The rise of a new Kashmir-Along the west coast

India, in a lot of ways shares similarities with Europe. Europe is a large mass of land with its population being racially similar all across the continent but it is divided into groups of people having different langauge, different history, different cuisines and thus being run by different democratic governments. Likewise in India, people are racially similar all across the sub-continent having cultural, linguistic differences. But unlike Europeans, the Indians, despite the diversities stand united under a common tri colour.
But how these diversities be used for selfish political gains was perhaps not so well known to me untill the introduction of 'Mumbai for marathi manoos' campaign by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief, Mr. Raj Thackeray. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, or the MNS, is a break-away faction of the Shiv Sena having ideological similarities. Having been wiped out at BMC elections soon after the formation of his party, the MNS chief decided to take the role of the 'Marathi Protector' using offensive and derogatory language against North Indians, asking them to quit Mumbai, humiliating and retorting to physical voilence. Even Mr. Bachchan was not spared for being a North Indian. The result- His party opened its account at the assembly elections grabbing 13 seats, to which, had there been a MNS-Sena combine, the polls would have been swept by them.
After numerous visits to Mumbai i realised that a lot of the 'Mumbailkars' support and agree to what Sena and MNS have been saying. I remember the time when i joined my first ship as Third Officer, the Officer whom i relieved was from Mumbai. An evening, during the bridge watch, when the ship was at anchor, off Lagos, Nigeria, this issue suddenly found its way into our ongoing conversation. " What Raj Thackeray is saying is right. Mumbai is getting choked. Its over populated. There's hardly any space. Immigrants from U.P and Bihar should not be allowed into Mumbai anymore. Though i donot think his voilent ways are correct." he said. I was quite surprised by his views. As per the statistics, the number of immigrants from U.P and Bihar into Mumbai are far lesser than the immigrants from other regions of Maharashtra into Mumbai. Then how is it that when North Indians come into Mumbai, it gets choked but it doesn't feel any breathlessness when immigrants from their own state come into the city? Why has Raj and his men not been stopping or using his voilent ways in trying to stop immigrants from other parts of Maharashtra entering Mumbai?
     I was in India when 26/11 happened. Watching those images and video clips on the television really disturbed me. I was deeply hurt. More so because it was an attack on us for being what we are...INDIANS. During the processions and candle lit marches to the Gateway of India that followed the siege, i spotted on TV, a banner that read, 'First Ghatkopar, Then 7/11 train blasts and now 26/11. Why only Mumbai'  WHAT???  WHY ONLY MUMBAI??? Does that mean that you don't care if it happens in Delhi, U.P., Kashmir or elsewhere? Does that mean that there are other places to target in India, then why only Mumbai? Terrorism is to be condemned no matter which part of the world it happens in and not to just raise your voice only if it affects your own city.
What Mumbai is following is precisely what happened in Kashmir during its early insurgency days. Non-Kashmiris were killed, thrown out, Kashmir was told to be for Kashmiris only and it proved fatal for a state already divided on the line of religion. It is unlikely that Mumbai will end up the Kashmir way, but it may take a whole new path of defiance, hatred that has never been heard of before.