Shiv Sena ("Army of Shivaji") is a political party
in India.
Bal Thackeray founded a militant Hindu organization in
Bombay in the late 1960s.
It began as a movement led by Maharashtrians, who founded a contemporary Indian "linguistic state" to unify people via a common language and combat perceived outsider control, in this instance, migrants from Tamil Nadu who were stealing employment from Maharashtrian "sons of the land."
This nativist inclination is reflected in its name, which uses the
Maharashtrian hero Shivaji as its icon, who successfully fought the Moghul
Empire's control.
In recent years, the movement has been connected with
Hindutva or Hindu nationalism, portraying itself as protecting the interests of
the Hindu community as a whole against "outsiders," particularly
Muslims.
The Shiv Sena's capacity for violent action is well known,
and they have always been willing to use physical force to protect their goals
in addition to working via formal means.
The Sena's capacity to deliver "muscle power" has
given them political clout in Maharashtra, where they have served in the
municipal administration of Bombay and, more recently, as a partner in running
the state government (together with the Bharatiya Janata Party).
This political clout is being converted into a significant
presence in other sectors, most notably in labor unions, where the
Sena-affiliated union is increasing clout and membership.
