Sharrayu Aroskar

We celebrate anniversaries. We commemorate some and mourn the rest. I am not too sure if all of us who are related to Mumbai either in person or remotely actually just commemorated, mourned or in general celebrated an anniversary like a national obligation to show unity. I know it’s a very cold statement that comes up when the world is expected to be sympathetic to such a situation. The whole scene around 26/11 in Mumbai to me appears similar to something that happens on ground zero every year.

It is the fifth terror attack in Mumbai ever since I opened my senses to the city. The first one was in 1993 December where in my father’s place of work and a market behind my mother’s place of work were bombed.  In Mumbai all parents travel by train to work every day running their middle class homes. Ever since 1992 these middle class home have been vulnerable to terrorist attacks in Mumbai either directly or indirectly. Suddenly 26/11 happens and we see action around. No home ministers or chief minister had to do away with their positions before this. No media covered the issue as much as they did this time. No world spoke about terrorism in India as much as after 26/11.

Like always India blamed Pakistan for what happened. There is no question of a foreign hand in here but this cannot happen without an internal helping hand or loophole is also a truth. The political eye wash by the Indian National Congress in wake of upcoming Lok Sabha election is shameful. The home minister of the country was replaced. The home minister and chief minister of the state were asked to step down. After the election all of them were again well placed in the cabinet. This itself shows the seriousness of the Indian administration to handle the situation seriously. The only immediate actions were to protect its interests in the elections. Known truth we would say.

 Pakistan still remains a vulnerable and unstable state. There is no accountability. The country is like a firm about to file bankruptcy. Leaders who failed to resolve the Hindu-Muslim divide and had vested interests of some to hold high positions in the Indian administration post independence are responsible for the situation we are in. Indian leadership as much as the Pakistan leadership is responsible for the situation we are in. Therefore it’s not only important that as we ask Pakistan to mind its actions but also a right time we iron our actions in our very own interests.

 It’s hard for us to believe that anyone can enter the coast or this country without inland help. Thousands of Bangladesh immigrants are able to illegally stay in India. The porous border is never completely taken care of. It’s also believed that some political parties have let this happen in interest of maintaining a sizeable Muslim vote bank in India. Many states of this so called resourceful country remain mismanaged. This creates unbearable pressures on states that are currently or have been historically been doing well. There is huge population migration from ill managed states to good going states like Maharashtra. This has put land, water, infrastructure and in general basic resources pressure on the state and its resources. Not everybody there can lead a comfortable life. There are many economies that run in that city. One of them being the so called underworld, the other being prostitution. Any foreign hand that appears to help the struggling population is often held. Who then is responsible for the state we are in? Is it just Pakistan? I don’t think Pakistan ever told us to mismanage resourceful states like Bihar. I don’t think Pakistan ever asked us not to track down illegal immigrants. Pakistan is doing what it thinks is right for them. The very base of the country stands on hating India. If Pakistan does not hate or trouble India, Pakistan is afraid to be another India.

 In light of this, India and Indian supporters around the world will keep asking a question after every carnage, “How many more?”. I think there will be many more. All of us know this somewhere within. Hanging one Kasab will not end the threat. There is a lot more analysis, book keeping and governance that needs to be done in-house. We should know our weaknesses as much as our strengths. A growing GDP shows how well you grow. I wonder is there a vulnerability measure that the world counts for. If there is none, its time India creates one for itself and sets a bar for itself. There is no point mourning 26/11 as a fashion following 9/11. US had the capability to answer 9/11 and place its house in relative order.  If India doesn’t think along the lines of what next, we would keep asking the same question after occurrences like 26/11 and lose the count of which ones should we mourn or commemorate.

Ever attempted such riddles in school and competitive exams? I am sure you have or at least I have. My answer to the above riddle is “Rajiv Gandhi”. What’s yours?

I haven’t traveled over the Bandra Worli Sea Link yet but I think it is a marvel step in building a good infrastructure for a city like Mumbai. This is also a lesson and project to look up to for cites that are soon going to see a Mumbai like financial revolution. One link that can give the technical and other details of this architecture stunt of its kind in recent times is http://www.marinebuzz.com/2009/07/01/mumbai-bandra-worli-sea-link-inaugurated/. Many citizens like us are happy with this first step whose stones are believed to be  laid in during the Sena BJP regime in Maharashtra. It’s good that the Congress took it forward though with some delay. We can still give it to the Congress run state government as this was the first project of its kind in Mumbai.

Now that the project is done, there are vulture like credit takers around. We can still give it to them for the nature of politics that the politicians have been playing for years now. It’s hard for them to just give it away for this project. Needless to say the ruling party in Maharashtra had an easy take at this. Being in the government it was easy for them to pull all the credit strings towards them and choose to name the sea link. What surprises me is the melodrama that ruling party played. I am wondering how long did they practice for this one?

