Bombay 2015 - The making of the 30th State

Hypothetically speaking; if AAP was to contest in Mumbai local elections and won, then who would head it here? Kiran Bedi would have been the right choice but she has decided to go on a different path. Who is that one person now that Mumbai can look up to and rally around to get it back on rails? Crucial because from being the financial Capital and richest city of India, it had become the "Second City" with every possibility of it moving further down the ladder. Every aspect of the City is now under control of a few political superpowers irrespective of the corporate face that actually shows up. The power and progress of Mumbai is on the wane; it was being mined dry by those in control. The City is ready to snap. 

The order of the day seems to be corporate scam; political scam; falling buildings; illegal building; unsafe buildings; women getting gang raped; senior citizens getting murdered; people falling off from over crowded trains and buses; ATMs and jewellery shops being robbed; and the rich influential boys and girls partying the night away on alcohol and drugs if not killing or maiming people with their speeding cars. The people of this City are angry with the whole situation, right from the artificially rising costs and diminishing supply of  food and utilities; the broken down infrastructure (which is paid for by taxpayers from this city itself); to the open greed by public servants (who are paid for by taxpayers from this city itself) to do any part of their job. Large corporates are considering moving out lock stock barrel to the Delhi NCR and even the remaining industries are  moving out of here to profit from the high real estate prices. 

The City is full of contradictions. A new world class airport surrounded by a slum that poses a security and safety hazard to every plane that takes off or lands. A new monorail and metro system that is supposed to ease travel woes in the City and a local rail system that serves as a lifeline and life taker for the commuter. Expensive multi-million dollar high rise apartments with access from pot holed congested roads that would not allow any emergency service to access it in case of an eventuality; and connected to a dated utility infrastructure. A bullock cart using the same road as a Rolls Royce. The City has and will continue to live with such situations as long as their was some sanity in the system. The situation now close to a complete system breakdown where to get anything or do anything one requires money and more money. Even the honest middle class is now feeling poor and that is where the tipping point starts. The Bombay of "dreams" has become a Mumbai of nightmare. 

The City is a global mega city and has to be dealt as one. It needs more open spaces; more civic amenities; places to entertain and be entertained; better public transportation; guaranteed utility supply; laws, rules and regulations tailored to be more more exacting; and a security system that respects and looks after the people and not just a privileged few. 




Will this discontent that is brewing start off a revolution for a Statehood? The Bombay State was once the largest with a reach all the way to Sindh; it's ambition now would be a much smaller more manageable region covering the Greater Mumbai, Thane-Kalyan, and Raigad collectorates. If not an AAP will we see a BAP "Bombay Admi Party" emerge from the shadows and throw up a surprise to reclaim its right to survive and grow. It's often when there is a sense of complacency amongst those in power when such things happen; and the clock now is just about ready to ring. 


“Development is about transforming the lives of people, not just transforming economies.” 
― Joseph E. Stiglitz, Making Globalization Work

Wikipedia 2009: 
Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the entertainment, fashion and commercial centre of India. It is also one of the world's top 10 centres of commerce in terms of global financial flow,^[1] Mumbai accounts for slightly more than 6.16% of India's economy contributing 10% of factory employment, 30% of income tax collections, 60% of customs dutycollections, 20% of central excise tax collections, 40% of foreign trade and rupees 40,000 crore (US $10 billion) in corporate taxes to the Indian economy.^[2] Headquarters of a number of Indian financial institutions such as the Bombay Stock Exchange, Reserve Bank of India, National Stock Exchange, the Mint, as well as numerous Indian companies such as the Tata Group, Essel Group and Reliance Industries are located in Mumbai. Most of these offices are located in downtown South Mumbai which is the nerve centre of the Indian economy. Many foreign establishments also have their branches in the South Bombay area. Mumbai is the world's 29th largest city by GDP.^[3] Mumbai was ranked among the fastest cities in India for business startup in 2009.^[4] As of 2009-10, Mumbai enjoys a Per Capita Income of $2,845. This is 16.6% higher than 2008-09 levels of $2,440. In PPP dollars, Mumbai had a Per Capita Income of $7,050 as of 2009-10 fiscal. In the recent years Mumbai is experiencing rapid growth. By 2020-21 fiscal, Mumbai's GDP Per capita at PPP is expected to reach US$ 23,000, making it South Asia's richest city^{[citation needed]}.

