Raj Thackeray (Triveni Kulkarni)

“Nahi te chochale me Maharashtrat sahan karnar nahi.” (“I won’t accept worthless whims in Maharashtra”). That’s Raj Thackeray for you. Crisp, clear, confident and of course contentious. Powerful orator that he is one can’t miss his magnetic personality. His interviews are hilarious. His witty rhetoric leaving everyone in splits. But his talk is also thought-provoking. He says what he means. Whether he means what he says is yet to be seen. To the youth he is a beacon of hope, to the masses a poised leader and to his critiques a punch bag. Love him or hate, you simply can’t ignore him.

Raj Thackeray was born on 14 June, 1968 to Shrikant Thackeray (younger brother of Balasaheb Thackeray) and Kunda Thackeray (younger sister of Balasaheb Thackeray's wife Meena Thackeray). He studied in Bal Mohan Vidya Mandir School in Dadar, and graduated from the esteemed Sir J.J. College of Art. As a child he learnt the Tabla, the Guitar and the Violin. He had a keen sense of music. He also loved drawing which later turned into a passion for drawing cartoons. He used to contribute cartoons to Marmik, his weekly school magazine. But somehow both music and drawing did not turn out to be his chosen career. He says. “The only ‘raag’ that I understand is raag” (Marathi-anger).

Raj started his political career with his Uncle Balasaheb Thackeray’s party called Shiv Sena. Balasaheb Thackeray has been a huge influence on Raj’s life. Raj has been said to have modeled himself after him. In 1997, he started the Shiv Udyog Sena-a youth wing for the Shiv Sena. With this he tried to strengthen his youth leader image. “He raised funds for the employment agency with, among other sources, concerts by Michael Jackson and Lata Mangeshkar — and thus, simultaneously, propagated the new brand of the Sena's popular culture and its implications for a nascent generational change within the organization." (Outlook Volume 20 - Issue 05, March 01 - 14, 2003). But his association with the Sena ended in 2006. In January 2006 he resigned from the Sena alleging that it was being "run by petty clerks" because of which it had "fallen from its former glory". There has been quite a lot of speculation over the real reason why he left the party. The popular rumor being that he was being “sidelined” by Bal Thackeray’s son Uddhav. In the same year Raj announced his intention to start his own political party. Although separated from his mentor, Raj has always maintained that he does not want to have hostilities with his uncle who "was, is and always will be (his) mentor".

On 9 March, 2006, Raj’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) came in to being. The MNS has been criticized for being an extension of Shiv Sena, what with its core ideologies of prominence to Marathi and the ‘Sons of Soil’ remaining the same. It receives flak for these far-right wing ideologies. The MNS has had its share of controversies within three years since its founding. Its stand on migrants coming from Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar, subsequent attacks, acrid comments against the celebration of Chhath Puja, Bombay- Mumbai controversy and most recently his dubious remarks of the malaria wave in Mumbai being caused by north Indians have created a very fatuous image of the party. Most importantly the violent method adopted by the MNS to get what it wants only goes on to alienate it from the levelheaded voters. Although when it comes to winning votes, the MNS has clearly proven its mettle. When asked how long he thinks he’ll be able to piggybank on the north Indian issue he says, “He bhaga pehli saaf-saafai, mag rang-ragoti. (Referring to the migrants, first comes the cleaning. And then it’s painting and revamping). That’s what navnirman is all about.”

While many of his beliefs and the means to achieve what he wants are objectionable and sometimes downright silly, Raj’s popularity among the Marathi youth can’t be denied. His forth righteousness and ‘tell it as it is’ attitude strikes a chord with the ‘aam junta’. His fine oratory skills which many believe is the legacy of Bal Thackeray, allows him to communicate to the Marathi hinterland effectively. His vision for Maharashtra is crystal clear. While many may call him ‘goonda raj’ on many accounts he does come off as a cerebral person. In Raj’s own words, “I think if every leader of every state decides and develops his own state, then the whole country would begin to tread on the path of development and prosperity. One just hopes he understands that the end doesn’t justify the means.

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References:

1. Understanding the Misunderstanding. Retrieved from https://www.manase.org/en/maharashtra.php?mid=66&smid=38&did=0&dsid=0&pmid=0&id=888

2. About Raj Thackeray. Retrieved August 13, 2009 from http://www.rajthackeray.info/About-Raj-Thackeray.html

3. Quotes taken from Raj Thackeray's interview-Rokthok(2008)