‘If someone fiddles us on our religion then we will pay back five times more to that person. We have proved that time and again.’
Amit Raj Thackeray is making his debut in the Maharashtra assembly elections from Mahim in north central Mumbai.
The mild-mannered 32 year old is a contrast to his fiery father, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray.
“I wanted to do film production or something behind the camera. I always wanted to know what is going on behind the camera. The other option was doing something in football,” Amit tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com when asked if he always wanted to be a politician.
The MNS began with a bang in March 2006. In 2009 it had 13 MLAs but for the last 10 years its political graph has declined.
My father started with the noblest of intentions and we did get good results soon. However, every party goes through a downfall and ours too began 10 years ago. But what we got in such a short span, no other party in Maharashtra achieved. Now, we are gearing up to win elections and winning the trust of people to come back.
Your party won the Nashik municipality and did good work by changing the face of the city. However, the MNS was later ousted from power. Did that disappoint you because voters did not re-elect your party?
Yes, it did in a way. I feel we must have fallen short somewhere. It was the only corporation in Maharashtra where we ruled and had no corruption charge against us. We solved the water problems of the city during our tenure. The botanical garden of Nashik was developed by us and the late Ratan Tataji helped us set it up. People used to love that place and I have spent time over there. We laid roads of 500 km that didn’t have potholes when we ruled Nashik city.
Even today your father’s rallies are well attended, but people don’t vote for your party. What is the party leadership’s thinking on this?
In 2017 we did not fight the Mumbai municipal elections which we should have fought. This is because I was seriously ill. I know what my father must have gone through. We did not give our 100 percent as a party that time.
At the same time (the undivided) Shiv Sena took away seven municipal councillors who had won on an MNS ticket. And look at the audacity, they are talking of ‘khoke‘ and ‘gaddars (horse-trading and backstabbers) today to Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde).
Are you worried about the division in Maharashtrian votes between the two Shiv Senas and the MNS?
No, I am not worried about this division of votes. I am putting in 100 percent of my effort with honesty.
I wanted to contest against the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) because I did not want to go solo in the elections with no opponents.
I believe people should have options in a democracy. And they have the right to decide.
One thing that sets the MNS apart from your opponents is that you are not announcing any freebies.
What will people do when Majhi Laadki Bahin Yojana money stops? And, Laadki Bahin Yojana money will stop some time. This is the people’s money.
Nobody gives in writing how many years the Laadki Bahin Yojana money will be deposited in people’s bank accounts.
When you give a person free money that person gets used to it. And the repercussion is tremendous when that free money stops. So, I say it is better you give these Laadki Bahins employment from where they can earn money.
You sound like Margaret Thatcher who said, ‘The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.’
Yes, exactly. That is a very good quote.
And what happens when the payment stops? If you stop getting free money you will be handicapped.
Take Maha Vikas Aghadi policies. They opposed the Laadki Bahin Yojana initially but when they realised it is catching up with women voters they increased the amount to Rs 3,000 per month in their election manifesto. This makes no sense because this kind of free money impacts inflation.
Freebies need to stop. Where we need Laadki Bahin is that women should feel safe. When a rape suspect who raped a five-year-old girl is killed by police officers then the police officers who did the encounter of that man were being questioned by police officers.
Laadki Bahin means every woman should feel safe like my own sister should feel.
What is ‘asurakshit‘ (not safe) Maharashtrians according to your party advertisement?
For me rapes of women happening all over the state is an asurakshit Maharashtrian. If we do not take action against rapists soon, rapists get emboldened.
You need to set an example against rapists by giving some stringent action immediately.
Another thing is the drug supply in a city like Mumbai and other places in Maharashtra. This drug menace is penetrating our system, thus making the lives of Maharashtrians insecure. This has nothing to do with caste or religion.
You never criticise your opponents.
My father too does not make harsh criticism. He makes constructive criticism and I too believe in it.
