Thackeray, Marathi-ism and future of Hindu Activism

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and its leader Raj Thackeray – nephew of Bal Thackeray – has been attacking non-Maharashtrians living in Mumbai and questioning their contribution.

Nothing could be more ridiculous than this posture.  Many self-conceited and parochial Marathis have fallen prey to this line of argument as well – as we saw on this blog as well.

The important thing is that Maharashtrians have not built Mumbai – every one has.  And Bollywood has a big share of credit on making Mumbai what it is.  These actors do not need to “convert” to “Marathi-ism” and speak/talk/eat/behave like a Marathi to be seen as contributing to Mumbai!

Same goes for the poor labourers who have come from Bihar or UP.  They have worked hard and slept in slums but made huge buildings that others lived in.  In return they have gotten pittance.

Goons like Bal and Raj Thackeray and other mafia have held not only Mumbai but the entire country to ransom at various points in time.  Somehow they want to keep reinventing their “importance” through useless and stupid stuff – this Marathi campaign being one of them.  Raj Thackeray denounces Amitabh and Bal Thackeray gives him “a clean chit”.  As if Bal Thackeray has any stature to approve or disapprove the Big B.  Big B is what he is because of the love and following of the masses!  It has to do with his art and his work and that people like it.  No matter what Bal Thackeray thought or did about him, it would not affect that relationship!

Some megalomaniacs start thinking of themselves as demi-gods.  They even stumble into the world of art and creativity with the swagger of a monarch behaving like approvers.  Nobody made Vinci what he was.  His art put him on that pinnacle.  Same with the other lesser or greater artists.

For the first time – thankfully – RSS has come out to denounce Raj Thackeray on his tirade against the non-Maharashtrians.  Raj is going to hold a rally on May 3 where he would surely want to start some controversy, so this statement from RSS, sister organization of Shiv Sena is a good put down for him.

RSS had a role when it was started and that role wasn’t all that bad.  It tried to instill pride within the Hindu community and a lot of its earlier stalwarts were heavily involved in Indian Freedom Struggle.  Its demonization happened during the Nehru era when Congress was too worried about the influence that Jan Sangh may have post independence and in true dictatorial style, the entire RSS was made to pay for what Nathuram Godse did.  That Nehru and the Congress were not above board in terms of truth is evident from the fact that Godse’s trial was conducted in utter secrecy and not one word was let out.  If he was indeed such a demon who represented a demonic organization then why not let his defense out?  That is the right of every human being – to be heard!  THAT was the Chinese-style democracy that Nehru was implementing.

Now, the problem is that instead of undertaking research and though leadership on Hindu Theology and Spirituality, RSS and VHP talk from their asses.  They have very little understanding of Hindu scriptures or it profoundness but would give all sorts of nonsense out as Hindu decrees.  These guys and the TV soap makers have reduced the high profound thought that gave Vedanta and truly the highest that Mankind has gone in terms of serious and honest thinking on the question of God – to cartoon movies and jokers.  The Gods and Goddesses are not important and indeed useless in true Vedantic tradition.  Vedic and Vedantic Rishis have talked about the primacy of Consciousness and its manifestation as grosser nature.  Today the scientific community is coming to that realization as well.  The uselessness of the Space and Time absoluteness was first and strongly repudiated in the Vedantic literature.  It was thought of as outlandish until Einstein proved it so with this Relativity theory.

The need is to search ones ownself and do more serious and strong research in Indian scriptures to bring out the gems in its literature that have been hidden all along and though they inspired the greatest of world thinkers, they failed to inspire the common man who is still mired in his world of boon/sin/wrath giving Gods and Goddesses.

So, the future of HIndu Activism is NOT in disturbing the peace and polity of the nation but to instill a sense of logic and intelligence that was very well articulated by giants like Vivekananda and Adi Shankara.  It lies in inculcating the compassion of Nanak and Buddha, who revolted against the very mindset and structure that still possesses us.  Hindu Activism of the future is in learning about ourselves and being RUTHLESS in evaluation of our ills and deficiencies.