SOWING THE WIND
Sujata Anandan’s explosive book looks at how the Shiv Sena changed Mumbai and puts the spotlight on Bal Thackeray’s role in the riots of January 1993. An excerpt
In the days before the advent of technology and television channels in the country, it was among the most original of stings ever mounted on any politician – and with deadly effect. Had it not been for Yuvraj Mohite, then a young reporter with Mahanagar, a Marathi evening newspaper which had taken on Bal Thackeray in no uncertain terms, the truth about Thackeray’s involvement and complicity in the riots might never have come to light.
Mohite had wandered into the office of the then mayor of Bombay, Chandrakant Handore, after working hours on the evening of 8 January 1993 when sporadic incidents of violence were already being reported from some parts of the metropolis. The first spell of riots in December 1992 had been bad enough and Handore was worried about the situation getting out of hand... Handore... was very glad to see Mohite. He needed help to draft an appeal – to be signed by leaders from both the Hindu and Muslim communities – asking people to maintain peace and harmony and avoid getting into conflicts with each other. He asked Mohite to write out the appeal... Once done, both set off for the homes of these leaders. It is a sad commentary on the state of the Muslim community in those days that they had no leader. So Handore could find none better than Haji Mastan to sign the appeal. Mastan was a notorious smuggler of his times... He signed the appeal readily enough and Handore now moved towards the home of the leader who would have been able to stop the riots from happening by just lifting a telephone but who, on the contrary, was using three instruments to do just the opposite...
In the days before mobile technology, Thackeray was speaking on several telephones almost at the same time. The phones would not stop ringing and every time one rang, he would pick up the receiver and direct various Shiv Sena shakha pramukhs on how to mobilize their forces in various parts of the city to mount attacks on the Muslim community.
‘We must teach these landyas (his derogatory word for minorities) a lesson. They are getting too arrogant by far! They must not be allowed to get away.’
He also called up a minister in the Naik government, considered close to Sharad Pawar, to let him know in no uncertain terms that he thought it was Pawar who was ordering the riots. When Thackeray could finally take a breath, he asked Handore what business he had at Matoshree. Handore extended the appeal to Thackeray. The Sena leader was outraged that the mayor should have gone to Haji Mastan before coming to him and refused to sign the statement, point-blank. A chastised and numbed Handore silently exited Matoshree an hour later with Mohite at his heels. As he dropped the reporter off at his office in Mahim, he told Mohite: ‘You have heard nothing and seen nothing. You will not write about what has just happened.’
Mohite, however, did write out his story... But... his editor thought the report would... set the entire city on fire and lead to an immeasurable tragedy. Instead, he decided to call the chief minister and warn him about what Thackeray was planning... Nothing was done. By 11 January, Bombay was well and truly on fire...