The Opposition calls me childish and such things but I do not respond to them because it is a waste of time. I don’t want the media to take my quote on such issues and run back to my opponents (for their reactions).
Do you feel your opponents are criticising you only to provoke you?
They want to criticise and come into the limelight for a day or two. If they want to do that, let them chamko (seek the limelight).
However, such comments do not have a shelf life of more than a day or two.
What is the brief your father gave you before elections?
He told me to go door to door and campaign. Talk to people and tell them what you are going to do for them.
One area in your constituency is dominated by the Muslim community. After your father’s call last year on Gudi Padwa about an illegal dargah being set up in Mahim it was demolished the next day.
I don’t think anything which is illegal should be a problem for me. Raj Saab showed in a video at the rally that a small stone was set up first, soon the size of that stone got bigger and bigger which led to occupying illegal space in Mahim.
Already there is one dargah in Mahim and the first chaddar that is placed during the urs is by our police officers.
MNS does not look at such issues through the binary of Hindu-Muslim. I too go to dargahs when I am invited.
But you cannot build an illegal structure to just show your strength.
What was the intention? With whose permission did you construct that illegal structure? Which government department gave you permission? Therefore, we felt it needs to stop.
You are not talking of ‘batenge toh katenge‘ like the BJP does. Is that a strategy?
We know how to protect our religion. If someone fiddles us on our religion then we will pay back five times more to that person. We have proved that time and again.
Maharashtra being a developed state is the issue that we are focusing on.
But then you get statements from Raj Thackeray that the loudspeakers in mosques for azaan must be removed.
Yes, it has to be removed. It is not a religious issue but a social issue.
If you are keeping loudspeakers outside temples then that too is wrong. Prayers must be done inside the temple. We pray inside the temple and move out quietly.
Why do you want others to hear azaan? Even Muslims are suffering from azaan call. One Muslim came to meet my father and he said his child is sick and he keeps awake because of azaan at odd hours. Therefore, my father took up this issue.
Moreover, the Supreme Court says you cannot have loudspeakers disturbing anyone between 10 pm and 6 am. There has to be a sound limit. You will never hear any such noise from mandirs between 10 pm and 6 am.
Did you always want to be a politician?
I wanted to do film production or something behind the camera. I always wanted to know what is going on behind the camera. The other option was doing something in football.
Like your father who is a cartoonist at heart?
Yes, I too did caricatures but now I have stopped that completely. I am too busy in my work now.
What is the most satisfying thing you found while campaigning?
Meeting people and seeing their happy faces is priceless. They look at me with hope and this gives me an extra push. Their love keeps me pushing to good work.
The MNS is contesting 137 seats. Is it not too many?
No, because we spoke to our party leaders across Maharashtra and decided to contest in these many seats.
We are the second largest party to contest the maximum number of seats. The BJP is contesting 149 assembly seats, the Congress is contesting 103 seats.
IMAGE: Amit Thackeray with family members after filing his nomination, October 28, 2024. On the right is father-in-law Dr Sanjay Borude, a well-known bariatric surgeon. On the left is mother Sharmila Thackeray and beside him is wife Mitali Borude. Photograph: ANI/X
It is being said the MNS will play spoilsport against the Shiv Sena (UBT) in 25 seats which will eventually benefit the BJP.
We can say the same thing about the Shiv Sena (UBT). They are playing spoilsport for us. We too will lose votes because of them.
But we do not see it that way as we are an individual party and contesting on our own strength.
Devendra Fadnavis said Eknath Shinde offered you a seat in the legislative council but you refused and decided to contest elections.
I have no idea about this offer, but I would have refused any way. I would have loved to contest and win which I am doing now. I don’t believe in freebies (smiles).
The MNS was once feared all over Mumbai. Do you feel that fear is missing now?
What happened to azaan? The volume of azaan has reduced in many cities of Maharashtra. If you speak to police officials you will know the reality. In many places loudspeakers have been removed from mosques.
Raj Sahab has said that once we come to power we will stop the morning loudspeaker azaan permanently.