Black Sheep: The Swearing(!) In Controversy.

IF Raj Thakre is a demon, Abu Azmi is no angel.
The richest MLA in Maharashtra Assembly, an accused in the 1993 Mumbai Serial Blasts, the only MLA to be elected from two constituencies, the self proclaimed leader-cum-spokesperson of North Indians living in Mumbai ..the list of Mr. Azmi's credentials-or should we say his claims to fame- is endless. He might be all these things but he is definitely not an Angel, at least not the kind that are sent by God to make you happy and guard you. He was instrumental in provoking the MNS goons.In fact he wanted them to take notice and create a controversy, for the increased tensions among the Marathis and non Marathis that this episode has led to, will help not only Raj Thakre but Abu Azmi as well. Alas, he got what he wanted. Of course I am not supporting Raj. His violent and hateful ways are definitely abominable.But one must remember that our story here is not a good guy versus a bad guy. It is one bad guy versus another.Every action, every word of Azmis's in the past few days was aimed at instigating the (already quick tempered) MNS people, in order to gain political mileage from the resultant polarisation. If he wanted to take his oath in Hindi, he could have done it without climbing on the rooftop and declaring his "Hindi-Prem" AND his hatred for the MNS, in most provocative words. But no, our dear Abu wanted to score brownie points for himself. So, he wrote a letter to the Speaker, in chaste Marathi , saying that he be allowed to take oath in Hindi since he did not understand Marathi. Now that is what you call irony! And this is not the first time..a peep into his recent past reveals-even to the most untrained eye- his cunning ways of deriving benefit from the Hindu-Muslim and Marathi-non Marathi divides.

No, Mr. Azmi is definitely not the Guardian Angel of democracy that he so..er... painstakingly pledged to be. Along with the MNS hoodlums who turned the House into an Akhara, he too is a BLACK SHEEP.

That all the other 'sheep' in 'The House' are not exactly white is a different matter altogether!