Funny incident, isnâ€(tm)t it? This is the time one must remember of the senior Thakerayâ€(tm)s similar cat calls couple of decades back against the south Indianâ€(tm)s, which too, though initially created much tension in Bombay but was soon brought under control, due to the swift action taken by a cautious central as well as State administrations.

But the problem staring at us today, looking to the ugly, unruly incidents taking place in Mumbai and several other cities in Maharashtra, is that the spontaneity and ramification of the consequence of such a flare up would be far more dangerous than the situation prevalent during the senior Thakerayâ€(tm)s call long time back. At that time, the Indian socio-political situation was not that much tense and acrimonious as of now. Now that the Samajwadi Party of Mulayam Singh Yadav, whose celebrity general secretary- Amar Singh is bent upon raising a platform, keeping an eye over the forthcoming Assembly as well as general election in 2009. Earlier, Bal Thakeray, the Shiv Sena supremo cautioned and reprimanded both Mayawati of the BSP and Narendra Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party to keep themselves away from their brand of politics playing in the State of Maharashtra, as it is for the Marathas. Further, Bal Thackeray appears to be averse to the way the BJP has chosen LK Advani as the BJP-NDAâ€(tm)s choice for the next Prime Minister. Perhaps one of the reasons Thackeray lately hinted that Sharad Pawar is his choice for the next Prime Minister too is another indication. The reason is obvious. It is also an indication of his affinity towards Marathas that was expressed earlier as well when he put his partyâ€(tm)s might behind Ms Pratibha Patilâ€(tm)s nomination as the President of India.

It would be better if the Congress-NCP led government in Maharashtra take stern action against the perpetrators of divisive â€" North South India games in the nationâ€(tm)s economic capital, the earlier the better. The Samajwadi Party led United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) forum is frantically in search of some platform to stir up and clear the way for forming some alternative to the BJP led NDA and the Congress led UPA. The Left, as of now, is taking a neutral stand and they will open their card only when the dust settles down after enough consternation that has set in motion at Mumbai. But the saddest part would be that by then it would be too late for federalism to stand up in the way of this dangerous divisive regionalism/sectarianism in this country.