The Hindu Business Line : Do not play with fire!

How any group of people in the guise of thinking human beings can still resort to manifestly insensate attacks against fellow human beings passes all understanding. How Mumbai, the city that has traditionally extended its warm hospitality to Indians from every part of the country, could fall a prey to regional chauvinism of the most obnoxious kind is much more of a puzzle.

And, yet, it was in this cosmopolitan, large-hearted capital of Maharashtra, the land of many illustrious colossuses of the freedom movement who exemplified the redolent spirit of national unity, that the Shiv Sena, instigating hostility and violence against the so-called outsiders, has taken roots and shored up enough political clout to be courted by power-seekers. Its offshoot, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), is now out-Heroding Herod, and has let loose an orgy of hatred against North Indians in a city known for catholicity, brotherhood and fellow-feeling.

One can be sure that an overwhelming number of Mumbaikars as also Maharashtrians will have nothing but the utmost revulsion for this naked display of brutishness on the part of a minuscule section of lumpen elements of the population. It is good that both the national and the local media have shown commendable sense of responsibility and restraint in reporting the ugly incidents of the last few days.

This is no time for political parties to jump into the fray on their own, as the Samajwadi Party has done. They will, thereby, be only provoking retaliation by the hate-mongers who love nothing better than an excuse for indulging in their spree of vandalism and vendettas. All political parties and the civil society organisations should now combine to condemn the wanton stoking of the fires of parochialism by the likes of Raj Thackeray and issue a warning that if the MNS persisted in playing with fire, it will not be too long before the nation is engulfed in a conflagration.

The primary responsibility to put down all such poisonous tendencies rests on the State Government. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh, has outwardly expressed his determination to take stern action, but evidence of his living up to those brave words is up till now slender. There are complaints of the police watching the depredations by ruffians as mute spectators, and it is essential that the State government makes an example of officials who have been remiss in giving protection to citizens and dealing with the culprits with an iron hand.

Under Article 19 of the Constitution, all citizens have the right to move freely throughout the territory of India and to reside and settle in any part of the country. Article 14 makes it a mandatory obligation of the State to give equal protection of the laws to all citizens. Mr Deshmukh must remember that any seeming tardiness, indifference or inaction on the part of the State Government will be clearly violative of the Constitution.

The Centre has been boasting that the laws on the statute book are quite capable of taking care of any threats to security. Here is a litmus test of its earnestness to prevail upon the State Government to come down with a heavy hand on the MNS by invoking the legislation meant to curb unlawful activities and/or safeguard national security.

B. S. RAGHAVAN

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