Maharashtra Navnirman Sena

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र नवनिर्माण सेना, Maharashtra Reconstruction Army; “Navnirman” may also mean “Rejuvenation” and “Renewal”) is a regional political party operating in Maharashtra, India. It was founded on the 9th of March 2006 in Mumbai after splitting of the parent party Shiv Sena. Its president and founder is Raj Thackeray.

Foundation

The party was founded by Raj Thackeray, nephew of Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray. Raj Thackeray resigned from his uncle’s party in January 2006 and announced his intention to start a new political party. The reason given by him for breaking away from the Shiv Sena was that the latter was “run by petty clerks” because of which it had “fallen from its former glory”.

At the time of the party’s foundation, Raj Thackeray stated that he does not want to have hostilities with his uncle who “was, is and always will be (his) mentor”.

Elected representative

Since the party’s foundation in 2006, 4 Municipal Corporations have seen elected representatives of MNS.

Controversies

2008 violence against North Indians in Maharashtra

In February 2008, some MNS activists clashed with Samajwadi Party (SP) party workers in Mumbai when Samajwadi Party supporters attended a rally at Shivaji Park, Dadar, Mumbai, a stronghold of MNS, where Samajwadi Party leader, Abu Asim Azmi made a fiery speech. After the clashes, 73 MNS activists and 19 SP workers were arrested by Mumbai Police for indulging in violence.

On February 6, 2008, reportedly, about 200 Maharashtra Navnirman Sena party workers quit the party and joined Shiv Sena to protest against MNS’s so-called anti-north Indian agenda.

A petition was filed in the Patna civil court on February 8th against Thackeray for his alleged remarks over Chhath, Bihar’s most popular festival. Mr. Thackeray maintains he is not against Chhath Puja, but against the “show of arrogance” displayed by some people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar on this occasion.

On February 10, 2008, MNS workers attacked vendors and shopkeepers from North India in various parts of Maharashtra, and destroyed government property to vent their anger against the reported move to arrest Raj Thackeray. Nashik police detained 26 MNS workers for the violence.

In February 2008, Raj Thackarey’s speech on the issue of uncontrolled migration into Mumbai from other parts of India created a well publicized controversy. Maharashtra’s economy leads other states in India and its capital Mumbai has become a magnet to migrant population from states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. MNS supporters clashed with activists of the Samajwadi Party, a regional party from Uttar Pradesh leading to street violence. Thackeray also criticized noted film actor turned politician Amitabh Bachchan, a native of Uttar Pradesh, for taking sides in the migrant issue. Bachchan came into fame and fortune in Mumbai’s film industry – Bollywood.

On September 8, 2008, Infosys Technologies announced that 3,000 employee positions had been shifted from Pune due to construction delays caused earlier that year by MNS attacks on North Indian construction workers in Maharashtra.

On 15 October 2008, Thackeray threatened to shut down Jet Airways operations in Maharashtra if they did not rehire probationary employees that had been shed in a cost cutting move forced by the economic downturn.

In October 2008, MNS activists beat up North Indian candidates appearing for the all-India Railway Recruitment Board entrance exam for the Western region in Mumbai. One bihari died in the ensuing rioting. In retaliation for the MNS’ attack on biharis and north indians in general, the Bharatiya Bhojpuri Sangh attacked the residence of a Marathi official of Tata Motors in Jamshedpur. Following the uproar in the Indian parliament, and calls that there was no pressure to arrest the MNS chief, Raj Thackeray was arrested in the early hours of October 21. He was produced before a court on the day itself and would return the next day after spending the night in jail. Following the arrest, however, MNS party activists took out their anger on parts of Mumbai city and the region at large. The arrest resulted in applause, fear and calls for a ban on the MNS. The Shiv Sena, however, maintained a cool response, although senior party leader Manohar Joshi said they were close to supporting the MNS in their agitation against the non-Marathi candidates for the railway board exam