Hitendra Thakur
Encyclopedia
Hitendra Thakur is an India
n politician
from Virar
, Maharashtra
, India
. He is the president of Bahujan Vikas Aaghadi, a political party in the Vasai-Virar region of Maharashtra, India.. He and his brother Jayendra are accused of being leaders of the underworld in the Vasai-Virar
suburb of Mumbai. Police cases against them (mostly pending in court or under investigation) include extortion, criminal intimidation, attempt to murder, murder, and land grab.
in Maharashtra
, India
in a middle class Hindu Maharashtrian family. He did his schooling in Virar
and later graduated from the Vartak College in Vasai. An orphan at the age of three, Hitendra Thakur grew up based on his family's meagre income from a small tea stall. While studying in the Vartak College, Vasai, he was elected at the post of general secretory of the student council.
at the age of 29. Later he formed his own political party now known as Bahujan Vikas Aaghadi and won 3 subsequent elections as well.
While a number of people in the constituency praise Thakur for solving their immediate problems, for example, by arranging water through tankers. Others however, are less supportive: an activist is quoted in the media saying:
Finally in mid-2009 his elder son, Kshitij Thakur
contested the Nalla Sopara seat and an associate Narayan Mankar fought for the Vasai seat; the former lost his to Vivek Pandit.
, Vasai Taluka Panchayat Samiti and various Gram Panchayats in the region. Despite having no legitimate role, he continues to control the election of the Thane Zilla Parishad and the Thane Zilla Co-operative bank. As such he helped Vasant Davkhare get the post of Deputy Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council three times and Govinda
(a Bollywood star and a close friend) win the Mumbai North seat for three consecutive terms.
The original inhabitants of the Vasai area are the tribals or Adivasi
s, whose interests are increasingly in conflict with the burgeoning middle class. Adivasi activist Navleen Kumar
, who dared to fight against the grabbing of land belonging to Adivasis, was killed in 2002, allegedly by the Hitendra Thakur gang, and other activists working with her are also threatened regularly.
. However 49 of the 53 villages had opposed the merger citing environmental and heritage issues and refused the move by forming the Gao Bachao Andolan Samiti under the guidance of Vivek Pandit, long time opposition candidate of Hitendra Thakur.
On August 9, 2009, at 11 p.m., while returning from Vasai, Hitendra Thakur and his party members which also included Member of Parliament of Palghar constituency, Baliram Jadhav, were allegedly attacked by the residents of Wagholi, a village in Vasai.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from Virar
Virar
Virar is a name of a suburb of Northern Mumbai. Virar is a city and a part of Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation in Thane district in the Indian state of Maharashtra....
, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He is the president of Bahujan Vikas Aaghadi, a political party in the Vasai-Virar region of Maharashtra, India.. He and his brother Jayendra are accused of being leaders of the underworld in the Vasai-Virar
Virar
Virar is a name of a suburb of Northern Mumbai. Virar is a city and a part of Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation in Thane district in the Indian state of Maharashtra....
suburb of Mumbai. Police cases against them (mostly pending in court or under investigation) include extortion, criminal intimidation, attempt to murder, murder, and land grab.
Childhood and education
Hitendra Thakur was born on the 2nd of October 1961 in the northern Mumbai suburb of VirarVirar
Virar is a name of a suburb of Northern Mumbai. Virar is a city and a part of Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation in Thane district in the Indian state of Maharashtra....
in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in a middle class Hindu Maharashtrian family. He did his schooling in Virar
Virar
Virar is a name of a suburb of Northern Mumbai. Virar is a city and a part of Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation in Thane district in the Indian state of Maharashtra....
and later graduated from the Vartak College in Vasai. An orphan at the age of three, Hitendra Thakur grew up based on his family's meagre income from a small tea stall. While studying in the Vartak College, Vasai, he was elected at the post of general secretory of the student council.
