During the 1960s when the American Civil Rights movement entered a militant phase, there was a lot of downgrading of old idols as having been too subservient to the White majority. But everyone agreed that there was one Black icon who was beyond reproach no matter how radical your point of view. This was Louis Armstrong, who had schmoozed his way into the hearts of millions, playing the clown, even exploiting his blackness. But he was a superb musician, one of the greatest and so he was left alone even by the Black Panthers.

I thought of this when I saw Bal Thackeray criticise Sachin Tendulkar. It was a serious political error and so unlike the normally astute man. Thackeray is a great icon for many Marathi speaking people. But Sachin is an all India icon. Thackeray is a politician, an ideologue. Sachin plays cricket. For each person who can take pride in Thackeray’s deeds, a thousand take pride in what Sachin does. Cricket is the national religion and no other activity can displace it in the nation’s affections. Taking on Sachin is sacrilege, especially since he is so thoroughly decent.

Now this is all familiar and no doubt Balasaheb is quite aware of it. The only reason for him to have done so must be a sense of frustration at the sad state the Shiv Sena has been reduced to. It is nearly fifty years since Maharashtra was formed. After some glorious early hits, the Shiv Sena is now reduced to fighting with the MNS, its own junior branch. Its electoral performance was such that even the BJP is distancing itself from it. It cannot have escaped Bal Thackeray’s attention that at the end of an active career of five decades, he may not have much to show for it.

... contd.