Patriotic hooligans on the rampage: Shiv Sena, MNS workers thrash North Indian migrants in Kolhapur // VHP vandalizes art gallery in Ahmedabad
Shopkeepers and migrant workers from North India were attacked in Kolhapur publicly by Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray‘s MNS workers who were purportedly angry about the rape of a two-year-old child on a construction site by a labourer from Jharkhand. According to an NDTV report, two mobs of around fifty people each attacked the labourers, and one elderly man was even pushed to the ground. After the police intervened with batons, the mobs broke up but the area remains tense. Five people have been arrested. Both Shiv Sena and MNS are known for their hate speeches against North Indians, who they insist are stealing jobs from locals.
http://www.firstpost.com/india/shiv-sena-mns-workers-thrash-north-indian-migrants-in-kolhapur-1031111.html
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/mns-shiv-sena-thrash-north-indians-after-baby-raped-in-kolhapur-40531
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Lest We Forget: The violent legacy of Thackeray that neither the crowds nor the TV adulation can hide:
February 1969 Thackeray unleashes his goons against Kannadigas. 59 dead, 274 wounded, 151 cops injured in week of riots.
June 6, 1970 CPI MLA and trade unionist Krishna Desai murdered in first political assassination in the city since 1947.
January 1974 Dalit Panther leader Bhagwat Jadhav brutally killed by Thackeray's men, sparks off war with Dalits.
1975-76 Thackeray shocks colleagues, praises Sanjay Gandhi during the Emergency. By 1977, changes tack.
Jan 1982 Thackeray supports Congress in Great Textile Strike. Breaks ties under duress, goes back three years later.
From 1984 Shiv Sena carries out attacks on Dalit farmers in Vidarbha and Marathwada, destroying crops, burning huts.
1985 Thackeray calls for expulsion of 'outsiders’, proposes 1972 as cut-off date for having moved to Maharashtra.
1985 Cong CM Vasantdada Patil connives to help Shiv Sena win BMC polls with ‘Bombay part of Maharashtra’ issue.
March 1988 The wonderful “saviour of Sikhs” Thackeray calls for a boycott of Sikh businesses in Maharashtra.
1988 Thackeray's 'boycott of Sikhs businesses' idea is quietly abandoned after extorting crores from Sikhs in Mumbai.
October 1991 Thackeray's thugs attack journalists, fracturing one woman's (Manimala) skull with a crowbar.
1991 Thackeray takes it one step further, threatens a local judge who had ruled against his goons with blinding.
1991 Thackeray's Dopahar ka Saamna editorial very sweetly compares women journalists to prostitutes.
1995 Thackeray: "If they have their Dawood, then we have our Arun Gawli." Because all politicos need a personal mafia.
July 1996 The Ramesh Kini murder after long term intimidation. SS-BJP state govt tries to bury investigation.
1997 Kini's wife accuses Raj Thackeray of his murder. HC asked CBI to investigate but Mumbai police destroys evidence.
July 11, 1997 Ten Dalits are killed and over 30 wounded at the Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar massacre. None were armed.
Republic Day, 1997 Two adivasi youths murdered. Adivasi women sexually assaulted by police and SS workers at Talasari.
Late 1990s SS-BJP goverment summarily withdraws over 1,100 cases of atrocities against Dalits in Marathwada.
Ravindra Maradia, curator of International Creative Art Centre, who had brought the show 'An Art Affair' from Mumbai to Ahmedabad for a week, said "what has happened, has happened". He said that the paintings were worth nearly Rs 10 lakh. General secretary of VHP Ranchod Bharwad said, "On one hand Pakistani soldiers are killing our jawans and spewing venom against India. Why should we allow Pakistani artists to display and sell their art here?" One of the foremost painters of Pakistan, often called the 'MF Hussain of Pakistan', Mansoor Rahi's works were on display. He told TOI over phone, "We are sad but this wouldn't deter the artists from either country who will continue to share our works." Irfan Gul Dahri, another acclaimed painter whose works were vandalized, said, "Such incidents have happened before and will continue. I am sure like me, every other painter who participated in this exhibition will continue to have such cultural interactions and exchanges, no matter what. These are minor challenges."
http://www.firstpost.com/india/shiv-sena-mns-workers-thrash-north-indian-migrants-in-kolhapur-1031111.html
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/mns-shiv-sena-thrash-north-indians-after-baby-raped-in-kolhapur-40531
Comment by
Lest We Forget: The violent legacy of Thackeray that neither the crowds nor the TV adulation can hide:
October 30, 1966 Thackeray's first Dusshera rally. A mob leaves the rally later to attack and burn south Indian shops and restaurants. The rally was also addressed by Congress leader Ramrao Adik. Attacks on south Indians were with the backing of CM Vasantrao Naik.
