DO YOUR BIT!

I despise regionalistic politics. And so I despise Raj Thackeray and his politics. Having lived in Bombay (Yes, I still like calling my city Bombay) since six, there is little I haven’t seen. What happens in Bombay affects every Indian in some way or the other.

Over the last few days, much of the media has been have focusing on the language of the course that his son, Amit Thackeray, will be taking. I fear that the media will corner the young man into taking Marathi as his medium of learning.

We know the law. A person is free to choose his life. Amit Thackeray should be free to choose his life and medium of study. I’m not surprised that Raj Thackeray hasn’t appealed to the media to leave his son alone. Indian political parties seem to love any sort of publicity. All the MNS has said till now is “He went there as a parent, not as a politician. I am not aware of the purpose of the visit,. In other words, the MNS doesn’t know what to do about Amit’s decision not to take Marathi . In even better words, this is good for Bombay and probably the Country.

Family opposition to one’s politics cannot be ignored. In a country where dynastic politics seems to be preferred, hormonal awkwardness of any sort should be encouraged (especially the political elite). Imagine a society where the political elite consists of homosexuals, transvestites, peace obsessed and daughters who are forever in the mini-skirt phase. The political elite is bound to set the population free.

The US Federal Marriage Amendment would probably have been passed had Dick Cheney not had a homosexual daughter by the name Mary Cheney. Cuba today would again probably not be openly supporting homosexual rights if Mariela Castro was not so closely associated with the movement against homophobia. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was instrumental in ending his father’s nuclear program in Libya.

Rebellion to family politics could also backfire. Consider how Nepal’s former king and his wife were murdered after not allowing their son to marry Devyani Rana belonged to the Rana family. Or how Alina Fernández Revuelta, Fidel Castro’s daughter, who ran away from Cuba dressed as a Spanish tourist because she became a part of dissident movement in Cuba and for Fidel the revolution always came first.

So for all one might claim, Amit’s choice might have no effect on how the politics in India might play out. However, there remains a chance, small as it might be, that change could come.

See John2010’s other blogs:

Celebrating Baby Thackeray’s decision to study in English

We’re all racists. Can we change?

8 disturbing signs that our elected representatives have forgotten us.

How comrade whistle blower lost his ethical virginity

The PM on legal education: What he said and did not say.

The 26/11 Judgement fails the maturity test and how we can still salvage justice.

Confessions of a chronic cheater…

When things go wrong…