INTERVIEW:
BAL THACKERAY
"If it
wants, BJP can stop them" Mumbai
is abuzz with rumours of his imminent arrest, but Bal Thackeray shows no
signs of nervousness. Last Tuesday, he took a break from political
confabulations, put away Anwer Bati's Cigar Companion: The Connoisseur's
Guide, lit a Romeo y Julieta and spoke to Associate Editor V. Shankar
Aiyar. Excerpts:
Q. The past seems to
be haunting you again. What do you make of it?
A. It is just madness. What is surprising is
that Vilasrao is a legal man. He knows the case is weak and won't stand in
court. Section 153(A) carries a penalty of jail from one to three years.
But the charges have to be filed within a certain period. It is now almost
seven years.
Q. What is the
real story?
A. Vilasrao is helpless. He became chief minister after great
difficulty and with some luck. He is not interested in anything but his
chair. Lakhoba (Chhagan Bhujbal) knows this weakness and is exploiting it
fully. Deshmukh's weakness is Bhujbal's strong point. Vilasrao is a
khandaani manoos. He should have put his foot down and said, I have to
rule and don't want any disorder.
Q. Why should he say
or do that?
A. Bhujbal and the Government are making this sanction to prosecute
a prestige issue. They want to gain prestige by putting Thackeray behind
bars. I am telling them it will be a very costly mistake. They will be
paying a very high price for this false prestige.
Q. There is also the
case connected to the Srikrishna report.
A. The
commission did not call me, did not hear me. Yet it holds me guilty. How
can you punish without even a hearing?
Q. Your refrain about
consequences is being read as a threat.
A. How can you say that? I have not initiated anything. You
initiate the action and then blame me for the consequences.
Q. Is Thackeray above
the law?
A. Never.
We are not foolish to claim we are above the law. Why is this being
repeated again and again by political bandicoots? They are bringing the
law down to such low levels that we automatically seem above it. This case
doesn't stand a chance. The Government should not only implement the law
correctly but should be seen doing so. It should not misuse its powers
under the pretext of law.
|
EMERGING
SCENARIOS |
| Not
arrested: The Sena chief will be indebted to the BJP for
having saved him from the humiliation. Will bring the drifting
allies together again in Mumbai.
Arrested:
To
Thackeray and his followers, it would be a case of the BJP letting
them down. Could widen the rift in the Hindutva combine in
Maharashtra.
NCP-Congress
Defeated: If the BJP-Sena wins in Tuesday's Council
polls, the state Government could find itself in the doghouse. |
Q. Your statement
"India will burn" sounds like a direct threat.
A. I
am not threatening. I am just cautioning the Government of the
consequences. Remember what happened in 1969. I was sent to prison in Pune
and Mumbai burnt for 10 days. The protests you saw are simply the
spontaneous reaction of the people. I have told them to be calm. But there
will be a reaction. The people will not tolerate any nonsense.
Q. Is the Sena what it
was? Some feel it has lost its following?
A. Aha. So what do you want me to say? Do you want us to remove
these doubts? Let me repeat. What was seen in the last two-three days was
a reflection of spontaneous feelings. It wasn't official. If I say it
officially nobody can predict what will happen.
Q. You have been
quoted as saying that the Government will fall?
A. Yes. it will. Don't ask me how.
Q. Your relationship
with the BJP has not been very good of late?
A. No, no. It is not a clash. We have -- Vajpayee and Advani -- a
lot of love and respect for each other. But it was my duty to bring to
their notice the differential treatment meted out to my ministers. They
were given portfolios without any powers.
Q. What do you expect
of the BJP?
A. It has its limitations. But if it wants it can do what is
necessary. It can tell them that this could create a problem and instruct
them to desist from such action. It should know the virus (in the event of
Thackeray's arrest) will not be restricted to Mumbai or Maharashtra. I
don't want to say anything more. I leave it to them.
Q. Do you feel you
will be eventually arrested?
A. I may or may not be. I am not worried. I have warned of the
consequences. My only condition is that I want to be lodged in a cell with
Indian style toilet. I won't accept the western commode.
|
