E-Paper
Metropolitan makeover
Those who vandalised late Meenatai Thackeray's statue knew exactly what they were up to. And Shiv Sena obliged.
The people who vandalised the statue of the late Meenatai Thackeray, wife of Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray, at Shivaji Park in Mumbai knew exactly what they were up to. And almost in Pavlovian reflex, the Shiv Sena obliged — by burning vehicles, shutting businesses and blocking roads across Maharashtra. This is, after all, the political party that has made violence its trademark. Fortuitously, it was a Sunday, otherwise the destruction of property and disruption could have been greater. There is no doubt that vandalising statues is a heinous act, meant to hurt sentiments. But the Sena’s claim that its sentiments are something special, giving them the liberty of going on a rampage, is simply not tenable and cannot be accepted. When it comes to sentiments or the law of the land, the Sena is like every other Indian political party, not less, not more.
The flare-up is bound to have a negative impact on Mumbai’s image, battered as it is by signs of civic neglect and a state government that seems to have forgotten the ABC of governance. Though, it was a bit rich to hear from Uddhav Thackeray, the party’s heir apparent, that the state government had failed to maintain law and order.
It is time for the Indian political class to think of a new model of governance for India’s emerging mega cities. The current model, where administration is the responsibility of a state government, seems unable to cope with the infrastructural needs of millions living in close proximity, or to their safety and security. Maharashtra is a classic case where ministers elected from across the state are busy buttressing their own constituency interests, and have little interest or concern for the specialised and gargantuan needs of Mumbai. Following the Chinese model, major cities across the countries should be given a special degree of autonomy, free from their current linkage with the state structure. Such autonomy should include the use of funds for development, as well as for the maintenance of law and order. There has to be a realisation that running such a complex organism as a mega city is a highly specialised job. Experience in running a zila parishad, or a collectorate in rural Maharashtra, does not exactly prepare you for the task.
