Mumbai Musings

Munde Probe

After Pankaja Munde set an example by performing the last rites for her father Gopinath Munde and at the same time pacifying angry crowds, her life isn’t getting any easier. Spate of rumours about mystery of the freak accident have been doing the rounds. After Ramdas Athawle and a couple of BJP leaders, now state BJP chief Devendra Fadnavis too has formally demanded a probe into the accident. While Munde’s state CM dreams may have died a premature death, a wall over Bandra flyover still carries this message: Delhit Modi sarkar, Maharashtrat Munde sarkar. However, after the driver was let off on bail, no new details have emerged from the investigation as of now. CBI has now taken over the probe and a case has been registered after the home ministry recommended handing over of the case.

Not So Pretty

This time, I had actually hoped the column would mention nothing about crimes against women. But that was not to be. Actor and entrepreneur Preity Zinta filed a case against her former boyfriend Ness Wadia about an incident during IPL match on May 30. The alleged offences, in the first news wires stories, had been reported to include molestation and criminal intimidation among other things. Zinta's lawyers have clarified that the actress had accused Wadia of outraging her modesty by abusing her in public and making her feel ashamed. While the police have started investigating before they can arrest him, the women’s groups have started demanding probe and arrest at the earliest. Ironically, Preity on the other hand is battling intense scrutiny and gossip about her complaint, ranging from professional problems to she being jealous of Wadia’s new girlfriend. It forced her to issue a statement on Facebook where she said, 

The state women’s commission, which recently got its head, has demanded Wadia's arrest and one of the officials said, “Whatever is possible within the purview of law must be followed and Wadia should not be treated any differently from any other accused.” Whatever the trigger and the complicated past there may be, my heart goes out to Preity because we all remember how she took a brave stand by being the only witness not to retract in court her earlier statements against the Indian mafia during the 2003 Bharat Shah case extortion case that overshadowed her film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, when everyone else chose the safe way out.

Somebody Stop Me

We are not sure if these incidents of politicians shooting off without really thinking about what comes out of their loud mouths are on the rise or are they getting reported more and thus coming to our attention? In Maharashtra, while Ajit Pawar makes the most “evocative” statements, his close associate RR Patil comes a close second. While we are on the subject of crimes against women (it just doesn’t let up, does it?), Aaba, as Patil is popularly known, said they cannot prevent rapes even if a policeman was standing guard outside each house. He clarified soon enough saying he meant that because offenders are often family members it is a challenge. Of course, the damage had been done.

RIP Shanti Patel

Perhaps not many would know Dr Shanti Patel in the present generation. But 92-year-old Patel was a remarkable trade union leader who continued to be the president of National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) till his dying day. He was also a trustee of the Mumbai Port Trust for more than 60 years and had been instrumental in getting 100 days wages for workers when Bombay Port Trust completed 100 years. A Gandhian who fought during the freedom struggle, Patel was the mayor of the city and also a parliamentarian. Even as he started his political career with the Congress, he joined Janata Dal later and had also protested against the Emergency. 

Ministry of Information Informs

Prakash Javadekar, the new and extremely enthusiastic minister for I& B (also environment) visited the Doordarshan studios and interacted with the staff. Apparently, the staff raised the issue of contract employees who have not been made permanent despite several years of service. But for media, it was his take on paid news and opening up of private FM news that was most significant. "Paid news and private treaties are matters of concern because they endanger media freedom. Stalwarts like Lokmanya Tilak had fought for the freedom of the press and their sacrifice should not be allowed to go waste," he said. He also added that he doesn't see any problem in opening up FM news like newspapers or channels and hinted at a possibility of them using agencies like PTI and UNI for information to begin with. The Modi government ministers seem to be making all the right noises and Javadekar has even provided an opportunity for citizens to register their noise/voice at the Minister's Corner on the I& B website. 

High tides, High Drama

While the so-called steeped-in-culture women spent their time doing rounds around a banyan tree, celebrating our version of karwa chauth, others were witness to huge waves on sea fronts of the city. The two are not entirely disconnected. Legend has it that it rains a lot on the occasion of Vata Purnima and full moon day is anyways marked for high tides. But there were two negatives to both stories. At several places people had torn off branches of banyan trees, selling them for a small amount. And lovely tides made our Arabian sea queasy and it seemed to throw up all the garbage out on the streets. A sign of times to come? Anyhow, monsoon has officially arrived and the Mumbaikars are relieved. Not sure about the BMC though. 

Metro City

Finally, it happened. No, not rains. (They also, by the way, have almost happened). The Mumbai Metro finally started moving and carrying real passengers. Mumbaikars showed their enthusiasm for anything that helps commute (don’t ask us to vote, though) and turned up in large numbers at Ghatkopar and Andheri to get a ride on the train that has automatic closing doors and the footboards are at the same level as the platform. Who would have thought? Some niggling issues remain but on the whole it has brought a huge sense of relief for scores of citizens, who dread the road travel from Ghatkopar to Saki Naka, Marol and Yari Road, Versova, especially in the monsoons. 

Even as we were celebrating Metro mania, a branch of a tree fell on the overhead wire at Dadar station and delayed services during peak hours (when is it not peak hour at Dadar?). It is best not to elaborate on commuter woes on Mumbai’s lifeline— the suburban rail network.