Shobhaa De | Mumbai On Verge Of Being Bartered To Highest Bidder?
Santa Claus has the right idea… visit people only once a year,” wrote Victor Borge. Well… maybe this year Santa decided to skip India and fly his sleigh directly to a less polluted place. His reindeers wouldn’t survive our toxic air. And we’re talking TOXIC! This goes beyond just air quality. Overall, the “mahaul” across the country is pretty awful. I look at the headlines and either cringe or cringe. Daily murders are part of our diet. We consume passively and turn a blind eye to murders, lynchings, beatings, mindlessly consuming OTT content Am I wrong or is this the first time an RSS worker has attacked innocent children for singing? But I also felt unrest around Mumbai on Christmas Eve, fearing violent protests would break out following the lynching of Dipu Das, a 25-year-old Hindu laborer accused of blasphemy in Dhaka.
Irony. SoBo, where we live, is a region that has hosted and hosted thousands of illegal Bangladeshis for decades. Although this was an open secret, no local neta dared to voice concerns about their unauthorized presence. The densely populated slums right next to the heavily guarded maritime zone are filled with Bangladeshi families en route from Kolkata to Mumbai. They are culturally diverse, speak Bengali with a particular accent, stick together and eventually assimilate. Most of them have “legal” Aadhaar cards and other documents, so the problem of identifying them as illegal immigrants becomes even more difficult. It cannot be said that the authorities were that disturbed.
Even cops turn a blind eye when pressured to take action when a problem arises. Over time, feeble attempts were made to send them back. But when the exhausted cops reach Kolkata by train, they lie low for a few weeks and then sneak back to get their old jobs back in Mumbai.
Bangladesh is in shambles today. “The Savior” is back. Tarique Rahman ended 17 years of exile and returned to his hometown, promising a “safe, peaceful Bangladesh”. Long order. But Bangladeshis in Mumbai are in no rush!
The reason why no one wants to solve the problem of Bangladeshis living illegally in Mumbai is simple: Netas needs them. They were supported and nurtured by local MLAs as captive vote banks from time immemorial. The story continues. As crucial elections approach in Mumbai, MMR and Nashik on January 15, 2026, every vote counts. The cat to be won is monumental. The Thackeray Brothers “regrouped” in panic mode to take on the Sena (UBT) and MNS, which probably already looked like a lost cause. Considering how political pundits read the frost in the air, running as an alliance was a move waiting to happen. The BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are already in a celebratory mood as they see the warring cousins being left in the background. They are like a discounted “combo meal” clinging on to each other in a desperate attempt to survive. CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis explained the latest move in a harsh and dismissive tone: “This is their existential struggle. They are resorting to politics of appeasement. It is not as if Russia and Ukraine are united.” I love this! Fadnavis refers to an “existential struggle”.
Wondering who wrote the quote? Is our CM a fan of Jean Paul Sartre? Albert Camus? Perspective and perception are everything. The ‘Act of Brotherhood’ came into full effect when Fadnavis quipped, “It’s not like Putin and Zelenskyy coming together”, soon after the cousins and the two savages came together after nearly 20 years, Eknath Shinde immediately swooped in and added fuel to the fire, adding: “The cousins can’t take care of their own children… What can they do to save Mumbai?” The catch phrase: “Save Mumbai”. They are all a group of self-proclaimed “saviors”. Only Mumbaikars can save Mumbai. By taking back Mumbai from the exploiters who systematically, ruthlessly and cold-bloodedly plundered it.
There is a line in Dhurandhar (the Bollywood blockbuster that dropped many political bombshells on both sides of the border); where a character says: “Whoever controls Karachi controls Pakistan.” Similarly, the party that controls Mumbai also controls Maharashtra. And indirectly, it also has significant political/financial influence across India. The tired old “Marathi Manoos” talk doesn’t work anymore. BJP focuses on development.
Although elections are being held for municipal corporations governing 29 cities, this is actually about the takeover of BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation), one of India’s richest civic bodies. Eat this: BMC’s staggering budget for 2025-26 is 74,427 crore. Let’s call it the Vada Pav war! A vendor’s masala is spicier. Which one will a Mumbaikar bite into without worrying about indigestion?
As 2026 approaches, everyone is starting to get a little uneasy.
We have a brand new airport called “It will change the rules of India’s civil aviation sector…” Which game? What change? Navi Mumbai International Airport looks dazzling. We were told this was a 28 year old dream. All 1,160 hectares are in Ulwe. The largest green area in the country is the airport. The interesting statistic for me is that there are 75 aircraft stands for private jets and charters.
A very successful event planner recently told me that rich and famous people refuse to fly for commercial purposes these days. It deals with big-ticket celebrities like movie stars, cricketers, performing artists, singers, dancers, entertainers of all colours. Laughing, he admitted that even minor celebrities had requested private jets, and had airily told him to “bill it to the client.” It’s like customers are that alert. If the charter flight option is denied, some of these flamboyant names insist on flying first class with their entire families. The rest of the entourage flies to business class. But no one is willing to fly economy; Even the spot man. “If my travel budget for just one artist reaches 12-20 lakhs for one concert, how can I justify this cost to my client?” How really!
And that’s the good part.
He talked about a high-profile artist who wanted his travel money upfront and in cash. When he landed in Singapore, the organizers were shocked to see him timidly exiting the cattle class, minus his family!!
I happily declare 2026 as the “Year of Hustle”. Look around you. What do you see? I see a lot of scammers representing every area and constituency. Political hustle and bustle has always been there… now it’s more present. Win…or die as they say.
Let’s join the gang and get out of there. I’m signing up for a masterclass.
