Bal Thackeray: The firebrand Indian politician, dies at 86. RIP Bal Thackeray

	Bal Thackeray: The firebrand Indian politician, dies at 86. RIP Bal Thackeray Bal Thackeray, who died on Saturday aged 86, was a firebrand politician whose right-wing Hindu party renamed Bombay. His death leaves the western state of Maharashtra and its capital -- now known as Mumbai -- without one of its most controversial figures, who more than once expressed his admiration for the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. Born on January 23, 1926 to a social activist father who played a key role in the movement to establish the Marathi-speaking state of Maharashtra, 'The Tiger' as he was known began life as a political cartoonist. But he later became more involved in calling for greater rights for local Marathi-speaking people and protecting their culture and language from migrant workers. Re-naming Bombay as Mumbai in 1995, after a local deity and city landmarks, was seen as an attempt to rid the city of its British colonial past and emphasise its Marathi roots.	From: Dew Drop Views: 2 1 ratings
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