Sharad Pawar now realizing that unless he pleases Sonia Gandhi there are chances that Vilasrao Deshmukh will play the daemon and Congress might choose to go alone in the assembly elections held in September. What better way to attract her attention than to propose to name the sea link after Rajeev Gandhi. With Chief Minister Chavhan looking to be at the center in next five years, I am confident he hardly had a choice but to agree. Now with the decision made to revert from the name originally planned the Congress government didn’t even think of consulting the remaining members of the house. This is one more classic case of arrogance demonstrated by the Congress party in recent times. All the leaders of Maharashtra were either dead or incapable and that is the reason we needed to invite a yoga and English certificate holder from Delhi who married Rajeev Gandhi and hence entered politics to inaugurate architecture exemplary. Congress in its current state thought this to be the right way to inaugurate the sea link. So what? Didn’t the British rule Mumbai? It should have been inaugurated by a foreign born. Where else could they find one except in their own party?

Now the bridge name. Ahh…the Congress dictionary has three Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajeev Gandhi. With Sharad Pawar proposing one it was decided to name the bridge after Rajeev Gandhi. When questioned why the Congress has very generic reasons to give. In the light of reasons given I as a common citizen can give you at least twelve alternate names that fit the reasoning. In this context then I can challenge that there is nothing so unique about Rajeev Gandhi that hundreds of streets, bridges, monuments, airports and other structures be named after him. The reasons Mr. Kripashankar Singh (Mumbai Congress President) gives are that Rajeev Gandhi was born in Mumbai. I have a hearty laugh here. At least 70% of the current population including me satisfies this criterion. So there’s nothing unique about Rajeev Gandhi being born in Mumbai. Kripashankar Singh then says that Rajeev Gandhi has had a hand in Information Technology revolution of this country. I have my own reservations about this claim as the IT revolution started with Stalwarts like Naren Patni, Azim Premji and Narayan Murthi seeking outsourcing business primarily from the US. I would refrain from calling Mr. Rajeev Gandhi an architect of any revolution in India. The third reason that Mr. Kripashankar Singh gives is that Rajeev Gandhi gave his life where in his body was churned to pieces. First of all, this incident happened in Tamilnadu. So whenever we build a sea link in Tamilnadu we can think of naming it after Rajeev Gandhi if localites find it fit. For now there are hundreds of Mumbaites who were forced to give away their lives in bomb blasts and terrorist attacks. If being blown up in a bomb attack is a criterion then it’s the citizens of this city who were razed in terrorist attacks since 1992 who deserve to be engraved on the pillars of that bridge. In this light what remains so unique about Rajeev Gandhi that Congress both at the center and state is after except for being the Prime Minister? This again is not a unique status as we have had a dozen after independence itself. Morarji Desai and Atal Bihari Vajpayee being visionary and deserving of all.

On the contrary Vinayak Damodar Sawarkar whose name was first decided to be given to the sea link when this project was first planned was  a young boy born on May 28^th1811 in Nasik Maharashtra. Born in a Sanskrit scholastic atmosphere Vinayak Sawarkar continued to excel in academics, literature and revolutionary activities against the British. Starting from the “vanarsena” a child play and awakening group to “Mahasabha”in the later stage. Sawarkar was the pioneer of the Independence movement against the British. As a student he was the founder of the “Abhinav Bharat”foundation. He went to London to study law and started his activities from there. He had authored Independence Movement of 1857 and other such likes which became the backbone to the revolutionary movement in India. He was of the belief that India needed a strong armed existence against the British and his activities to strengthen this belief into actions saw many literary miracles and secret assignments being carried out in India during the British rule. Needless to say that soon Sawarkar was de-ported from Britain and sent to India which was then under the British rule. During this time he made a legendary escape from a ship’s toilet outlet into the sea. He swam the salted sea waters with his torture would still open. At the French port he surrendered as his accomplice had not arrived. It was then illegal to arrest anyone on a foreign land. In spite of this the French soldiers to whom Sawarkar surrendered handed him over to the British. He was kept in the Adman jail under inhuman conditions. That is where he wrote a classic that still makes you numb, “Ne majasi ne parat Mathrubhumila,Sagara pran talamala”. This literally translates into “take me to my motherland, ohh sea! my breath stalls in unrest to meet her”. Later during this he was gotten back to Ratnagiri, jailed in Yerawada. He remained the key architect of the armed revolution and concept of Hindutva (cultural nationalism) and akhanda bharat. The nation looked at him as a conspirator in Mohandas Gandhi’s death but Nathuram Godse refuted the charges and Sawarkar was released. His fears of Nehru Gandhi policies came true and India surrendered to China in 1962. Amidst a fire brand life and equally suffering personal one. Sawarkar breathed his last on February 27^th 1966.

