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"Bal" Keshav Thackeray (born January 23, 1927), popularly called 'Balasaheb', is the founder and 'Pramukh' (President) of the right wing Hindu party, Shiv Sena in India.

Background

Thackeray is a right-wing Hindu revivalist and Hindu nationalist. He was quoted by Asiaweek as saying "I am a great admirer of Hitler, and I am not ashamed to say so!" and "What India really needs is a dictator who will rule benevolently, but with an iron hand." Several right-wing nationalists within the Shiv Sena (which he helped found) and other Hindu-centric political parties brand him as Hindu Hridaysamrat ("Emperor of the Hindu heart").

Thackeray started his career as a cartoonist in the Free Press Journal of Mumbai in the 1950s, and was a contemporary of R K Laxman during his early years. His cartoons were also published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times. In 1960, he launched a cartoon weekly Marmik with his brother. He used it to campaign against the growing influence of non-Marathi people in Mumbai. He has also fought trade union control battles with the Communists and Indian National Congress.

He formed the Shiv Sena in 1966 with the intent of fighting for the rights of the natives of the state of Maharashtra (called Maharashtrians). There was a great exodus of people from all over India into Mumbai, the commercial capital and economic center of the nation, for employment. The Shiv Sena became an advocate of the 'Bhúmiputra' (or "Sons of the Soil") policy, in response to a perceived threat amongst the native Maharashtrians that such an exodus would deny them of employment opportunities which were rightfully theirs. Politically, it has allied with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Bal Thackeray is said to have strong links with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), which acts as the fountainhead of all pro-Hindu-right wing thought and political action in India.

Controversy

Thackeray is very vocal in his opposition to people who migrate to Mumbai, to non-Hindus, and to Pakistanis. In the late 1970s, as part of his "Maharashtra is for Maharashtrians" campaign, Thackeray threatened South Indians with harm unless they left Mumbai.

Thackeray continues to publish inflammatory editorials in his party's newsletter, Sāmna (Confrontation).

Targeting Muslims

Bal Thackeray criticized and challenged Indian Muslims through his party newspaper, Sāmna, around the time the 16th century Babri Masjid was demolished by members of the Shiv Sena and the BJP in the northern town of Ayodhya, on 6 December 1992. The claim of many Hindus is that the Babri Mosque was built on the demolished ruins of a Hindu temple in the 16th century, and is believed by many to be the Ramjanmabhoomi (birthplace of the Hindu God-Emperor Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, one of the Trimurti of the Hindu Pantheon).

The Justice Srikrishna Commission of Enquiry, which investigated the ensuing communal riots in Mumbai, indicted Thackeray of sparking anti-Muslim violence, which led to more than 1,000 deaths in several ensuing riots, though the death toll during the actual act of the demolition was zero. The Srikrishna Commission found that Thackeray was personally responsible, not only for inciting the mobs through his incendiary speeches, but also directly coordinating the movement of the rioters. Thackeray has responded to these accusations by reiterating the claim that the riots were retaliatory in nature and in response to the systematic Persecution of Hindus by muslims for centuries.

Thackeray's Shiv Sena is allegedly responsible for orchestrating violence against Christians and other religious and linguistic minorities (non-Maharashtrians). Shiv Sena has, in the past, shut down the Pakistani Consulate in the city, and has impeded the ability of Pakistani sports teams to play in the city.

Recent News

An increase in intra-party rivalry between Bal Thackeray's son Udhav Thackeray, and nephew Raj Thackeray has led to some divisions within the Shiv Sena. Senior Sena leaders, such as former Chief Minister Manohar Joshi have sided with Udhav, while hard-line leaders such as Narayan Rane and Sanjay Nirupam have sided with Raj. Both these leaders were later expelled from Sena and joined Indian National Congress.

On December 18, 2005, Raj Thackeray announced his resignation as a primary member of the Shiv Sena. On March 19, 2006, Raj announced the formation of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

Boycotting shops and restaurants that allow young people to celebrate the Western holiday of St. Valentine's Day, interpreted as bestial, indecent and un-Bharatiya (Indian) by Thackeray, is one of his recent actions. These boycotts have often culminated in violence and the destruction of said shops. On February 14, 2006, Bal Thackeray condemned and apologized for the violent attacks of Shiv Sena members upon a private Valentine's Day celebration in Mumbai. "It is said that women were beaten up in the Nallasopara incident. If that really happened, then it is a symbol of cowardice," Thackeray said, "I have always instructed Shiv Sainiks that in any situation women should not be humiliated and harassed." Thackeray and the Shiv Sena remain opposed to Valentine's Day celebrations, although they may support an "Indian alternative."

External links

• Profile by BBC dated July 19, 2000 referring to him as the "uncrowned monarch of Maharashtra"
• "Bal Thackeray: The Tiger who can't be tamed" - HindustanTimes.com article dated September 8, 2004
• "Are Hindus cowards?" - Rediff Article in praise of Thackeray

• 1927 births
• Living people
• Indian politicians
• Indian cartoonists