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The Shiv Sena

© Dr. Anand Deep

The shiv Sena was formed on the 19 of June 1966. Its major objective being to strive for giving justice to the youth. The organisation evolved against a backdrop of rising unemployment, increase in crime rate, ethnic chauvinism and belligerent trade unionism in India's financial capitol. Thousands of immigrants flooded Bombay in search of better economic prospects. Gujaratees, South Indians, North Indians and youngsters from Maharashtras own rural hinterland poured into this city subjecting it to acute overcrowding. These immigrants cut into the job market for natives blocking their economic prospects driving them out of employment. While educated South Indians cut into white-collar jobs, the uneducated North Indian reduced the native's labour market. Value of real estate shot up as immigrants began to settle in overcrowded shanty dwellings called Chal or Jhuggee in local dialect. Natives were utterly frustrated. Many of them took to organised crime. The communists had a stronghold on Bombay's trade Unions implying frequent strikes and lockouts. Strikes meant further loss of work and more frustration for the locals as industrialists and businessmen began to move out. Organised criminal gangs began to charge protection money "Haphta' from trade establishments as well as common men. These developments transformed Bombay into a hotbed of ethnic chauvinism, communal frenzy, violence, intolerance and disturbance.

The policy and the ideology of the shiv Sena must be understood within this milieu. From the outset, it became a vehicle for voicing the sourness of the native maharashtrans. Consequently, outsiders became its first targets. The south Indians who cut into native white-collar jobs due to their better education and willingness to work cheaply were the first targets. They were named "Lungi Wala's' rather contemptuously due to their apparel. Cartoons printed in Shiv Sena's periodicals depict vigorous south Indians victimising a rather tame native. Marathas were termed as Sons of the Soil while outsiders were portrayed as wicked. Later, Muslims and Bangladeshi immigrants were similarly targeted. Muslims were dubbed as agents of Pakistan while a campaign was launched to drive Bangladeshi's back to their homeland. The role of shiv Sainiks in destroying Muslims establishments during the riots following the destruction of a supposed mosque in Ayodhya (1992) is still a subject for investigation. The shiv Sena gradually captured trade unions bringing an end to frequent communist induced strikes. It established its own employer friendly unions. Its policy being "anyone who gives bread and butter to the locals is ours and we should welcome him.' Shiv Sena rapidly increased its mass base. It established links with Bombay's under world and made in roads into most organised activities. Shiv Sainiks permeate the police, Government, trade, film industry and what not.

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