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The Rediff Special/ Syed Firdaus Ashraf

Yeh Hain Mumbai Meri Jaan!

In Maharashtra, it is open season between Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray and estranged protégé Chhagan Bhujbal. And, as everyone knows, all's fair in love and war. That, naturally, includes disinformation at best and white lies at worst, at which politicians excel anyway.

Thus on Tuesday, with the ten-day Thackeray arrest drama reaching its climax (and quick anti-climax) the art of 'disinformation' was on public display once again, with claims and counterclaims about whether the Sena supremo had surrendered or was arrested.

Naturally, Deputy Chief Minister Bhujbal said the Bombay police had arrested Thackeray. The Thackeray camp maintained he had not been arrested, but had himself called Police Commissioner Mahesh Narain Singh and asked to be taken to court.

Now you know why journalists have such trouble with the truth.

Talking of journalists, they are ever willing to go to any extent to have their way. Outside the courtroom, a police officer said no journalist would be allowed inside. A reporter promptly pulled out his cellular phone and called M N Singh. "Singh saab, yeh policewale humko andar nahin jaane de rahen hain (These policemen are not allowing us to cover the proceedings)." Ten minutes later, the same deputy commissioner of police who had obstructed the press returned, suitably chastened, and told the reporters that they could enter the courtroom.

Poor legislators. People tend to think they are above the hoi polloi. When Thackeray's case was to be heard, some Shiv Sena MLAs and MLCs found out to their cost that it need not always be so. They arrived at the courtroom in style, all decked up for the occasion. And were promptly shown the door by the police.

The only place where Home Minister Bhujbal forgot to provide adequate protection on Tuesday was the Maharashtra assembly. And that was where the Sena struck, with its legislators even smashing the speaker's chair and mace and microphone. Thus, while the entire city remained peaceful under a tight security cordon, Sena MLAs had a field day in the Vidhan Bhavan. Bhujbal had better be more careful the next time.

As news of Thackeray's arrest spread, Bombay was gripped by fear. But there was no violence, except for some minor incidents of stone pelting. Naturally, again, both sides claimed credit for the calm. Bhujbal, pointing to the calm later, said it rubbished the Sena's claim that the state and even the entire country would go up in flames if its leader was arrested. The Sena camp, on the other hand, said it was Thackeray's appeal to his 'boys' not to disturb the peace.

Bhoiwada is not well-known in Bombay. But on Tuesday, all eyes were on this middle class precinct in north central Bombay. The entire area was cordoned off as the state government expected trouble. Guess when was the last time so much attention had focussed on the Bhoiwada court? More than 15 years ago, when ganglord Vardaraja Mudaliar was produced there.

Bhoiwada must have been the only area in all Bombay that enjoyed a holiday on Tuesday. How? Because they knew right from early morning that Tuesday was to be the day when Thackeray would be produced in court. How again? Simple. Because the police had cordoned off the area and asked residents not to park any vehicles on the streets. That itself told alert residents that something was afoot and they wisely decided to stay home for the day. "We have all been relaxing since morning," said Sudhir Patkar, a resident. "Why go out and risk your life for no reason?" Wisely put.

A strange thing happened with the Thackeray case coming up for hearing on Tuesday. All the phone lines in the city were jammed. No one knows the reason. Or no one is telling. Some policemen claimed it was done to prevent rumours from spreading. Even cellular phones went dead. But, a resident wondered, would the jamming of telephone lines really stop rumours from spreading? Guess the home minister will have to answer that one. Or will the ball be tossed back into the commissioner's court on that one?

Now that the Sena chief has been released and the case against him brought to an end, taxpayers must file a public interest petition against the state government, said a wag. For why? To recover the expense incurred on the massive deployment of security in the city and other parts of the state. All for a matter that ultimately turned out to be a damp squib. Naturally, the Maharashtra taxpayer will bear the brunt of the drama.

The Rediff Specials

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