SHIV SENA 33
Strategy, in detail and in depth, say in the case of a bandh (stoppage of main civic and economic activity) or a morcha (demon-stration) is discussed by the karya karani and the news is passed down the hierarchy. After this the karya karanis go round to various shakhas to explain the exact method of operation and answer the questions that arise. Word passes swiftly from one shakha to another so that by the time a karya karani has finished with three or four shakhas the news has reached the other places ahead of him.1 The efforts of the karya karanis culminate at times, as it happened in December 1973 before the Shiv Sena bandh, in a speech by BalThackeray at a massive Shiv Sena rally.
The gata pramukhs play a very important role in Shiv Sena mobilization. The gala pramukhs are usually fairiliar with all the people residing in their localities. They keep a tab on the persons who arc against the Shiv Sena and those who are likely to support it. This makes it difficult for any one to remain effectively neutral, especially in areas like Dadar which are Shiv Sena strongholds. It is also difficult to escape the notice of the gata pramukh, and ignore his behests to come out and participate. This influences many people to join the Shiv Sena in any demonstration or bandh. Sometimes these are also looked upon as outings with neighbours and friends.
Contacts with Underworld
The Shiv Sena also has its own group of select bodyguards. Some of them are Thackeray's personal bodyguards. These people have contacts with the underworld. "If the Shiv Sena is in any trouble," said a shakha pramukh, "we have no problem in getting physical help. The task force we sent to Kausa in 1971, sensing trouble for Balasaheb (Thackeray) from the Muslims, was collected in an hour.'52 The ^.illa pramukh of Panwel said : "We have friends in many matkas (a popular form of gambling in Bombay) and bootlegging dens. These dens are organized and they have their groups of toughs. They also help us for they know we can help them too."3
We shall now present the process by which the Shiv Sena extends its hold to i) the rural areas, and ii) factories and bureaucratic organizations in urban areas. Its advance in these areas was calculated, unlike the spontaneous mushrooming of shakhas in Bombay in 1966. The Shiv Sena used the village schisms and factions to its advantage. In the rural areas, the threat that the Maha-rashtrians faced in Bombay from outsiders was by and large nonexistent, nor was there migration of any significance to these areas.4 Therefore, the Shiv Sena sought to reflect the sentiments