BOMBAY: A rabid fascist party, the Shiv Sena, an Indian fascist outfit, has mounted a public campaign against all those whether Muslims or Hindus who recently responded to a Pakistan embassy invitation to celebrate Pakistan Day in New Delhi. Even the BJP chief Murli Manohar Joshi was the target of the Sena attacks, Sena Chief BAL Thackeray openly condemned Joshi for responding to the invitation. BAL told daily here that the B.J.P, chief should apologize to the country for shaking hands with “enemies of India.” BAL further said that people like Joshi were behaving like fools when Muslims were becoming extremely powerful. Bal Thackeray even called for the boycott of all films showing film actor Dalip Kumar and actress Shabans Azmi although the two did not respond to the Pakistan invitation. But the Shiv Sena has followed up its call for the boycott of the films in which was one of those who had gone to the Pak function. Hangal, a respected name in the Indian film industry, when contacted by a newsman, was in tears, He said he had done nothing unpatriotic by visiting the Pak mission. He was keen on visiting his place of birth in Pakistan. Hangal said he was in the after math of his life and it was his childhood dream to visit his birthplace. He had gone to Pak mission in pursuance of that ambition. He deeply regretted the Sena’s. Boycott call, a member of the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Associated said: “It is nothing but goondaism. How was the producer to know 20 years ago when a film was made that one of its actors would visit the Pak embassy to invite boycott of the film with which he had no connection now?” But a director of a film boycotted by Shiv Sena, Ramesh Sippy, said that no one had the guts to face the Sena. This militant Hindu organization is patronized by Maharashtra chief minister Sharad Pawar who as defence minister until a few weeks ago had ensured that the Sena was not banned by India even after BAL Thackeray had openly claimed responsibility for the destruction of Babri masjid by his group’s volunteers. He had also called for the eviction of Muslims from Bombay. Shiv Senaks had a role to play in the anti-Muslim rioting which left more than 2000 Muslims dead in December 1992 January 1993.

Article extracted from this publication >>  April 16, 1993