This appeared in the Asian Age....
Turmoil in Turkey….Chaos
in Mumbai…
Mumbai could be Istanbul…. and Istanbul,
Mumbai. And yet, vast distances separate the two cities. I am not talking about just the miles that
separate us.It’s the distance in our hearts and minds. I left Istanbul a day
before the Taksim protests paralysed this lively, buzzed area packed with
tourists and locals enjoying the mild weather and bright sunshine. My girl
friend in Turkey pointed out various historic landmarks that dot the heart of
this stunning city which kisses the
shimmering Bosphorus Strait. “ This is our lung,” she proudly pointed out,
drawing attention to what is now a
globally recognized symbol of the
Turkish people’s angst and sense of outrage against the present government –
the Gezi Park. Nothing all that special about the modest nine-acre park, one
would say while comparing it to Hyde Park or Central Park. I took pictures of
the large gates and noticed the number of people strolling in and out of the
tranquil park that was slated to be sacrificed and converted into a
(shudder,shudder) shopping mall. When my
friend mentioned how upset the people were with the Government’s arbitrary,
unilateral decision to destroy 60 acres of greenery, I didn’t pay too much
attention to her remark. Little did I know then what was to follow a few short
hours later, when riot police cracked down harshly on unarmed protestors, spraying
them with tear gas, drenching them with water cannons and making it abundantly
clear there would be zero tolerance towards any demonstrations that challenged
the fate of the park.
At about the same time back in Mumbai,
there were intense debates raging about the fate of another equally important
landmark - the Mahalakshmi Racecourse (built in 1883 and over 225 acres). But
with one significant difference. These debates were being conducted by various
political groups and the citizens were conspicuously absent during the
discourse. Well, there were letters in the press and panel discussions on
television. But beyond that – nothing of any consequence.And certainly nothing
to suggest the likelihood of riots breaking out to save the Mahalakshmi
Racecourse . If anything, the battle lines were drawn between vested interests
claiming dubious ownership over what is a staggeringly valuable land mass in
the heart of Mumbai. There was an unimaginable amount of wealth to be made. And
the vultures were circling overhead…. ready to swoop at the first chance.This
was perhaps Mumbai’s biggest land grab opportunity and there were any number of
players waiting impatiently to pounce on
it .What a stark contrast to what was taking place in Istanbul. It wasn’t just
about the threatened Gezi Park, of course. Or the old trees the
environmentalists were trying to save there. And let’s not even try and guess
whether there will be a Turkish Spring . The key thing is that it was a
spontaneous uprising of people across the country. Ordinary citizens
who had bravely decided to stand up and be counted. And it was the people
again, who had boldly challenged the
diktats of a man who had successfully
won two terms as Prime Minister, and was angling for a record third. Reccep Tayyip Erdogan clearly misread the mood of his people in
general and the protestors in particular, when he called them ‘looters’. The
damage was done. Instead of backing off meekly,the protestors stepped up the
agitation and the escalated acts of defiance stunned and impressed the watching world.
Nothing of the sort happens here in India.
Or is likely to. Last week there were horrifying reports of the
wanton destruction of 50 acres of mangroves which were dubbed ‘invasive
species’ and destroyed by rapacious builders ‘developing’ the posh Lokhandwala
area. In another shocking incident bulldozers rolled into the 5.5 acres of the
controversial Willingdon Colony and brazenly pulled down five bungalows without
seeking clearance from the heritage committee. Never mind that this nasty move
flouted all rules of the SRA ( Slum Rehabilitation Authority). There wasn’t a
squeak of protest from anybody of any reckoning. The reasons for this apathy
are simple : citizens are terrified of the consequences. We have unilaterally
surrendered Mumbai and handed it over to gangsters parading as
politicians.Every single political party operating in and around Mumbai is after just
one thing - land. And to get that, these
goons stop at nothing – murder included. What can the aam aadmi do? Go to the
cops? That’s a joke. By the time a complaint gets registered, the land is gone!
Besides, when it comes to the nexus between the Mumbai police, the Municipal corporators
and the political class, it’s one big happy family that feeds off the many
loopholes and laws governing our precious spaces. And that’s the way it has
always been. When rulers themselves are gangsters collectively working to
annihilate a once great metropolis, perhaps the resignation of citizens is
easier to condone.
Even so, what happened in Istanbul serves
as a valuable lesson to us in far off Mumbai. If we at all care about our city,
we shouldn’t just sit tight and let those rogues take over what rightfully
belongs to every Mumbaikar. Today, it’s the Racecourse, tomorrow it will be
Hanging Gardens and next the Zoo. We watched silently as mill land in Central
Mumbai was sold to overnight developers fronting for politicians. We did
nothing about the wanton destruction of our life-saving mangroves. We care a
hoot about our heritage buildings.We have become bystanders to all the rot
around us. We weren’t always like this. So why have we given up the fight today
without even the fig leaf of resistance? Any answers?
My takeaway from the recent Turkey trip was
this : the Turks have not lost their passion. They have not forgotten the past.
And they are concerned about the future. It’s not just that one park that
belongs to the people, it is the entire country – every square centimetre of
it. It’s time we reclaimed our own.
18 comments:
Well, I think the race course is a great space for people who want to exercise or get some fresh air (fresh air in Mumbai... hah!) . If this huge piece of land is otherwise used for harassing poor horses for people's entertainment and gambling, why not let the Government use it to build something that will benefit the public? Like a gymkhana with good facilities or a fun park?
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