Raj Thakre of Ashok Chauhan

Raj Thakre and his goonda elements of MNS (Maharastra Navnirman Sena) in the recent past had created controversy in Maharashtra assembly by insisting elected members to take oath in Marathi. Mr. Abu Azmi of Samajwadi Party (SP) was abused and even slapped in the assembly for trying to take oath in Hindi. Congress Party remained silent spectator and later shed crocodile tears. Shiv Sena found Mr. Raj Thakre playing his flute and hence thought it better to remain silent. BJP being partner of Shiv Sena in politics was in doldrums. In brief none of political party other than SP had courage to stop ugly scene happening in the assembly in fear of loss of Marathi votes. As a consequence there was shameful incident in oath ceremony in Assembly of Maharashtra which was watched and ridiculed all over the country. This was a ridiculous and ludicrous illustration of unity among diversity among politicians and it proved that politicians of various colours were united on Marathi card and they can go to any mean extent for the sake of vote bank.

Earlier to that incident Mr. Thakre and his henchmen attacked on North Indians on many issues. Taxi drivers were beaten and students from Bihar or UP appearing for examination were beaten. All these incidents were against the spirit of the Constitution. But national parties including ruling UPA led by Congress Party allowed rape of Constitution only because it was a question of Marathi vote bank .only because it was a question of survival for many politicians who did not possess any other quality to show performance to voters to lure them. It is shameful and painful that Marathis who fought battle against British are now fighting against their Indian brother only because they hail from North India and not from Maharasthra.

Now the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Mr. Ashok Chauhan has played the same card as played by Raj Thakre. Mr. Chauhan, another version of Raj thakre has created similar history by framing a rule for drivers and making it compulsory for them to be domicile of Maharastra (15 years stay in Maharastra) and to possess skill of reading, writing and speaking Marathi to obtain license for driving in the state of Maharastra. It was said in the recent past that Mr. Raj Thakre was bent upon teaching a lesson to his uncle Bal thakre in politics and ambitious to come to power and hence he adopted short cut but condemnable path of using Marathi card. But Ashok Chauhan is already the head of the state and he need not follow the same path. Moreover Mr. Ashok Chauhan represents a National party and holding responsible post of Chief Minister. It is expected that he should understand the spirit of the Constitution, respect the oath he had taken while becoming CM and at least visualize and be cautious about the repercussion of such senseless decisions imposed on Taxi drivers. His counterparts in other states will not remain silent spectator of Tuglaq like rule of Mr. Chauhan and a few of them may not hesitate in framing similar rules in their states.

I would like to raise one pertinent question here , why only taxi drivers are only made scapegoat for political battle played by politicians for their vested interest at the cost of national image, All offices in private or public sector , all manufacturing units in the sate of Maharashtra are manned by person belonging to other states and who are neither domicile nor well versed in Marathi . Non Marathis skilled or unskilled are doing their business or job in the state of Maharastra and are in millions and spread in each nook and corner of the state. Even government offices and state assembly is having many members who belong to other states and who are not well versed in Marathi. Why the same rule as applicable for taxi drivers is not made applicable for all Non Marathis if our dirty politicians at all consider Marathi language as the one and only tool to survive in politics. CEOs of many companies, banks and insurance companies and many other organizations are not well versed in Marathi and hence Mr. Ashok Chauhan should remove them first before victimizing poor taxi drivers without whom entire transportation system of Maharashtra and specially Mumbai will be jeopardized.

It is worthwhile to mention here that people with origin of Bihar, Jharkhand, and UP are working not only in the state of Maharashtra but also in other states of the country and other countries of the world. Millions of Indians are working abroad and any move with narrow approach of ruling Congress Party may create more confusion, chaos and conflicts. If Non Marathis working in the state of Maharastra unite together , agitate and launch a movement against the dictatorial and whimsical decision of the ruler I think it will lead to uncontrollable law and order situation in city like Mumbai.

And it is also true that thousands of Marathis passing out from hundreds of engineering, Medical, Biomedical and other professional Colleges in the state of Maharastra are employed elsewhere, especially in the southern states. Marathis who are doing their service in other states especially in southern states where all IT giants are situated do not understand the local language like Kannad, Tamil or Telgu. If state government in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh also make similar rules as framed for taxi drivers in Maharastra I think it will create havoc in the country and prove costly for unity and integrity of the country.

Lastly but not the least, even if it is assumed that politics and politicians of Maharastra may not depend on North Indians, it is bitter truth that at least economy of the state cannot run smoothly without the support of person of different skills hailing from not only different parts of the country but also different part of the world. There are many such industrial units when the country needs and seeks know-how as also technological support from other parts of the world and people coming from abroad do not know Marathi or Hindi or even English. Role of drivers in the economy cannot be under estimated and should be well respected .

I hope learned Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh, prudent thinker Ms Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi of National congress Party will take immediate step to nip in the bud and make all efforts to maintain unity and integrity of the country. Any dilly- dally attitude on such sensitive issues may bring Toofan in future. It is better to punish harshly person like Mr. Ashok Chauhan who do not have respect for the Constitution and who indulge in dirty politics , Raj Thakre brand politics which is condemned throughout the country. If Ashok chauhan is removed immediately it will send positive signal throughout the country and sound alarm bell for them who are also aspiring to follow the same dirty path if given an opportunity,

Danendra Jain
Ganaraj Choumuhani
Agartala
21st January 2010