This was an article that I had written for CNN IBN on Feb 04, 2010. Its special as I got an appreciation mail from Mr. Rajdeep Sardesai (editor in chief IBN Network) on this.

The politics which I now call ‘guttar politics’.

Shocked, disappointed, angry – I’m still wondering if we live in a civilized society. When the Constitution of India clearly states that it is every Indian’s birth right to move across states, why do some fellows in Maharashtra take law into their own hands. “Mumbai for Maharashtrians”, they scream. So what next – are we expecting fragmented pieces of India? Are you telling me that the next generation would need a visa to move across the country?

Mumbai is every Indian’s dream destination. It represents every aspect of India – the slums, the stock markets, the rich and the famous, Bollywood. All of this deeply embedded into the Mumbai culture.

The strange part though is that the common man doesn’t feel secure here. Beating up of people on basis of castes, ‘appeals’ made in barbarian manner and attacks on celebrities – where does it leave us. What however is commendable is Shahrukh Khan’s courage to stand up for himself. But even more astounding is the fact that none of the Bollywood celebrities have come forward to support him. Like Martin Lurther King once said “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends”. The film industry is a family – how many times have we heard this? But alas, we all know it never was!

Being a part of a civilized society, etiquette is expected from you. Targeting people on the basis of their caste is irrational. ‘Mumbai does not belong to an Italian mummy’! How ridiculous does this sound? And why doesn’t the Congress do something to oppose this. Yes, we are all aware of the vote bank politics. But doesn’t someone here have a conscience? I’m sure we could do lots if we together – policemen, politicians, journalists, Bollywood and the common man stand up against the ‘Gunda Raj’. Don’t forget, a few decades ago the entire country had overthrown the British Raj; test our patience too much and we would overthrow the Gunda Raj.

And the world would watch…