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog and while it is in public domain my personal property and written under the rights conferred upon its Citizens by The Constitution of India; which provides the right to freedom, given in articles 19, 20, 21 and 22, with the view of guaranteeing individual rights that were considered vital by the framers of the constitution. The right to freedom in Article 19 guarantees the Freedom of speech and expression, as one of following six freedoms:^[1]

The "Nautanki-Tamasha" has begun.

From what I have noticed recently; I may not miss watching "Comedy Nights With Kapil"  all that much for my weekly humour fix. First, the show is getting a tad too monotonous (suffering from creativity block) and second the news channels are streaming very amusing stories. Those that caught my fancy:

1. Ms. Malika Sarabhai lambasting AAP less than a week after joining the Party as a member on grounds of its insensitivity to certain issues she stands for. My advice to her is that a celebrity like her should drop out of the Party as she has never been an "Aam" person (being said in a positive way) to begin with and issues she stands for hardly affect the Aam Aadmi.

2. Ms. Medha Patkar announces her membership in  and support of AAP. Her causes, worthy as they are, have many a times confronted and conflicted with those who are in the seat of power. I wonder how long it will take her to criticise AAP as many of the AAP promises too will cross paths with the NAPM's ideology.

3.    Mr. Arvind Kejriwal announced that the "janta durbar" outside the secretariat for hearing out grievances would not be held anymore after the first one turned out to be a fiasco in man management. To counter it an e-redressal system and help line has been set up. I think he feels that the "Aam aadmi" is as tech savvy as he or his core party members, and will be able to file complaints using the net or via phone. Quite possible I suppose looking at the number of complaints filed; and the best way of killing the system would be to inundate it with tons of complaints to the point no redressal is possible.

 4. The Congress Party organized a rally to bring down electricity tariffs for the City of Mumbai. This is obviously an AAP inspired act; cause otherwise Mr. Nirupam and Ms. Dutt would have heard this sufferance a long time back. Honestly I don't care about the why and how of the act; but if it does help bringing down rates in any way I would thank them but still vote for AAP for having woken the right people to do it. Mr. Kejriwal is requested to now look at the corrupt practices in the food distribution system and in this case any price reduction will not cost the Delhi exchequer a single penny as the prices are artificially inflated by the middlemen who have support from the political stick wielders.

5. Mr. Rahul Gandhi, a distant 3rd in the "Kaun Banega PM" poll. If I had to vote on a personality rather than party basis; then Namo would be my first choice; If on party basis the AAP would be my current choice; but, if I had to bet on India's future - then Rahul would be a clear winner because I think his politics is very different than that of the Congress Party. Actually I would suggest he jumps ship and joins the AAP or BJP along with his band of young turks. Namo or AK would be better mentors for him and his merry band.

6. Mr. Khan, the Salman Khan (SK) himself was seen enjoying a kite session with Namo on Makkar Sankrant. He praised Namo to the skies and then cut his (Namo's) kite by saying that he (SK) will vote for Ms. Dutt and Baba Siddique (Congress). Did Big Boss not tell him not to discuss nominations in public?

7. Not in the news but I am waiting to see if Kapil Sharma (KS) joins the AAP. As it is KS is getting embroiled in issue based controversies with his booring jokes and he may as well get political mileage from it.

8. The Prince of Congress to be anointed King; not everyone in the Party is happy with this thing. So sure is the Party that it will loose; for it its king may become the blaming goose. (16/1/2014)

(Disclaimer: All stated in good humour and under the rights conferred under the  freedom of expression act by the Indian Constitution. In any event this is a private blog written by someone who does not matter - as of now).

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog and while it is in public domain my personal property and written under the rights conferred upon its Citizens by The Constitution of India; which provides the right to freedom, given in articles 19, 20, 21 and 22, with the view of guaranteeing individual rights that were considered vital by the framers of the constitution. The right to freedom in Article 19 guarantees the Freedom of speech and expression, as one of following six freedoms:^[1]