Yet Another Defeat of Shiv Sena

The people of Maharashtra have frustrated the Shiv Sena's attempts yet again. The Shiv Sena had been striving to come to the limelight in politics. At all cinema halls where Shah Rukh Khan's movie My Name is Khan was released, huge crowds turned up to watch the movie. It is strong evidence that people of Mumbai have come to realize that both Bal Thackerey and Udhav Thackerey have lost their mental equilibrium because of continuous defeats. The best reply to their threat is what Sachin Tendulkar had given, followed by Rahul Gandhi and now people of Mumbai.

Bal Thackerey's Politics
The kind of politics indulged in by persons like Bal Thackerey, Udhav Thackeray, and Raj Thackerey has become well-known to people of Maharashtra. They are fed up with that kind of politics. That is why during the last parliamentary elections and later the state assembly elections, people had made them to bite the dust, and thereby gave a clear indication that Bal Thackerey's politics has become outdated as Bal Thackerey has also become old. The people had made them to realize that the masses would not let Maharashtra turn into a den of vagabonds and hoodlums, but Bal Thackerey failed to read the writing on the wall.
What the Shiv Sena did after Sachin Tendulkar and Mukesh Ambani said they are Indians and that Mumbai belongs to all Indians, is before people. People paid no heed to what the Shiv Sena said on the issue and gave it a most befitting reply. Thackerey has gone berserk with that reply because of which he made yet another political move by extending the threat to the Australian cricket team that they would not be allowed to play in Mumbai because of attacks on Indians in that country. The dispute was still on when Shah Rukh Khan made a statement on the non-inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in the IPL that he favors Pakistani cricketers to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
This plain talk by Shah Rukh Khan was not liked by Bal Thackerey and his followers who began to make derogatory statements against him. They also extended threats that they would not allow his movie My Name is Khan, to be released in Maharashtra. Yet, not only was the film released in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra, and elsewhere in country, but also huge crowds thronged the cinema halls to see the film without any fear. It, infact, is a befitting reply to the unconstitutional activities indulged in by the Shiv Sena and Bal Thackerey.

Sharad Pawar-Bal Thackerey Meeting
A couple of days ago, a large number of people had thronged Rahul Gandhi when he visited Mumbai. It had been made clear that people like Bal Thackerey and his followers have lost their voice in Maharashtra. As for the release of the film, Bal Thackerey had indicated a slight change on his stand, yet lest one calls it the impact of Sharad Pawar-Bal Thackerey meeting or something else, the Shiv Sena again began to extend threats to the film. Afraid of these threats, theatre owners had to stop advance booking and hinted not to screen the film in their halls.
Yet, the people of Mumbai and some organizations came out in support of Shah Rukh Khan and, consequently, the film was released. It is not important that the film was released but more important it is that people thronged cinema halls in large numbers to see the film. These crowds included people from all sections, elderly and children alike. All this makes it clear that the threats extended by the Shiv Sena have lost their sting and gone are the days of their policies of provocation.

Role of Government
It further makes it abundantly clear that should the government adopt a strong stand against mischief mongers and provocateurs, it is not a difficult task to rein them in. The fact is that had the Maharashtra Government adopted a strong stand against the Shiv Sena or Raj Thackereky's MNS, had it not given a long rope to a daily like "The Samna" to spread hatred in the name of journalism and had it conveyed a strong message to the goons and hoodlums that their activities would cost them heavily, things today would not have slipped out of hand.
The successful release of My Name is Khan in the world and in India goes to prove that if Mumbai and Maharashtra were to be saved of jungle raj, people there would have to play a more significant role than the government there. The defeat of the Shiv Sena signals the victory of the courage displayed by the people.