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The Rediff Interview/Dinaz Patrawala

'I have a double sympathy factor going'

When Congress MLA Marzban Patrawala died, his widow, Dinaz Patrawala, sought a ticket from the party. But when Bombay Regional Congress Committee president Murli Deora refused her one, she joined the Shiv Sena.

Patrawala is contesting the same seat her husband held, Colaba, and says she hopes to successfully complete the jobs he had left undone.

"I went to Murli Deora, but he refused to give me a Congress ticket, claiming I was just a housewife," Patrawala told Kanchana Suggu in an interview, explaining her tie-up with the party her husband had consistently opposed. Excerpts:

What prompted you to join the Shiv Sena?

For the past 30 years my husband has served the Colaba constituency as a Congressman. The day he died, there were a lot of people at my house. I saw how upset they were. They said it was as if they have lost their own family member. People were saying, 'I've lost my father', 'I've lost my brother', 'I've lost the strength of my family', and so on. I thought I must do something for these poor people because they were so dependent on my husband's work. I realised that if I could do something to help them, I'd find some solace in life. My husband was always proud of the Patrawala name and he would tell me, 'I want to make a name in history. I don't want to be forgotten.'

Public memory is very short. In a few months, they will not even remember the name Patrawala. So I thought that if I could ensure that the name endures, it would be the best homage I could pay my husband. With that in mind, I went to Congress chief Murli Deora. But he refused me a ticket, saying that I was only a housewife and had no public experience, and that I'd never been exposed to public. I pursued him once or twice on the matter, but got the same reply.

Meanwhile, people began realising that I wanted to contest for the election. Through the Sena machinery, Balasaheb Thackerayji came forward and offered me a ticket. And that's how I joined the Shiv Sena.

Were you upset that the Congress refused you a ticket after your husband worked so many years for it?

I did feel upset, but more than that I felt upset that a party with a strong standing for almost 150 years should let me down like this. I felt bad that they couldn't even give me one term to reassert my husband's name, a name that helped the Congress win three elections. Even today when I go on my padayatras, people come to me with tears in their eyes, saying that it was only because of my husband that they got food, water, houses etc. Even four months after his death, they remember him. I feel very satisfied noting the feeling associated with his name. It's sad that the higher authorities cannot appreciate this work.

How has been your experience of contesting for the Shiv Sena?

It's been very hectic and, at the same time, very interesting. It has been a happy experience overall. First, it's nice that people still remember my husband and, secondly, to know that the entire Sena strength is behind you.

Is the attitude of the Sena members different to you because you are a Congressman's wife?

No, I didn't get any such feeling. In fact they welcomed me in the party and treated me with respect.

How involved were you in your husband's work?

I was mainly involved in the campaigning for the past 10 years. I used to go out with him for rallies. I never used to give speeches or anything like that, but I used to accompany him on his padayatras. I used to go for public meetings. Only to that extent was I with him.

After so many years of working with the Congress, didn't you have any problems adjusting to the Sena culture?

I don't see much difference actually. But yes, I think this party is much more organised in its work and in laying out strategies. Here everything is chalked out and minuted. Everybody, right from the lowest rank to the highest authority, has to report. We meet every night at 11pm to discuss the day's events.

People approach me saying that the Shiv Sena is a communal party and has always been associated with violence. I don't think so. Even today, when the Shiv Sena is not in power, there are reports of murders and violence. During their reign, there were no riots reported at least. They are fast changing their colours. I am standing proof of that.

What do you mean they are changing their colours?

See, I am from a minority community and they have taken me on. That itself shows they aren't communal. Actually, I think they are more against people who are for Pakistan, even if such people are Hindus. They have never been anti-Indian.

Is that why they decided to take you on, to show that they are now for the minorities?

No, they took me on for a different reason. They took me because Balasaheb Thackeray felt that if a party of the Congress's stature could not help a widow, then he would. He wanted to give an opportunity to someone who wanted to come up, who wanted to do something. That was his attitude.

Do you think this change is a new practice in the Shiv Sena? Is it a conscious one?

Yes. Previously the Shiv Sena would be associated with violence and goondagardi. But actually they are a very well organised and systematic party. I also feel that they have realised that their earlier attitude has done them damage. They have realised their mistakes and have decided to change their attitude. I don't know if it is a conscious change. I think I have to be here for some more time to see if they are doing what they are saying. In the two months that I've spent campaigning for them, I've never seen them fight with anybody. In fact they have been very courteous.

If your impression was totally different before you joined the party, then why did you accept the ticket?

Frankly speaking, at that time I was so surprised by Balasaheb's kindness and upset that the Congress had let me down that I didn't think about the communal attitude of the party. I thought that if I was strong enough in my own way to do what I wish to do, then I'd succeed. I'm a very loyal person. Once somebody has shown me this kind of gesture, I will stick with them for a lifetime. I will try to make them change their viewpoint in my own small way.

Do you interact with Bal Thackeray on a day-to-day basis?

I don't. I only met him once when I went to greet him. I interact with [former chief minister] Narayan Rane to discuss my daily activities.

Why didn't you join the Samajwadi Party, where your husband worked for a brief period?

Actually, I was so sure that I'd get a Congress ticket that I never thought of joining any other party. But when that didn't happen, I got this offer from Shiv Sena. That's why I never thought of any other party.

What are your priorities in your constituency?

My priority is to serve the poor and downtrodden who don't even have basic amenities, like water and electricity. In Colaba as a whole, my priorities will be beautification, cleanliness, controlling noise pollution etc. Fishermen in Sassoon Dock have their own problems. I think that as I go on, I will become more and more aware of the issues.

You have nothing chalked out right now?

No, I think that as I go on my padayatras I will learn the problems. Like yesterday, when I went to Sassoon Dock, I saw that the fisherwomen there were upset that because they weren't allowed to peel fish there. Fish has been lying around for over five days. When I asked them why this was done, nobody seemed to know. We are still to find out the reason. These workers are paid on a daily basis, so they have been incurring huge losses. The authorities are not paying them their daily wages and so their children go hungry. Narayan Rane is going to look into the matter. As I said earlier, every night, when we have our meetings, these things are discussed. That's how we locate problems and try to solve them.

Right now the only thing concrete is to change the negative views that people have towards the Shiv Sena and to try and win the election. I am actually going door-to-door and telling people my views about the Shiv Sena.

Are you planning anything for your community in particular?

Because it is such a minority, if my community needs any help -- for admissions or anything like that -- then I am there to help them. Nobody has approached me as yet, but I think that as time passes and people realise that I can do something, they will come forward.

How much importance will the sympathy factor play now?

I think it is very important. Actually, now I have a double sympathy factor going. First, that I have lost my husband and, second, that I was denied a ticket by the Congress. Hopefully that should win us the election. Being Marzban Patrawala's wife has helped me very much because the name Patrawala is well known in the Colaba area.

But doesn't the general public get confused?

Yes, they do get confused. Especially people from the slums. I have to keep telling them that my symbol is no longer the hand, but the bow and arrow. If they want the same kind of work that Patrawala did, they will have to now vote for the bow and arrow.

The Rediff Interviews

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