Remembering Balasaheb

The late Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray, whose birth centenary celebrations commenced on Friday, was a leader who left behind a unique legacy.

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While other political parties only made empty promises, Balasaheb recognised that unemployment among Marathi youths was a burning issue and decided to tackle it ina militant manner. He formed the Shiv Sena (army of Chhatrapati Shivaji) in June 1966 and promised to give justice to bhoomiputras, or sons of the soil. The nation-alisation of private banks and the massive expansion of the banking, insurance, and engineering sectors had opened up employment opportunities in Mumbai. But the Marathi youth felt left out because most of the jobs were cornered by “outsiders”, as non-Marathis were described. Thackeray asked Shiv Sainiks to agitate against this perceived injustice. “Marmik”, the magazine edited by him, regularly published lists of non-Marathis employed in different government companies. The Marathi middle class took the cue and, under the leaders