Comments on: Bal Thackeray: The firebrand politician who renamed Bombay

By: P N Eswaran

P N Eswaran — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 08:44:47 +0000

You will not understand. You first need to know the meaning of secularism, democracy and at the basic level what a state means.

By: Indian2905

Indian2905 — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 03:04:30 +0000

Ok that means you never had followed your government during 1992-2005 .Ask them they will tell you about Bala Saheb .

By: faz

faz — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:57:10 +0000

I even wonder why Dawn bother to mention him man was full of hate for Pakistan and Muslim .

By: abdul narayan

abdul narayan — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:15:56 +0000

If he was a proud maharashtrian he would have changed his surname to a marathi surname.

By: abdul narayan

abdul narayan — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:14:14 +0000

Some comments suggest that because he did not retract his statements he was great.In my opinion never retracting a statement is to be pig headed.It means he did not have the ability and the intellect to correct any of his wrong views.If he was my son i would have been utterly disappointed.In India unfortunately the masses are like sheep and his skill was being a good sheppard.period.good riddance.

By: Atul

Atul — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:24:58 +0000

Dude, Read again..I am not even Marathi….Thats why i may have some contradiction to his view point. But this does not stop me to look at bigger picture. Some one is leader, a great leader and not every one would support his ideology…But this doesn’t deny his courage..His method could be wrong but atleast he had conviction..Look at ur kolkata…whom do u call leader..Mamta didi..you know well..Ok let’s take Jyoti basu’s case who reign over for 20 years…west bengal lost all his industries however he was a great leader and I admit to his leadership…Whole point is not everyone has to agree with some one’s ideology or leadership…Everyone has his own space,…Atleast bandh in mumbai was not like kolkata where strike and bandh has been the only way ….Again, not against my brothers there, its about at different places and for different issues you need a different type of leadership quality…Hope you get it..

By: Think

Think — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 12:16:20 +0000

Because we in India have a total number of muslims that exceeds the number in Pakistan. Because we have millions of Christians. Because regardless of your religion you can go to colleges, courts and you can vote. There are small factions of discontent everywhere but as a nation we do not have a national religion. We have a secular constitution and our laws are written for everyone without consideration for religion. Becuase our army is a powerful neutral group that fights for our country and our generals do not take over our country. We have our problems but there is much to learn from us.

By: Satosh

Satosh — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 08:13:11 +0000

But our constitution and people in general are aggresively secular. Mumbai even today has more than 3 million muslims who are undoubtedly the largest beneficiaries of any govt. programs or largessee.

By: kausik

kausik — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 07:54:36 +0000

It is truly Ironic that independent India could produce a dictatorial leader like this but for state reorganization through language lead to fragmentation of Indian politics based on regionalism as I lived through that history as Nehru agreed but opposed by Patel..

By: MKB

MKB — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 07:36:35 +0000

Shako, I am also Kolkatan, living in North India. I do not also agree many issues of Bal Thakarey. but he is the only leader I found who do not retracted his views or stand. I heard once he said,” there are two class , poor and rich, it does not matter which religion he posses, poor of all religions are suffer and the rich of all religions prosper” He was not against patriotic Muslims, but against Muslims who ahve different agenda, His objection against outsider mostly Bangladeshi & people from other parts of India is the genuine concern for the people of Maharastra, and all our regional leaders are doing that, may be different way.He is the person of guts, conviction and courage.