Thread by @dhavalkulkarni

The #ShivSena was launched on 19 June 1966 by #BalThackeray. Its initial targets were #SouthIndians. The genesis of the Sena had its roots in a similar anti-South Indian campaign by his father #PrabodhankarThackeray in 1922 Thread:
#UddhavThackeray #politics #Mumbai #Maharashtra

Keshav Sitaram Thackeray was a journalist, author and social reformer. He was referred to as Prabodhankar Thackeray because of his periodical 'Prabodhan' in which he took on casteism and obscurantism.

The Shiv Sena’s birth had its roots in a campaign launched by Prabodhankar through his Prabodhan in 1922.

Prabodhankar, who was then staying at Miranda Chawl in Dadar, noted that the
large-scale influx of ‘Madrasi’ (south Indian) youth to Mumbai as cheap labour led to the fall of average wages in jobs in the government, semi-government and private firms.

Senior stenotypists then
used to earn between Rs 125 and Rs 120 per month, while it was
between Rs 60 and Rs 75 for juniors. The advent of south Indians brought it down to just Rs 50 to Rs 25, causing distress to
job seekers from local communities like the Maharashtrians.

After two articles in Prabodhan, the south Indians in Dadar and Matunga united to unsuccessfully charge him with promoting enmity between groups on the grounds of religion, race, place of birth or language.

At the same time, educationist S.R. Tavde had returned from America with a diploma in higher education and applied to the
Government of Madras for a job. But his attempt was stonewalled on minor grounds.

The implication was clear: those from South India could seek employment in Maharashtra or elsewhere, but any attempts vice-versa would be stonewalled!

Prabhodhankar lobbied with the erstwhile Bombay Presidency govt to ensure that an order was passed stating that locals would get preference in any govt recruitments. This incident may have sowed the seeds for the Shiv Sena's birth in 1966.

Incidentally, the south
Indians, pejoratively called Yandu Gundus due to their thick
accent, were the first targets of the Shiv Sena’s ire after its launch.

Later, Bal Thackeray, then a cartoonist in the Free Press Journal, had frequent disagreements with his south Indian bosses,
namely managing editor A.B. Nair, and editor Hariharan. This
culminated in him quitting FPJ in 1959.

Bal, with younger brother Shrikant, then launched a cartoon
weekly Marmik in 1960. Marmik catalysed the
birth of the Shiv Sena six years later with its campaign seeking jobs & rights for the Maharashtrians.

This came in a phase where Maharashtrians and non Maharashtrians were competing for economic opportunities. Marmik pointed to the influx of migrants from other
states to Mumbai and voiced apprehensions about Maharashtrians
being ousted from the city.

It also criticized south Indians for
recruiting and promoting those from their own linguistic cohort by using connections and influence in an office or industry, often at the cost of Marathi speakers, who would lose out since the dice was loaded against them.

It carried lists of non-Maharashtrians who occupied top positions in various companies. This campaign struck a chord. Several flocked to the Thackeray family residence at Kadam Mansion at Ranade road in Dadar West, #Mumbai, which also doubled as the Marmik office.

Prabodhankar catalysed the idea of a political party being
formed to give this campaign an organized form. It was he who gave the organization its name—
Shiv Sena or Army of Shivaji Maharaj.

The #ShivSena was launched in the presence of 18 people at Kadam Mansion when the party was formally launched in
Prabodhankar’s presence on 19 June 1966.

Of course, over the years, the #ShivSena changed its targets from the south Indians to
Muslims, Buddhist Dalits and north Indians