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This may seem like an alarmist and premature statement, but I believe this chaoticland of diverse languages, cultures and skin tones, that we call India, is underattack - not by an outside power, but from within. Let me explain. In my opinion,the real miracle of modern India is that - in spite of apathy, corruption andgross misgovernance - it remains not only a single nation, but a functioningdemocracy. This miracle has been achieved by defying history. For millennia, Indiawas a loose conglomeration of warring kingdoms, condemned to inhabit adjoiningspace. The few times India has achieved a sort of unity was under the dictatorshipof conquerors, Mughal and British. In the 60 years of its existence, independentIndia has muddled through and - overcoming the obstacles of a deeply entrenchedcaste system and regional rivalries - managed to retain its identity as onenation. Our Bharat (India) may not, in reality, be very mahan (great), but it isstill held up as a shining success compared to its failed neighbours, Pakistan,Bangladesh and Burma.Now Raj Thackeray (leader of a small time political party in Mumbai, who wantslocal jobs to be reserved exclusively for locals) has let loose a serpent inMaharashtra that has already started spewing its insidious venom in other states.There are already reports of people in Bihar and West Bengal being influenced byhis jingoism. I read that Thackeray has publicly asked Sonia Gandhi to send the25 lakh Biharis, presently residing in Maharashtra, back to Bihar. It is obviousthat Raj Thackeray is not going to give up his sons-of-the-soil tirade anytimesoon. How can he? He and his Maharashtra Nivnarman Sena (MNS) have no otherpolitical issue of any significance. His party is actually feeding on theindignation and revulsion of right thinking citizens. The more intellectuals andthose who are concerned about their nation demonize him, the more he grows instature. Till a month ago, hardly anyone outside Mumbai and a few towns inMaharashtra had even heard of Raj Thackeray and his MNS. Now they have becomehousehold names all over India.Thackeray, however, may be riding a tiger he may find difficult to control andone, moreover, that may turn around and maul him. We already have Narendra Modi inGujarat formulating division of Hindus and Muslims, as a state policy. As Imentioned before, India is, historically, a fertile breeding ground for parochialpolitics. If this us-vs.-them agitation takes hold nationally, we may be in for aperiod of prolonged instability - not to mention widespread threats to life andproperty. And one can be reasonably certain that the big boys of our mainpolitical parties - including Thackeray's parent Shiv Sena - will take authorshipof this idea and claim it as their own. Raj Thackeray may well find himself castinto the dustbin of history.Raj Thackeray may have his own compulsions to pursue his dangerous gambit, butwhat I find particularly reprehensible is the lukewarm and apathetic reaction ofthe governments in power - both Central and State. We have already been treated tothe farce of Thackeray's ‘arrest' and immediate release by the state government.The pathetic excuse given for this craven behaviour is that the state governmentwas apprehensive that Thackeray's continued detention would cause a law and ordersituation. It is like admitting that the government machinery is impotent againstbullies and threats. And why are Mumbai's taxpayers shelling out hundreds ofcrores (billions) to maintain a behemoth police force, if it cannot even protectour lives and properties against some unruly mobs armed with little more thansticks? This is the same police force, remember, that effortlessly positions ahavaldar (police officer) every 30 metres (100 ft) in an unbroken chain fromColaba to Santa Cruz (a distance of 20 miles)- in a farcical show of providingsecurity - every time a VVIP visits the city. Yet, they feel the need to call inreinforcements to handle groups of hooligans.The Central government does not score much better either. Even now, despite aflagrant challenge to its authority, it is dithering and working out politicalequations, rather than perform the task it was elected to do - protect the nation.Perhaps the gravity of the situation is not yet apparent to them. I sincerely hope- for the sake of this country we have come to tolerate; and even love - that they
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