Now we know why Sawarkar is Veer Sawarkar and Rajiv Gandhi is just Rajiv Gandhi. Also, we come across this ungrateful and highly nepotism filled Nehru-Gandhi politics that continues the haunt every road, sky walk and sea link built in this country. This why most in Maharashtra and Mumbai are hurt by the hands that inaugurated the sea link and also the name that it will carry as this land of the Maharashtra and given birth to and bred many capable legends that none in the Nehru Gandhi family can even attempt to match.

Mumbai is very unique as a city. Being a Mumbaite I have seen it grow and gradually suffocate over past two decades. There are issues and they are blatant but a Mumbaite is so busy running at par with the second hand of his wrist watch that he either chooses to changes things on his own or suffer in silence. Majority of the Mumbaites for ages now have chosen latter.

Mumbai is in news everyday, for one reason of the other. One thing that ensures its mention is the Bombay Stock Exchange. However the city is rarely in news 24/7. Terrorist attacks of 26/11 ensured that as well for three days. The recent mention of Mumbai in media is for a low voter turn out in Mumbai for the 15^th Lok Sabha elections.

Mumbai has had voting trend post independence.

If we see closely over the past three decades, it has more or less remained constant .Even when the nation turned up in large numbers after Indira Gandhi’s assassination Mumbai continued its trend. One more thing to note here is that the composition of Mumbai ever since then has been changing. It has turned from fishermen’s (Koli’s) Mumbadevi to financial capital of India, Mumbai that we know today. The population of Mumbai Metropolitan Region has increased from 77 lakhs in 1971 to 188 lakhs in 2001. Thus as an absolute the number of voters turning up to vote has definitely increased.

This city with its growing importance has attracted many parallel running economies and attention. It has thus taken the first hit of many aggressions and attacks. More recent ones and ones at shorter intervals are since the 1992 blasts. Every other year or even many times a year the city bruises itself with bomb blasts and such foreign aggressions. The city then bleeds for a few hours, as that is all what it can afford to waste, bandages the wounds and then continues to live. This suffering in silence is known to the world as “never day die” spirit.

Mumbai as a city has given lot to this country. Huge amount of the revenue generated at the center comes from this city. This is the city that has shown the country to stand in spite of odds. This is the city that houses some of the top industrial houses in this country. This is the city that houses truths of a big city and continues to live. This is the city that houses culture. This is the city that houses unity. This is the city that houses courage and this is the very city that houses suffering in silence. That’s the precise reason that Mumbai is the city that waits at the mercy of latent politicians and the central government for a metro railway for decades now. Thus is the one that waits for the state government to solve the issues of the localities. Also, the one that needs a Raj Thackeray to speak up for itself. This is the city that succumbs to several deaths during daily railway commute of utmost inhuman nature. This is the same city that has been looking for a convincing solution for its population explosion and exhaustion its its already pressurized resources. This is the same city that succumbs to lies of our “worthy” politicians like Govinda Ahuja . This is the city that get back less than 1% of its contribution back for its own good. This is the city that never sleeps in anxiousness of a possible change and a better tomorrow.

Mumbai since independence has only given and given to the center and the central governments’ apathy towards it has been a return gift. Mumbai was so busy within its culture and upliftment that it barely had time to stop and question. Mumbaities started solving all these problems on their own and hence the result. Largely migrating population from other underdeveloped parts of India have pressurized the logistical system here. The localite does not have a mode of decent public transport or roads to ply on. Hundreds of people die everyday by local train accidents that are packed above their capacity. I have never seen and experienced such an inhuman treatment of people by its system and authorities in a civilized society. No fulltime water, no fresh air. No plantations, no playgrounds, this is the truth of this city. As I mentioned earlier, many parallel economies run here. Right from the underworld to established prostitution and child labor. But who cares as long as the city earns in leaps and bounds and provides to nations financial growth?

This city has been suffering for over two decades now. It’s rotting like gangrene spreading. It’s burning from wounds of several blasts. What happened at TAJ was sad, but that gained mileage because it was TAJ and not a local train. That incidence gained mileage because it was just months before the nation went to polls. What is so different about Mumbai after 26/11 that the media created a whole hype around to it to make the city wake up and vote? There are special debates held in the media for this! A Mumbaite is claimed to have not being shaken by 26/11? Excuse the city, the city is suffering to numbness and living in fear every minute every day.

