The ageing tiger

Mumbai has been seen as cowering under the tigers roar upto mid 90’s. This tiger goes by the name of Balasaheb Thakeray. He fought for the common man and common man supported him. But with age his roar has lost the touch. Yesterdays protests against Shah Rukh Khan’s movie have shown just that.

Yesterdays protests were a different ball game after a long time. Most of the active Shiv Sainiks have become too old to echo in to the Tigers roar or have quit Sena to join other parties. What is left in Sena is what I would like to describe as Hyenas. People who preyed on the leftover, after the stalwarts had created their damage. These hyenas dont scare the Mumbaikars anymore.

One more thing to note was the 24x7 New channels have come into picture only since the last 5 odd years. In Sena’s heydays, only a clarion call by Sena mouthpiece, that the protest has been successful was enough for people to believe it. Nowadays, the new channels are everywhere, showing that normal life is unaffected. People are more open about their criticism, unlike before, and this too is telecast openly. So everybody is aware of the real situation.

I feel pity for the ageing tiger, but unfortunately he has missed out on one point in his life, that inspite of being so many years into politics, his party has always been confined to being a regional party and never a national party. When you are protesting against a National Hero(sic) like SRK you need support from the Nation, not just from your state.

One more point of note in yesterdays protests was the adequate policing by our Police Department. Kudos to it. But it also makes me wonder, where was their active policing when Raj Thakeray’s MNS people were running riot on the Mumbai street. There seems to be more of political will over active policing over here that meets the eye. The State Government wasnt that keen at that time to rein in MNS then, as they were yesterday. Wonder why…..

SRK has sided the Pakistani Players over IPL. He is loved by Pakistanis for his movies, and for his moves. But those he have the GUTS to protest against the various attacks Pakistan has carried on India? If called for , will he lodge a protest about these attacks. He says he loves India. He should be asked to do it.