The Arrival of Developmental Politics and Raj Thackeray

Los Angeles
Dec, 2008

With the Election results in 5 states out, Raj Thackeray is my hero of the moment. And not only Raj Thackeray, the whole Maharashtrian politicians are my heroes. What they are saying from last couple of months is different then what we have listened in this country in last 60 years. Maharashtrian lobby and Maharastrian brand of politics is some thing a great lesson for whole of the country. Raj Thackeray has full support from Shiv senas, Maharashtra BJPs, NCPs and Maharashtra Congress. The people who have closely watched the politics in Mumbai know that by core Deshmukh and Thackeray are comrades in arms more then Vajpayee and Advani.

The key issue, which Raj Thackeray bringing in, is migration of North Indian laborers to Mumbai. For that matter, North Indian laborers are moving everywhere not only to Mumbai, you will find them in every big city, nook and corner of the country. And in Mumbai specially, as Sharad Yadv wrote in his one of article, "Labor will follow the capital" So wherever we have more capital investment, laborers will travel. There is nothing wrong in migration, and people must be free from migrating or choosing a place to live in our country. But the key question arises, is it a force migration or by choice?

The kind of influx of people, we have seen in Mumbai and Delhi really gives nightmare to any administrator. For example, Mumbai witnesses more then 300 to 500 migrants families (people who wish to settle in Mumbai) on a daily basis and it is the similar situation in Delhi too. So when last time Sheela Dixit brought this issue, that migrants are creating problems in Delhi. She was forced to take her statement back by central leadership of Congress. The problems of Mumbai are more then problems of entire North India, which still lives in third world. Collapsing infrastructure, increasing slums, reducing forest cover (exceptions few last years), increasing traffic, pollution and reduction in per capita resources are enough to describe the pain of Mumbai. On a recent statistics, 17% of Mumbai live in upscale flats and houses, 28% of Mumbai live in Chawls and low middle class houses and 55% live in Slums. With this statistics, Raj Thackeray has all valid reasons to raise this issue, I may not agree with his actions and the way he is terrorizing whole north Indian community. But this issue needs to be addressed in a different manner.

Yes Mumbai belongs to India not only Maharashtra, but also all Indians cannot live in Mumbai. No administrator can plan the resources and facilities with these many people wish to settle in Mumbai that too with limited resources. Lets accept the fact that, we have our own limitation in planning and executions. Can we plan and execute Mumbai like Shanghai or Singapore; I can say we need to wait for time for that. Mumbai gave almost one third of revenue to the Government of India to its exchequer. And how much we give it back to Mumbai for its planning and development, I guess less than 5%.

This problem is not only with Mumbai and Delhi but almost all cosmopolitan cities like Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and metropolitan cities like Jaipur, Indore, Nagpur and Chandigarh are facing. Manmohan Singh and all the people who are in favor of development must be thankful to Raj Thackeray, because none in this country has created so much uproar in regional development as Raj Thackeray's recent actions/comments. West Bengal’s Jyoti Babu’s government was only government in the country, which has really dealt this effectively by reducing the migration rate with significant percentages in Kolkata, in 90’. However they failed to stop the Bangladeshi infiltrators, which I bring in, in some of my other blogs.

Education, health, roads, power and water in villages are major challenges. Why are we failing in providing the developments and basic infrastructure in villages? Who is responsible for year on year basis, people deserted their own states and moving to big cities. Why we are not holding responsible to North Indian States governments, Central governments and people of these states for not creating enough opportunity, or employment in their own states. Big cities have just become big, because of uncontrolled migrations. Most of the migrants live in pathetic conditions. Mumbai has more then half of its population living slums. And the kind of development we are witnessing at this moment, and the feeling of regionalism or for that matter, feeling of ‘my city only” will continue to grow. The growing aspiration and frustration, region wise is the one and only one reason why regional parties are getting so much support in the Indian Politics.

We have seen governments after government, performing badly in our country. I still remember, when Vajpayee governments score card for ministers published in 2002 by India today, less than 10 ministers were in good performance status. And it is the similar case of Manmohan Singh's government also; you will find hardly few ministers who really understand ministry and its scope of work. Rest all are 'headless chicken" rolling between Ministry to Parliament without much of the purpose. Unfortunately, the most important job, to run the country lies in the hand of unprofessional “Jan sevak” in our country.

Remember, whenever any government loses the election, it is not that chief minister loses the power or party loses the base. Yes those are truths, but more importantly the people of the state cheated for five years, revolted for that particular government. Do we accountability of those lost five years? At the end, it is the people who voted for that government loses the most. But are we rewarding to the governments, which are doing good? Vajpayee (2004), Naidu (2004 AP), Gehlot (2003 Rajasthan) and Jaylalithaa (2005 TN) lost the elections, despite showing positive development cards.

What as “the people”, important for us? Are we really caring about the development of our own. Are Education, road, power, agriculture, infrastructure, water and sewerage management more important then cast, creed, religion or personalities to us. Narendra Modi has showed in 2007 Gujarat election, Sheela Dixit, Shivaraj singh Chauhan and Raman Singh have proved in 2008. There is no other priority at this moment then development. I hope, North Indian states chief ministers listening, the vibes of nation.

“Has Developmental politics arrived to India?”

Epilogue:
If we can’t create a single Shanghai or Singapore in our country, can we create 10 Mumbais in different part of India? After all 55% slum is what, we are habitual of.