Raj is not the issue

Politics is a game that rewards well if played well and Raj Thackeray is a man who understands this. When you can't compete on the absolutes of the market of politics i.e. better governance, better standards of living for people, better facilities and better law and order, then you need to bend the market and that is exactly what Raj has done. He is walking on the same path as his uncle Bal Thackeray. Once you create a controversy and get in the eye of the public, you can later on tilt the subject in such a way that no one bothers to remember how it all started, in the meantime you get the attention from media and people.

Of course there are several important issues to work on in Maharashtra which should take priority over the ones that Raj takes a dig on. But, those issues are monotonous and the public is already wary of them. If Raj talks about good governance and improvement of law and order, he cannot create the media buzz, the public won't come back to hear him again as they know very well that such promises are not meant to be kept irrespective of who makes them and there is very little they can do in this regard without putting in efforts. But, when the issue changes to one in which immediate action is possible, the public is interested.

Actually such issues give the public an excuse to hide their failures. When people lose jobs due to incompetence, they find it difficult to digest. They start finding excuses and people like Raj Thackeray give them a reason which they accept easily even if they know deep down that it is just an excuse. Any one who speaks against that reason is an enemy. Not all people are visionaries or well educated. They fail to understand that market forces take the best path possible in the long run. When the industrial revolution came along, it is true that workers were afraid machines will take over their jobs but look at what happened. Machines did take up the monotonous jobs but helped create new jobs in multiples of the jobs lost. We are advancing from mechanical world to a world of information, knowledge and value addition. In today's world it is imperative that you continuously learn and develop your skill sets not just to advance but to survive.

If the jobs of construction laborers is taken up by north Indians in Maharashtra it is because the standard of living in Maharashtra has increased to such a level that a Maharashtrian cannot exist on the meager income of a construction laborer. Hence, Maharashtrians need to develop their skill set further and advance to skill set tier and take up better jobs. North Indians cannot displace Maharashtrians unless they have something more to offer, either better work or work at lower wages. In such cases Darwin's law comes into play i.e. survival of the fittest. In every market competition drives prices down and improves quality. That is the way the market works. When one tries to control market forces, we have seen what happens. When all north Indians quit and go back, do we have enough Maharashtrians to replace them? Then there will be a shortage of laborers driving their wages sky high. That means a loss to construction companies, delays in completion of projects, in short weakening of the industry. This would see a decrease in incentive for businessmen to get into the business and plan expansions. This equivalent to cutting the goose that lays golden eggs.

The public cannot understand this but surely Raj Thackeray with his political acumen understands this. But, it is not to his advantage to bring this to the public eye. And that is natural for politicians to do so Raj is no exception. If Raj is not the issue then what is? The issue is the slack law and order system in the country is the issue. When Raj makes statements that cause riots, there is delay in prosecuting him, the police are not sure how to deal with him and the courts work at their own lethargic pace. Freedom of speech implies that Raj does have the right to speak his mind but, slackness is maintaining law and order by the government is the key issue. Rioters are let off with minor fines and this gives them all the more confidence to do it again. When people are threatened by MNS activists, why are they afraid to go to the police? That is the real issue. Whether Raj was right or wrong is another issue but in a democracy, he has the right to place his thoughts on the table. In a democracy, we cannot restrict anyone to speak because then we head towards dictatorship.

Democracy works by seeking for a balance with political leaders fighting for their own group of followers divided on the line of caste, income levels, etc. So, it is not extra-ordinary for Raj to take up a stand for Maharashtrians. His fiery talk is also not the issue, his followers taking it to themselves to enforce his thoughts and getting away with it is the prime issue. If the law and order system works efficiently, Raj's followers would have thought twice before beating up someone. But, they know whatever happens, there is always a way to bribe oneself out of the clutches of law or get freed by some unknown power equation between the top officials of the party and the law enforcers.

Due to his latest speech, students in Pune are afraid to continue to live here. The question is why are they afraid? It is not because Raj is powerful but because the law enforcement agencies are extremely weak. Picture this, the rally organized by Raj recently in Pune was illegal as the permission to hold it was denied days before the rally yet, the rally took place under the supervision of the police!

So, before you discuss Raj and the right and wrong about his speeches, it is worthwhile to question the performance of the elected government and the role played by us, the public, in making the government understand that this is not acceptable to us.

As for those who believe in Raj, think about what would such a man do once he comes in power. He would shut Maharashtra from the rest of the country and the world. Today the issue is of north Indians but tomorrow it could be for non-Maharashtrians and then the foreigners. There would be no tourism, no foreign investment, no national industries and Maharashtra will become a secluded region. Is this your vision for Maharashtra? Yes or no is for you to decide after all, we live in a democracy where "the majority rules"