Political life
Hitendra Thakur started his political career in 1988 when elected the President of the Vasai Taluka Youth Congress; 2 years later in the Maharashtra State Assembly elections in 1990, he was elected MLA for Vasai-Virar from the Indian National CongressIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
at the age of 29. Later he formed his own political party now known as Bahujan Vikas Aaghadi and won 3 subsequent elections as well.
While a number of people in the constituency praise Thakur for solving their immediate problems, for example, by arranging water through tankers. Others however, are less supportive: an activist is quoted in the media saying:
His tankers have depleted water from the wells in the region, lowering the water table dramatically. Fields that were once green have become marshy owing to saline ingress. "Without his backing, no professional or businessman can survive here. That is how the constituency, 80 per cent f whose voters are educated, chose someone like him. But the poor Adivasis and Kolis are against him," says the activist.
Finally in mid-2009 his elder son, Kshitij Thakur
Kshitij Thakur
Kshitij Hitendra Thakur is an Indian Politician. He is currently holding the office of Member of Legislative Assembly for the constituency of Nala Sopara in the state of Maharashtra, India. He is the son of Shri. Hitendra Thakur, the ex-M.L.A. of the region for four consecutive terms...
contested the Nalla Sopara seat and an associate Narayan Mankar fought for the Vasai seat; the former lost his to Vivek Pandit.
Political influence
His political party, Bahujan Vikas Aaghadi (BVA) currently holds majority in the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC)Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation
Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation governs the Vasai-Virar Town. It was formed on July, 2010.-Administration:The corporation is headed by a Municipal commissioner, an Indian Administrative Service Officer. He wields the executive power of the house. A quinquennial election is held to elect...
, Vasai Taluka Panchayat Samiti and various Gram Panchayats in the region. Despite having no legitimate role, he continues to control the election of the Thane Zilla Parishad and the Thane Zilla Co-operative bank. As such he helped Vasant Davkhare get the post of Deputy Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council three times and Govinda
Govinda (actor)
Govinda is a Filmfare award-winning Indian actor and politician. He has appeared in over 120 Hindi language films. At the start of his career, his acting and dancing skills gained him widespread attention among film viewers. He later gained worldwide fame as a Bollywood icon through comedy films...
(a Bollywood star and a close friend) win the Mumbai North seat for three consecutive terms.
Political and social work
A police official says about him:Thakur has every official in his pocket. Initially, he even fudged land records so that he could demand a share in every land transaction. "Every builder has to buy materials only from the people he favours, use only his transport companies, employ his boys as security guards. That is how he creates employment for his people and earns their loyalty."
The original inhabitants of the Vasai area are the tribals or Adivasi
Adivasi
Adivasi is an umbrella term for a heterogeneous set of ethnic and tribal groups claimed to be the aboriginal population of India. They comprise a substantial indigenous minority of the population of India...
s, whose interests are increasingly in conflict with the burgeoning middle class. Adivasi activist Navleen Kumar
Navleen Kumar
Navleen Kumar was a human rights activist in Maharashtra state, India who was murdered on 19 June 2002 in her apartment building in the state capital Mumbai....
, who dared to fight against the grabbing of land belonging to Adivasis, was killed in 2002, allegedly by the Hitendra Thakur gang, and other activists working with her are also threatened regularly.
Other controversies
On July 3, 2009, the Government of Maharashtra had issued a notification for inclusion of 53 villages in the newly formed Vasai-Virar Municipal CorporationVasai-Virar Municipal Corporation
Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation governs the Vasai-Virar Town. It was formed on July, 2010.-Administration:The corporation is headed by a Municipal commissioner, an Indian Administrative Service Officer. He wields the executive power of the house. A quinquennial election is held to elect...
. However 49 of the 53 villages had opposed the merger citing environmental and heritage issues and refused the move by forming the Gao Bachao Andolan Samiti under the guidance of Vivek Pandit, long time opposition candidate of Hitendra Thakur.
On August 9, 2009, at 11 p.m., while returning from Vasai, Hitendra Thakur and his party members which also included Member of Parliament of Palghar constituency, Baliram Jadhav, were allegedly attacked by the residents of Wagholi, a village in Vasai.