Mumbai 1968 Hindi films brought out by south Indian producers are stopped by Thackeray's Shiv Sainiks.
February 1969 Thackeray unleashes his goons against Kannadigas. 59 dead, 274 wounded, 151 cops injured in week of riots.
June 6, 1970 CPI MLA and trade unionist Krishna Desai murdered in first political assassination in the city since 1947.
January 1974 Dalit Panther leader Bhagwat Jadhav brutally killed by Thackeray's men, sparks off war with Dalits.
1975-76 Thackeray shocks colleagues, praises Sanjay Gandhi during the Emergency. By 1977, changes tack.
Jan 1982 Thackeray supports Congress in Great Textile Strike. Breaks ties under duress, goes back three years later.
From 1984 Shiv Sena carries out attacks on Dalit farmers in Vidarbha and Marathwada, destroying crops, burning huts.
1985 Thackeray calls for expulsion of 'outsiders’, proposes 1972 as cut-off date for having moved to Maharashtra.
1985 Cong CM Vasantdada Patil connives to help Shiv Sena win BMC polls with ‘Bombay part of Maharashtra’ issue.
March 1988 The wonderful “saviour of Sikhs” Thackeray calls for a boycott of Sikh businesses in Maharashtra.
1988 Thackeray's 'boycott of Sikhs businesses' idea is quietly abandoned after extorting crores from Sikhs in Mumbai.
Post 1989 + Mandal riots Thackeray finds a more convenient target for his political purposes: Indian Muslims.
October 1991 Thackeray's thugs attack journalists, fracturing one woman's (Manimala) skull with a crowbar.
1991 Thackeray takes it one step further, threatens a local judge who had ruled against his goons with blinding.
1991 Thackeray's Dopahar ka Saamna editorial very sweetly compares women journalists to prostitutes.
1995 Thackeray: "If they have their Dawood, then we have our Arun Gawli." Because all politicos need a personal mafia.
July 1996 The Ramesh Kini murder after long term intimidation. SS-BJP state govt tries to bury investigation.
1997 Kini's wife accuses Raj Thackeray of his murder. HC asked CBI to investigate but Mumbai police destroys evidence.
July 11, 1997 Ten Dalits are killed and over 30 wounded at the Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar massacre. None were armed.
Republic Day, 1997 Two adivasi youths murdered. Adivasi women sexually assaulted by police and SS workers at Talasari.
Late 1990s SS-BJP goverment summarily withdraws over 1,100 cases of atrocities against Dalits in Marathwada.
“I piss on court judgements. Some people are trying to get a case admitted against me. But I am not afraid of court judgements. Most judges are like plague–ridden rats against whom direct action should be taken”. Thus spoke Thackeray in June 1993, within months of the communal conflagration in Mumbai.
VHP vandalizes art gallery in Ahmedabad for exhibiting Pakistani artists’ paintings AHMEDABAD: Vishwa Hindu Parishad members vandalized an art gallery in Ahmedabad on Friday for exhibiting Pakistani artists' paintings. The attack, VHP later said, was to protest against killing of Indian jawans by Pakistani forces at the border in Kashmir. About 15 VHP members stormed 'The Gallery' at Amdavad ni Gufa around 4.15 pm and damaged 30 paintings after pulling the frames off the walls. The exhibition had paintings of 11 artists from Pakistan and six from India. Police reached the spot after the vandals had left but the organizers were reluctant to file a complaint till late evening. There were no signs that the police wished to be pro-active in the case which was captured live by some local channels. Manoj Ninama, deputy commissioner of police, told TOI that they have not got any names of the vandals.
Ravindra Maradia, curator of International Creative Art Centre, who had brought the show 'An Art Affair' from Mumbai to Ahmedabad for a week, said "what has happened, has happened". He said that the paintings were worth nearly Rs 10 lakh. General secretary of VHP Ranchod Bharwad said, "On one hand Pakistani soldiers are killing our jawans and spewing venom against India. Why should we allow Pakistani artists to display and sell their art here?" One of the foremost painters of Pakistan, often called the 'MF Hussain of Pakistan', Mansoor Rahi's works were on display. He told TOI over phone, "We are sad but this wouldn't deter the artists from either country who will continue to share our works." Irfan Gul Dahri, another acclaimed painter whose works were vandalized, said, "Such incidents have happened before and will continue. I am sure like me, every other painter who participated in this exhibition will continue to have such cultural interactions and exchanges, no matter what. These are minor challenges."
