metamemphis does not stay here

An article in todays Times of India:

"Mumbai says it’s payback time

Mumbai: We’ve been giving so much to the exchequer, it’s embarrassing. It’s humiliating to have to remind New Delhi, and even the state bosses about this majority contribution every time we are drowned in or blasted by catastrophe. But most galling of all is to keep giving crores, and getting cowries in return. Mumbai is tired of saying, ‘Forget the Centre, we’ll simply manage with our own resources’, or even, ‘Forget the state, we’ll pull together on our ind ividual push’. But this time the Mumbai voice is different. And angry. What it’s saying is ‘Forget all those syrupy noises about our spirit. Just show us the money. We don’t want the empty assurances, or even the well-meaning intent. We want the action. Give us what it takes to guarantee our security.’ The TOI has known the city longest, and sensed this mood change rightaway. On Thursday, we asked, “How much more can we take?’’ This has hardened further to, “We want our share, and we want it now.’’ Or even, “If we don’t get, we won’t give.’’ The trade-off is disgustingly skewed. We have to keep pulling out those oft-repeated statistics. Mumbai contributes 31% of income tax, 60% of customs duty and 20% in central excise collections. We pay Rs 54,000 crore in corporate and personal tax and income tax. What has Mumbai been given in the past five years? Nothing. Last July’s deluge left the country’s most powerful metropolis looking like a marooned Bihar village, partly because central or even state funds have not been sanctioned to upgrade our groaning utilities.

No way to treat India’s dream destination

After Tuesday’s ghastly blasts, Ground Zero applies to our tolerance of official callousness towards our personal safety, our human dignity. Money, material and mindsets are all found wanting in all the agencies appointed to guard us, the Mumbai police, the Special Intelligence Branch, and even the elite ATS. The police is still in ‘gangster mode’, unable to penetrate the more sophisticated, and unbreakable, terrorist. The quality of intelligence gathering and policing is stymied by political bosses, internal rivalries, and transfers based on every factor other than right qualifications. The ATS has to depend largely on the IB, which is not answerable to the state. The ATS was set up only at the tail end of 2004. In 1993, 13 blasts killed 257 people, and blew holes into our most symbolic landmarks. Between 2002 and 2003, a series of interlinked blasts rocked seven areas, including the iconic Gateway of India. And now 7/11, a strike as audacious as 9/11 or 7/7. Compare the flurry of tightening and toning in New York and London compared to our flaccid response. Mumbai (and Maharashtra) got its dedicated ATS over a year after the 2002-03 set of blasts, the GIS/GPS technologies were set in place just a few months ago. For the first time, money has been sanctioned to get training on post-blast probe. A woman ACP left for Louisiana on Friday, the crucial ATS man dropped out. Not only has the dog squad not been reinforced, the ATS doesn’t have its canines. The same ones have to sniff out narcotics and explosives. Is this any way to treat what is still the country’s commercial capital, and the drea, destination of every Indian?

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Thanks TOI