Bala Saheb Thakare Left for his Heavenly Abode at 86 !

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Bal Thakare, who was fondly known as a Bala Saheb Thakare was a one of the Powerful and straight forward politicians of Indian politics. He formed the Political party Shiv Sena which was started for the rights of Marathi people in Mumbai, which later on taken up the issue of ‘Hinduism’ on its agenda. Bal Thakare born in 1926, having got inspired by David Low started his career as a Cartoonist in free press Journal ,Mumbai. But soon he had to quit that job to start his own Political weekly tabloid - ‘Marmik’. Under the influence of his father Keshav Sitaram Thakare’ who was a leading figure in ‘Samyukta Maharashtra Movement’ , Bal Thakare taken up the work of creating separate Linguistic State of Maharashta. He used his weekly ‘Marmic’ in campaigning against the growing influence of Gujarathis, Marwaris and South Indians in Mumbai. He cleverly used the tool of ‘Marathi Maanush’ and in 1966 he formed a political party where he advocated strongly the place of Maharashtrians in Mumbai’s political and professional landscape. The main motto of Shiv Sena was to fight for the rights of native Maharashtrians. The early objective was to ensure job security for local Maharashtrians competing against immigrants from South India, Gujarathis and Marwaris. In 1989 he launched a News Paper “Samana’, Shiv Sena was anti Communist Party and it has snatched the power of controlling the trade Unions from Communist Party of India in Mumbai and demanded protection money from Gujrathi and Marwadi business leaders. Shivsena got allied with BJP on common issues of ‘Hinduism’ and they won the Maharastra State Assembly elections in 1995, and Bala Saheb Thakre has taken the remote control of power in government policies and decisions his hands. During this time the name of Bombay city was converted to Mumbai. Bala Saheb was a controversial figure and known for his straight forward and bold speeches against the immigrants in Mumbai. He was banned from contesting elections and even from casting his vote in December 1999 for next six years. Having lost his wife and elder son Bindu Madhav in 1996, he had to get his son Uddav Thakre in to politics to lead the party in 2006. Got displeased with this decision his nephew Raj Thakre formed his own party Maharashtra Nav Nirman Sena. Because of which Shiv Sena incurred a loss of many seats in 2010 elections. There after Shiv Sena was struggling to come back into power. Bal Thakare suffered from breathlessness in the month of July 2012 and he was admitted in Leelavati Hospital, he got cured of the illness. Bal Thakre expired on 17th November of Cardio- respiratory arrest at the age of 86. This great leader’s funeral was attended by 2.00,000 people at Shivaji Park, Dadar where he was accorded a state funeral on 18th of November 2012. May the soul of this great leader rest in peace. ‘The Tiger ‘Bala Saheb Thakare Left for his Heavenly Abode at 86!