The abrupt, and what some would call – the extraconstitutional arrest of senior journalist Arnab Goswami and the harassment meted out by Maharashtra Police towards his family has undoubtedly shocked the nation and is currently a burning news topic across the country. As the BJP, on expected lines, takes to focus its sharp attacks against the Congress and the Gandhi-family, many people might be missing the possibility of an unexpected individual being behind the unprecedented hounding of Arnab and his family. Of course, we are speculating and have no concrete evidence to suggest that this individual is involved directly in all that Goswami and his family are being made to go through. But the assertions we are about to make will make quite a good amount of sense.
Aaditya Thackeray is said to be the second most powerful person in Maharashtra today, after his father – Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, of course. If in the near future, it is revealed that the Chief Minister’s son is himself involved in intimidating Arnab Goswami, we at TFI will not be particularly surprised. Aditya Thackeray and Arnab Goswami have a recent history of animosity, beginning particularly with Republic Media Network’s aggressive coverage and reportage of the death of Sushant Singh Rajput. To put it conservatively, Arnab Goswami had time and again subtly insinuated that the Maharashtra government’s entire machinery was occupied in protecting one individual.
TFI could not find any instance of Arnab having directly named Aaditya Thackeray as a person who was involved in the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, however, it is clear beyond doubt that the journalist had on more occasions than one insinuated that Aaditya was somehow involved in the case and that he had also attended a party very close to Rajput’s residence, a night before Sushant was found hanging. Arnab Goswami wasn’t alone in suggesting a potential Thackeray involvement in the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, but it now seems like he is the only one being hounded for exploring the angle, which is still at large. This, despite Aaditya Thackeray coming out with a retort, saying he had nothing to do with the late actor’s death.
By a simple joining of dots, it would not be an overstatement by far to suggest that Aaditya Thackeray, being the all-important figure he has emerged as in the state government, could be the person at whose behest the Maharashtra Police is harassing Arnab’s family while even allegedly physically assaulting the immensely popular journalist himself. According to a report by The Print in July, Aaditya Thackeray has clearly emerged as the youngest, yet the most important cabinet minister in Maharashtra, who is at par with his father in decision-making, if not over him. Aditya has almost all-important civil servants of the state on speed dial, and he can be seen in all of the meetings called by Uddhav Thackeray, even those not remotely associated with his departments or portfolios.
As for Uddhav Thackeray, he has come to pay more heed to his son’s advice than many of the state’s top leaders, ministers and administrators. Aaditya, sources told The Print, wields a strong influence over his father and is the driving force behind many of the chief minister’s decisions. In the months since April, as Covid cases spiralled in Maharashtra, Aaditya has been more active in his interactions with officials across the state than the chief minister himself. “Civil servants like Ajoy Mehta, the former chief secretary turned adviser to the chief minister, Iqbal Singh Chahal, the incumbent commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar, are all in constant touch with him,” the report stated.
In light of such reports which make Aditya Thackeray’s all-important and all-pervasive role in the Maharashtra government clear, it is highly probable that he is involved in the process of the state trying to teach an independent journalist a lesson for being critical of those in power. The excessive use of state force against those who appear to be even slightly critical of the state government is out for all to see, and the involvement of the Tourism minister in all such cases of state overreach cannot be ruled out.