What truly set apart the deaths of Bal Thackeray and Ajmal Kasab was not the time or distance between their occurrences, but rather, the reception that they received by the general public. While the former's demise saw lakhs of mourners gather in the streets of Mumbai and generated words of condolence from all and sundry across the political, corporate, entertainment and other aspects of public life; the latter's drew thousands to celebrate joyously by bursting crackers and distributing sweets, with some even saying the death took too long in coming.
Both men were religious fanatics, or at least behaved as such. While Thackeray may not have killed anyone personally in his life, he was directly or indirectly responsible for more deaths in Mumbai than the 166 that Kasab was given the noose for. Kasab was a part of a 3-day 10-man blitzkrieg on the city of Mumbai, while Thackeray ran the city like his personal fiefdom for decades, using gangs of hundreds and thousands to instill fear in whoever he chose to brand as anti-Maharashtra at the time of his choosing.
Kasab confessed to his crimes and provided information about his handlers in Pakistan, information India can leverage (not that it has successfully done much with it yet) in its relations with its neighbour. Thackeray publicly confessed his admiration for Hitler and used mobs of rioting youth to paint a cosmopolitan city his own version of saffron.
Even after he was hanged, Kasab's photographs were stamped upon and burnt in processions in various parts of the country. Voices of dissent, those opposing the death penalty in principle, were called anti-patriotic. And even in his death, Thackeray's followers caused Mumbai to shut down for at least two days. Someone who refused to deify this architect of communal divisions, let alone insult him, was promptly arrested.
Not that it justifies his actions, but at least Kasab could be thought of as a misguided young fool. Thackeray's crime, however, was misguiding young fools like Kasab. Good riddance, I say.
Not that this blog is nearly as popular or famous, but now, should I wait for the police to come knocking? :P
Both men were religious fanatics, or at least behaved as such. While Thackeray may not have killed anyone personally in his life, he was directly or indirectly responsible for more deaths in Mumbai than the 166 that Kasab was given the noose for. Kasab was a part of a 3-day 10-man blitzkrieg on the city of Mumbai, while Thackeray ran the city like his personal fiefdom for decades, using gangs of hundreds and thousands to instill fear in whoever he chose to brand as anti-Maharashtra at the time of his choosing.
Kasab confessed to his crimes and provided information about his handlers in Pakistan, information India can leverage (not that it has successfully done much with it yet) in its relations with its neighbour. Thackeray publicly confessed his admiration for Hitler and used mobs of rioting youth to paint a cosmopolitan city his own version of saffron.
Even after he was hanged, Kasab's photographs were stamped upon and burnt in processions in various parts of the country. Voices of dissent, those opposing the death penalty in principle, were called anti-patriotic. And even in his death, Thackeray's followers caused Mumbai to shut down for at least two days. Someone who refused to deify this architect of communal divisions, let alone insult him, was promptly arrested.
Not that it justifies his actions, but at least Kasab could be thought of as a misguided young fool. Thackeray's crime, however, was misguiding young fools like Kasab. Good riddance, I say.
Not that this blog is nearly as popular or famous, but now, should I wait for the police to come knocking? :P
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