in assembly elections by the Congress party last October.
It is not the first time that the self-confessed admirer of Adolf Hitler finds himself in the eye of a storm.
Referred to as a tiger by his supporters, the cartoonist turned politician has courted controversy ever since he founded the Shiv Sena more than 30 years ago.
Mr Thackeray has repeatedly attacked Muslims in his speeches and his followers once dug up a cricket pitch to prevent Pakistan from playing against India.
He also prevented the screening of a Hindi film in Bombay which portrayed a lesbian relationship, on the grounds that it was not only immoral but against Indian traditions.
Source: BBC NEWS
ALSO SEE:
Bal Thackeray – WikiPedia Profile
Javed Miandand goes to meet Bal Thackery at his Home
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