Shiv Sena activists burn Prime Minister Vajpayee’s effigy for not attacking Pakistan

By IOL South Asia Correspondent

NEW DELHI, October 16 (IslamOnline) – A case has been filed against Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray in Mumbai, and Mahrashtra state government has sent a copy of his incendiary speech to the federal government to take action.

Known for his anti-Muslim tirades and fascist brinkmanship, Thackeray on Tuesday, October 15, issued a public call for setting up Hindu suicide squads to “take on the might of Islamic terrorism.”

Thackeray, who with his incendiary writings and speeches has triggered fierce anti-Muslim riots in the past, made the call at a public meeting in Mumbai. Thackeray read excerpts from U.S. evangelist Jerry Falwell’s recent speech against Islam.

He also assailed the federal government for what he called its failure to counter terrorism. He also criticized Jerry Falwell for having apologized for his anti-Islam remarks.

Thackeray had publicly claimed “credit” for his followers having destroyed the Babri Masjid in 1992. Last year he declared that India’s 120 million Muslims should be disenfranchised.

Thackeray’s Shiv Sena, a fascist party, has ruled the western state of Maharashtra in the 1990s and engineered one of the worst riots in Indian history in Mumbai after the demolition of the Babri Mosque.

Thackeray, who is also the editor of a highly inflammatory Mumbai daily called Samna (Confrontation), carried the message in his newspaper also.

“Terrorists should be born amongst you too, but they must be suicide squads, ready to die for the cause of making this a Hindu rashtra (Hindu State).”

Shiv Sena leader Bal Thakeray

The venue of Thackeray’s speech, Shivaji Park, witnessed unprecedented security arrangements. He had to speak from behind a bullet-proof glass-shield in the wake of reports that “Muslim terrorists” had sneaked into the city to carry out attacks. Indian police and home ministry frequently issue such “warnings” in a bid to create mass phobia which, in turn, will serve the political agenda of BJP, the Hindu extremist party now ruling at the Center at the head of an alliance.

Thackeray has frequently been indulging in such inflammatory speech and writing, but no action has been taken against him. The situation has been the same irrespective of who has been at the helm of affairs in New Delhi or Mumbai.

Although there are laws in India against creating religious animosity between groups of citizens, such laws have never been implemented against Thackeray in the four decades of his career in rabble-rousing against Muslims.

Thackeray began his career by launching a campaign against Tamils in Maharashtra, none of whom were Muslims.

Thackrary also mimicked and ridiculed the prime minister for being “soft” on terrorism and cautioned the Center against troop withdrawal from the Line of Control (LoC) separating Indian Kashmir from Pakistan-administered areas.

Thackeray also took the Center to task for its economic reforms. “For whom are you doing disinvestment?”, he asked the Center before declaring, “this is not acceptable to me.”

People have been arrested for speaking in much more milder terms. However, powerful persons like Thackeray know that the law cannot touch strong people. Moreso since Thackeray’s party is part of the ruling alliance at the Center and has ministers in the federal cabinet.

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