Book by Bal Thackeray's father, critiquing religion, at centre of ‘insult’ row in Mumbai

Viral video shows nurses hurling book by Prabodhankar Thackeray and another activist at an officer gifting these before retirement

Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's father, Prabodhankar Thackeray, died 52 years ago, but a book written by him against blind faith and superstitions is now at the centre of controversy, and at least two investigations, in Maharashtra.

Prabodhankar Thackeray (born Keshav Sitaram Thackeray), died in 1973. He was a prolific writer and activist against superstitions and inequality. (Photo: India Post)

A viral video has given fuel to the spark. The video purportedly shows a group of nurses at a civic hospital in Mumbai throwing books written by Prabodhankar Thackeray (born Keshav Sitaram Thackeray) and another social activist at an officer who distributed them as gifts before retiring, back in July. The nurses alleged the books hurt their religious sentiments.

The books are ‘Devlancha Dharm ani Dharmachi Devale’ (The Religion of Temples and the Temples of Religion), authored by Prabodhankar Thackeray, and ‘Deshache Dushman’ (Enemies of the Country), written by Dinkarrao Javalkar.

The retiring Section Officer — who'd gifted these to colleagues as a goodwill gesture at Kasturba Hospital run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) — went to the police on September 19, with the complaint that the video was being circulated to defame him.

Based on it, a probe was started, a police official told news agency PTI on Tuesday, October 7. The news agency did not name the officer who complained.

A probe has also been ordered by hospital authorities, who said the incident is from July 29.

Politics has heated up as Prabodhankar has left a politically active legacy. The Shiv Sena (UBT) led by his grandson and Bal Thackeray's son Uddhav Thackeray agreed with the nurses' claim that no book was flung at anyone, insisting that he was not defamed thus.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Prabodhankar's other grandson Raj Thackeray, Uddhav's cousin, said the book-throwing was not just the insult of a social reformer but of the entire state of Maharashtra.

The book by Prabodhankar Thackeray (1885–1973) critiques blind faith, religious hypocrisy, and commercialisation of religion, the PTI report noted. It said the book urges people to separate true spirituality from ritualistic exploitation carried out in the name of God.

The other book at the nub of the row is by Dinkarrao Javalkar (1898–1932) which argues that the true enemies of India are not foreign powers but internal exploiters: those who use religion, caste, and superstition to divide and control society.

What's in the video?

In the viral video, later circulated and leaked from a WhatsApp group of the nurses, one of the nurses is heard questioning the officer about why he gave them books that, according to her, insulted the Hindu religion.

One of them allegedly threw a white envelope containing two books at him, before leaving the room, after the officer is seen apologising to them with folded hands.

Agripada police station's senior inspector Sanjay Nale told the news agency that a non-cognisable offence was registered and a probe is on. The hospital's medical superintendent, Chandrakant Pawar, also said an inquiry was on.

How did Thackerays' parties react?

Meanwhile, a delegation of Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders, including local MLA Manoj Jamsutkar and former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar, visited the hospital on Tuesday.

They castigated the the officer person who distributed the books as one with “century-old thoughts and ideas”.

But they sought to differentiate between the two books. "When the nurse saw the first book (Deshache Dushman), she refused to accept it. The second book (of Prabhodhankar Thackeray) was not shown to the nurses," Kishori Pednekar claimed.

The nurse, Rutuja Dhadam, said: "I denied accepting the books, but he kept persisting for 20 minutes. He told me the book will help in my 'prabodhan' (reformation). I told him I don't want to do anything which will create a divide in the society. Yet, he gave three copies of the books in three separate envelopes," she said.

She also said it was because of Bal Thackeray that Marathi women got jobs as nurses and can work proudly, PTI reported.

MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande, meanwhile, said remarks made against Prabodhankar Thackeray have "crossed all the limit of stupidity". "Does the person (who made the remarks) know who Prabodhankar was? Has the person read the work by Prabodhankar? He took Maharashtra towards reformists' traditions and fought against ill-practices in the society. I think the poison spread by these people is harmful for the society," Deshpande said.