The outrage, though justified, is long overdue!

Far from being a lion in winter, Bal Thackeray is increasingly displaying signs of dotage and the petulance that accompanies it.And like the once powerful lion that has been vanquished by a younger and far stronger rival he finds himself increasingly bereft of support or adulation.Stung by the humiliating losses in the recent elections in Maharashtra, he has once again adopted a strategy that can only appeal to the lumpen elements(of whom there are many)in his party.A policy that admittedly paid dividends in the past but one that reeks of desparation now.

What prompted Thackeray latest shenanigans?To those of you who are unfamiliar with the game of cricket, India has a player who is held in awe and reverence.His name is Sachin Tendulkar and recently he completed twenty years playing test cricket;a singular achievement by any standards.Now Sachin like any intelligent sportsman has done all that is needed to maximize his earnings.And part of his strategy has been to stay away from anything controversial.No one can blame him for with annual earnings in excess of USD 50 million, he is smart to do nothing to jeopardize his income.A few days ago, Tendulkar made what by any yardstick is an absolutely benign statement.He stated that though he was a proud Maharashtrian he was an Indian first.But Bal Thackeray who has never been known for making a sane or rational argument immediately pilloried Tendulkar stating that the latter had besmirched Marathi pride!The derision that greeted this outrageous decree was near unanimous and Thackeray has been left licking his wounds.

As much as I share the concern of the rest of us, I must confess that I am not only bemused but more importantly disappointed that it took so long for the people of this country to express their outrage, for Thackeray is guilty of far more heinous crimes than this.Right from the days he targeted South Indians in Matunga, his brand of politics has been responsible for violence and mayhem.And the bitter truth is that the Muslim community has been victimized more than anyone else.

Where was the outrage when he orchestrated the riots in Bhiwandi which were started to destroy the economic livelihood of Muslims?Except for a courageous few, there was shameful silence and complicity, when the goons of the Sena and the members of the police colluded to systematically attack, rape and murder Muslims in the riots in Bombay in 1993.Why has no action been taken on the basis of the SRIKRISHNA report which clearly mentions those responsible for the buthchery in Bombay?Time and again Thackeray has exhorted his followers to attack Muslims but still no action has been taken.In an interview with Anita Pratap and published in TIME magazine in 1992, Thackeray stated that Muslims in India should meet the same fate as the Jews in Nazi Germany.And yet there was no outrage!I would have been proud if these incidents had provoked a brave and spirited response;had that happened the pogrom in Gujarat may have been prevented or at the very least the Butcher of Gujarat brought to justice.

And finally, shame on you Bal Thackeray for cynically trying to exploit the name of Sunil Gavaskar.Gavaskar, if you remember, was the man who single handedly and courageously saved the Muslims in his apartment complex from slaughter at the hands of the Sena goons.Your brand of politics is anathema not only to him but to all decent people.Lest you forget, let me remind you that dotage, like everything else finally leads to death.Pray that when that happens GOD shows you the mercy that you denied your hapless victims.