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Now, Thackeray Sets a Cut-off Date

By Mahesh Vijapurkar

The Hindu
25 April, 2003

MUMBAI April 25. The Shiv Sena, which originally preached the `Mumbai-for-Maharashtrians' doctrine in the past, has now changed tack. All those who came here prior to 1995, it says, are Mumbaiwallahs. But if intends doing anything about the post-1995 arrivals, it is not known how it would go about it.

And, it wants those who came prior to 1995 to stop the new influx of migrants. In an attempt towards securing such intent, the Sena chief, Bal Thackeray, today announced a "Me Mumbaikar (I am a Mumbai resident)" programme but did not specify the details. Stopping the "flood" should be the first priority, he said.

No one, he said, should "bring politics into this". If anyone was "far too smart to play a game of political chess on this", he told the party organ, Saamana, "then I will not rest till I defeat such designs".

It did not matter which region the pre-1995 migrants came from. There would be no discrimination on any grounds, regional, religious or language.

On Thursday, the Sena's executive president, Uddhav Thackeray, spelt out his view to Mumbai's business leaders at the Indian Merchants' Chamber and was backed by a battery of party elders.

Clearly, the party has moved away from its anti-Tamil line and started on a new tack without abandoning Hindutva.

Using the analogy of the cellular operators who advertise "incoming calls free", the younger Mr. Thackeray says Mumbai's plight is dictated by such an attitude. Anyone can come in. No questions asked. It may be recalled that the Sena had always spoken of "floods of migrants".

Its calls had always been met with the affirmation that Indian citizens' right to movement and choice of residence could not be curtailed. The party's argument is this: no one, except the Shiv Sena and its cadre are as concerned about Mumbai, or love it as much. But the process of allowing migrants, one per minute according to the Sena, into the already overcrowded metropolis has strained the city's resources to the extent that it could collapse soon. "It is already in a gridlock. Others have only feasted off it."

The continuing flow of people — by all accounts Mumbai is the biggest magnet for people in India, the city that can deny shelter but not a living — was because other States could not ensure employment or livelihood for their own people.

So, apart from paying the highest share of income and corporate taxes, Mumbai had to bear the burden. And the city got no special treatment, the Sena argues.

A few days ago, Mr. Uddhav Thackeray's cousin, Raj Thackeray, had said that given the manner in which Maharashtrians had suffered, they should be allowed to make money in any manner they chose and that both the Government and the media should turn a blind eye to that. That means the Sena's soft corner for its original base will continue. The new Uddhav Thackeray line appears to be rooted in urban planning: cities cannot be allowed to overstretch themselves beyond a point. There is some historic, though recent, background to 1995. That was the cut-off year for free rehabilitation of Mumbai's slum-dwellers in pucca houses, 225 sq. ft. for a family, when the Sena was in Government along with the BJP.

That effort came to nought because the builders could not sell enough space in the former slums in the free market.

According to Adhik Shirodkar, a former Sena Rajya Sabha member and perhaps the only Maharashtrian, others to the Upper House from the party having been non-Maharashtrians, the migrants, mainly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, should be asked three questions: Why are you coming here? Do you have a place to stay? What are you bringing to Mumbai?

Sanjay Nirupam, who hails from Bihar, says he continues to be pressured by kith and kin from back home to find jobs for them in Mumbai. He said he would henceforth ask them to go to other cities, maybe Pune or even Nagpur.

Said Mr. Bal Thackeray: "Does any other State allow an outsider to become a Minister? Can a non-Bengali manage to become a Minister in West Bengal?" In Maharashtra, non-Maharashtrians hold ministerial positions, he added.