Can someone please ask the system and “high profile” politicians on what is being done for the city in return? Piya Dutt joins a lakh people to TAJ to show her solidarity. When asked on what they have done for this city, both Milind Deora and Priya Dutt claim to have gotten more funds for the city. No one knows where has the money gone and neither of them seem accountable. What does an educated voter of this city get to see in the media? A Prime Minister who cannot handle criticism either on the floor of the house or outside. He comes out in public making “Sonia Gandhi” style remarks on the opposition. A debate held by channels like CNN IBN where Sagarika Ghosh inspired by her Congress funds makes false news from statements like “Narendra Modi insulted the women of this country by calling them Budhiya”. A spokesperson like Jayanthi Natarajan who in spite of being a lawyer fails to make logical arguments in debates. She speaks and shouts like vendors in the market refusing to let others make any point on the TV debates. She is a classic example of some politicians that are broadcasted on the media and generate a sense among masses that no one listens to their needs. What does TOI print in head lines, the fact that Priyanka asked Varun to read Gita. Another news channel has designers do our politicians make over. Then we have actors joining Sanjay Nirupam’s rallies. We see politicians distributing money for votes. We hear speeches that are allegations and finger pointing of the door step quarrel quality. The ECE then decides to have the election in midst of summer holidays. The list of such unintelligent and apathetic show both by the media and politicians can go on. The real issues of this country are thus hidden under the dunes of such mass and orchestrated nonsense. The empathy and motivation to vote for a change then goes missing somewhere.  An average voter thus prefers to enjoy his day off than to go and vote for a system and candidate that he does not connect to or consciously doesn’t want to.

I am not averse to voting. I traveled intercity taking a compulsory leave to cast my vote but the hype around Mumbai not voting when the nation itself is averaging to 50% shows that both the media and the politicians are trying to diverge attention from the crux of the issue. The politicians and media should be thankful that the city still stood up to vote 49% giving another chance for a change. For what the city has suffered all this while, I wouldn’t have been shocked if  the city would have boycotted these elections.

What is so special about a marriage and the excitement that it gets to people entering it? The simple and the first cut answer might be the urge to get in bed and experience all that first hand. Sure it is and nothing wrong. Many a times, such hot and on the spot seeming marriages usually dwindle under the swaying winds. Being women and that too of Indian upbringing many of them think that it’s about time men know we are equals. Of course, and why not? She wakes up as he does, or probably even earlier, manages everything as he does, work, home, kids and everything else that comes in way.

It is natural that women today are high in confidence. The needs of a woman from her man are moving more towards physical and emotional support. While living a high flying life, paced to achieve the pinnacle it is natural for many of them to carry the heat home.

Some may wonder on being so successful professionally but yet being single, some may think  on what is it that is  going wrong at home in spite of being an excellent manager at work. Some might just be jealous of a house wife next door who has a picture perfect family without a career outside. Many a times as women we think of these things. Believe it or not the answer to this is quite simple. You will be surprised I found one in a lions cage while at a wildlife safari in New Jersey.

Trust me! He was short stout and handsome. If he would have had a human form I would have probably jumped out of my car that day to be a third prospective candidate in his cage. Unfortunately there are limitations with whom you can mingle. Just because you are single doesn’t mean you can mingle all the way. Also the repercussions of that relationship would have been something spinx like.
The spark in his eyes was noticeable. I have always have had this opinion, a male with power and will is an easy target to be noticed but hard one to hit on. Not astonishing, a female he then targets is an easy catch. The lioness had a commanding gait, a gait of all controlling and achieving queen. Her pride in herself was evident in her eyes and in her actions. She might have had a heart but wouldn’t show. The king of the jungle gets to his feet, the feet that are mighty, the feet that are strong. A gait that’s charming and a personality to suit. But the head held high. They were so to say a perfect couple. A single him a single her. She crossed his sight enough for him to notice her but appeared to watch the world. Her pride, her ego, her status only permitted her to get as close for him to notice her. She waited for him to hit and he waited for her.
You know what happens when two monkeys fight over a loaf of bread? The third female in the cage was a “lioness” and that’s about it. I couldn’t notice anything else peculiar about her. Just nothing. She might not have had the charm but she knew how to woo him. She hit him while walking across that was enough for him to smell her breath. She dared to be close, close enough. Though “options are good”, he had limited offers. He got up to take a few steps she took a few away. It was a perfect “nahi nahi abhi nahi” scene. He ran after her and she just appeared to. By the speed, distance and time equation needless to mention he reached her. She got what she wanted and so did he. The lioness I empathized with was still marching but I saw a question in her eyes. ‘If he could run that distance for “her” why not “ME”?’
I then thought of telling her a secret I had discovered on my way, “you are a woman and you have a face, one for “him” and one for the “rest”.