The FOMO factor

Mumbai: Fear of missing out (FOMO) is the anxiety or apprehension surrounding missing out on things often triggered by various events that other people are having more fun and getting success. Shiv Sena chief and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde is passing through the same phase.

News is doing the rounds in the political circle about Shinde’s FOMO moment on Tuesday after protest in Mira Road amid the raging language row in the state. Transport minister Pratap Sarnaik, a trusted aide of Shinde, tried to join the protest against the government which he is part of. MNS workers heckled him, called him a traitor, and forced him to leave.

The minister's presence at the protest rally that too organised by the opposition party raises questions. Sources have claimed that it is not possible that Sarnaik reached the protest venue without the knowledge and approval of Shinde. But since the Shiv Sena leadership has not publicly commented on this agitation the minister must have got a go-ahead from the party boss to avoid public backlash.

Shiv Sena’s alliance with the BJP and NCP has now put it on the wrong side as the Marathi vs non-Marathi debate plays out in Maharashtra. Language has historically been an emotive issue in the state, and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray has been a pioneer  of the Marathi Manoos cause. Shinde may have retained the party's name and symbol, but it is largely out of action as MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) accuse the BJP-ruled Centre of imposing Hindi and taking the fight to the streets. The Sena chief appears to be restless, fearing that arch-rival Uddhav Thackeray may reap political dividends from this issue. Due to which it is said that Shinde is having a FOMO moment as Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS have taken the language issue to the streets in their own style, sources added further.

Sarnaik told ‘The Perfect Voice’, “Yes, I have decided to join the protest rally and accordingly I went there. But the MNS workers forced me to leave the spot. There is no politics in it. You people can say anything but I went there for the cause and nothing else.”

When asked whether your party chief granted the permission to attend the protest, Sarnaik screamed and said, “Please don’t ask me such questions. My party chief will take a call on this. You people are unnecessarily blowing the issue out of proportion.”