Monday, February 20, 2012

Money and the police state

Was at a friends house over the weekend. Nice party, with a lot of interesting people, and great conversation.This was no teenagers head banging music party, but more like good wine and conversation flowing on issues like how South Mumbai residents would assemble in throngs for a candle light march, but would not take the time to vote.
My friends home is across the road from a very posh building in which senior police officers stay, at the tax payers expense. At 11:20 pm, one of the residents decided the decibel level was too much for him, and instead of calling my friend to lodge a neighbourly complaint, decided to send a posse of uniformed policemen to break up the party. Remember there was not even music playing, just a few freinds over for some wine and conversation, and it was not even so late at night.
Anybody who lives in Bombay city knows, that this is a noisy city..from the mullah at unearthly hours calling his flock to prayers, to Hindu devotees invoking their deaf Gods through amplified sound systems, to blaring horns, to processions to celebrate everything ranging from political events, to religious to sporting, all.highly amplified, and in general the police sleep through most of it..but when it intrudes on their personal space they react with alacrity, and have no qualms about misusing their authority and powers.
It is not only the politicians who we must blame all the time, it is also the so called guardians of law, and senior ones at that, who think they are above the law. We can either be apathetic as usual, or in the normal course let this too drown in the cacophony of noise and corruption that is our city.