Kurla Bus Shootout : A Rang De Basanti?

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

The shoot-out at Kurla where a Bihari youth Rahul Raj was gunned down after he had taken a BEST bus hostage had startling similarities with the movie Rang De Basanti. As like the movie Rahul was gunned down by the police even before he could tell the world the reasons for his violent action. Rahul Raj was a by-product of the divisive politics played in Maharashtra in the last few months. The admiration might hail it as a victory but is a defeat for the society at large.

The shooting has raised many questions. Wasn't it possible to arrest the youth rather than shoot him?. Why was no such action initiated against the MNS workers when they went on a rampage and took the law in its own hand? Why did the government and the state machinery have reluctance to arrest Raj Thackrey after time and again he was instigating communal tension? Does Vilasrao Deshmukh lack the courage to deal with the Raj and his hooligan MNS even if it means thousands of innocent lives?

It is true that the admiration had to take action against a person who had taken law in his own hands but MNS has done the same thing in the last few months. Where was the admiration when thousands of people hailing from North India particularly Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were being targeted in broad daylight. Both the MNS and the government are the reasons that a man with no criminal background took up arms.

The politicians should understand that divisive politics is a track with no end. In future Bihar and UP might become investment centres, will than Raj Thackrey issue advisory for all the Marathis to not go there for a better life. As far as the Deshmukh government is concerned only time will say if more shootouts are ordered when some goons being led by a mindless and selfish politician are targeting the poor people.