Bal Thackeray, a Hindu extremist leader linked to waves of mob violence against Muslims and migrant workers in India, died Saturday after an illness of several weeks. He was 86.
It is a well known fact that he was a sectarian and promoter of communalism, who spoke always ill against the Muslim community of world’s largest democracy and spread hatred to grab power in Mumbai. He strongly believed in divide and rule policy, in reality, he did not do anything good for the Hindu community as well, except exploitation and false promises.
He always incited people to resort to violence in Mumbai and surrounding areas. On several occasions he spoke against North Indian migrants and asked his party workers to attack the Hindi-speaking migrants in Mumbai.
His party activists took active part in a number of communal riots and resorted to killing, burning and other sort of destructions at his behest. His controversial and provocative role in the destruction of the Babri Masjid cannot be forgotten.
Now with his death a communal chapter has been closed down, but people will remember his deeds for long time.
On behalf of many oppressed and victims of his (Thackeray’s) atrocities I pray to God to deal with him according to his deeds. — Zakaria Sultan, Riyadh
