When will Mumbaikars renegotiate democracy?

Mumbai-based film-maker Prakash Jha, whose Chakravyuh highlights economic inequities and Red uprisings, told a newsmagazine recently that the Indian middle class now “is renegotiating democracy”. This, he implied, appears to be part of a global wave of uprisings spanning the Arab world, London, New York. I don’t think Jha had Mumbai’s ‘mango people’ in mind when he spoke of India’s middle class.

On Monday, my colleague propounded in this space three possible explanations for uncleared garbage in Mumbai. Let me add my two paise worth: Mumbaikars have learnt not to renegotiate democracy and hence the metro is a total shambles.

Stated differently, garbage, for instance, is everywhere because the people responsible for the city’s upkeep know pretty well that they can get away with non-performance; they know that Mumbaikars will take things (that elsewhere would be inconceivable) lying down.

Throw crap at Mumbaikars, and they will duck and move on. Deprive them of basic urban amenities, and they will take it in their stride. Offer them substandard services, they won’t protest but carry on with their busy lives.

No, this is not the famed Indian stoicism, acceptance or living the Gita’s message of equanimity. It is as though Mumbaikars have signed as unwritten contract with the Establishment not to rock this sinkable boat.

‘Focus on eking out a livelihood, money-making and maximising savings / profits. Forget everything else.’ That seems to be the only philosophy guiding Mumbaikars. If the middle classes elsewhere are renegotiating democracy, good luck to them.

The so-called ‘Mumbai spirit’ is a myth. Merely because a few volunteers freely distribute sachets of Parle-G biscuits to motorists during traffic breakdowns, or others play the Good Samaritan during floods or riots, you can’t say Mumbai spirit is a truism. It is not as if people in other cities don’t reach out to the distressed during extraordinary crises.

How many residents of cooperative housing societies would voluntarily contribute regularly to get the exterior of their buildings painted attractively so that the city would look beautiful? But inside each CHS flat, well... suffice to say it’s a pleasant contrast.

How many residents would proactively seek to make use of vacant spaces in front of their societies? There are several such tiny lungs in the space-starved concrete jungle that can be used as children’s playgrounds or parks. But, legal wrangles are feared and such spaces are left to rot until they are used for other purposes. I don’t find any Mumbai spirit there.

Crowds abound at religious occasions, party-specific political rallies, entertainment events (sports, concerts) or news-making occasions (marathons), but Mumbaikars don’t really huddle to discuss and improve the state of their city.

That’s why there could have been plague here not long ago. It is here that voter turnout tends to be low. Anna Hazare receives a cold shoulder here. But it was here that people used to congregate to hear Nani Palkhiwala’s annual budget analysis, hoping to pick up some tax-minimising / profit-maximising tips.

Local MPs, MLAs and corporators always understood this me-first-Mumbai-last mentality well. Hence they didn’t / don’t bother to press for world-class suburban train rakes, good roads, traffic order, lovely skyline, clean air and many other things that make a great metro. Why would they?