Migrating to Bombay
The Indian constitution states that any citizen can migrate to, and settle in any part of India. Sadly, we can't buy a home in Kashmir, need an inner-line permit to visit Arunachal Pradesh, cannot pass on property down generations in a few states to one's heir unless one is a tribal, but apart from that, I'm lucky that I can think about buying an apartment in Bombay and maybe settling down there. I dearly hope that this remains the case.
However this right to settle, has opened up a can of worms. There is no denying the fact that Maharashtra and the southern states are galloping ahead in terms of GDP (the easiest measure to pick). This in turn, makes Bombay in particular, an extremely attractive target for folks to migrate to and try and achieve some part of the Great Indian Dream. I'm not sure whether we can disallow this. The only long term solution I can see is that for every state to "shine" and hence, slow down migration, eventually stopping it. However, I shudder to think of the short-term ideas that are being proposed.
I'd hate to follow the Chinese solution. A Chinese citizen needs a permit to visit Hong-Kong, and it gets tougher for a person from a rural area. I'd hate disallowing migration as to me that sounds unconstitutional.
Maybe that's an extreme scenario. Other suggestions include state taxes and state laws. For example, in the US, only MA residents can get gaily married ;) Similarly, within a few months of staying in NC, I had to get a driver's license for NC and pay state taxes for NC. Nobody complains of an 8 pound congestion charge to drive into London. Is that the answer? I'm not sure. We end up with a society based on tiers of privileges. Encouraging highly skilled immigration makes economic sense, but does it make it morally right? Especially since the disadvantaged citizen is disenfranchised through no fault of their own.
Loosely federated states make sense when basic needs are met for all citizens. Unfortunately, I still consider a large part of India poor and a tightly federated nation seems to be the only way forward. There is no question that Maharashtrians and large parts of South India are subsidizing other poorer parts of India. We can definitely state that the money is mis-spent, corruption is rampant, but I'd hate to hang a citizen of Bihar for the failings of their political masters. Your rejoinder would then be "They elected their masters!". I concur. To me, thats a failure of democracy, but that's another debate all together.
There is no question that the average migrant worker from U.P or Bihar is uncouth, illiterate and lacking in civic decency. I would also add "according to our civilized standards" as an addendum to the last sentence. I would however blame their characteristics, not on their genes or their personality, but on the failings of their society. Their political leaders are corrupt and they live in a failed state. But the minute we put ourselves in their shoes, should we not sympathize with their plight?
They show up in a new place, packed in on a train with no home and their worldly possessions tied up in a bed sheet.. The only place they can get a roof over their head, is in a slum which sadly, is controlled by the local bhaiyya who collects rent and a certain percentage of their earnings. From then on, it is an uphill struggle to find a job, stay safe, get cursed daily and be called a "dumb bihari" nearly every day, hated by everyone, when all they are trying to do is make a living.
Basic human tendency neccessiates survival in a group. It is in their interests to form a political block, so they can get electricity, a bit of water, little things needed to get by in a city that doesn't want them. I'm not averse to the idea of them forming some sort of group to take care of their needs. Of course there are bad apples in every group. In this case, the percentage of bad apples is very high. Again, the only way they've known to get something, is to grab it, because for countless years, they've been looted in every way possible in their home state. I'm fully aware that the group they form, then becomes more menacing
We now enter the nature vs. nurture debate. I don't think their goonda-gardi is a product of their nature. They aren't born that way and if things were fair to them, I tend to think they would behave civilly.
This immigration is putting extreme pressure on Bombay's infrastructure. Bombay can't handle it. And unfortunately, the only way in the short term to stop migration, seems to be to fight fire with fire and start threatening people based on regionalism. The sad part of this story is, for 50 years India has tried to cobble together a working group of states, highly federated and suddenly it seems to be coming apart at the seams and looks like it is being balkanized.
I have only contempt for ALL politicians. All the UP/Bihari politicians want, is to flex their muscles and sadly, so does the Thackeray family. Stuck in the middle are normal folks and the poor migrants, neither of whom, is to blame. Unfortunately, when the swords and sticks come out, the folks who will get hurt are not the politicians, but normal people.
The line seems to be drawn in the sand and I don't think this issue will be resolved peacefully. I'm concerned as to where this will head, because seeing this, I'm pretty sure the southern states will follow suit too. Where will this end?
However this right to settle, has opened up a can of worms. There is no denying the fact that Maharashtra and the southern states are galloping ahead in terms of GDP (the easiest measure to pick). This in turn, makes Bombay in particular, an extremely attractive target for folks to migrate to and try and achieve some part of the Great Indian Dream. I'm not sure whether we can disallow this. The only long term solution I can see is that for every state to "shine" and hence, slow down migration, eventually stopping it. However, I shudder to think of the short-term ideas that are being proposed.
I'd hate to follow the Chinese solution. A Chinese citizen needs a permit to visit Hong-Kong, and it gets tougher for a person from a rural area. I'd hate disallowing migration as to me that sounds unconstitutional.
Maybe that's an extreme scenario. Other suggestions include state taxes and state laws. For example, in the US, only MA residents can get gaily married ;) Similarly, within a few months of staying in NC, I had to get a driver's license for NC and pay state taxes for NC. Nobody complains of an 8 pound congestion charge to drive into London. Is that the answer? I'm not sure. We end up with a society based on tiers of privileges. Encouraging highly skilled immigration makes economic sense, but does it make it morally right? Especially since the disadvantaged citizen is disenfranchised through no fault of their own.
Loosely federated states make sense when basic needs are met for all citizens. Unfortunately, I still consider a large part of India poor and a tightly federated nation seems to be the only way forward. There is no question that Maharashtrians and large parts of South India are subsidizing other poorer parts of India. We can definitely state that the money is mis-spent, corruption is rampant, but I'd hate to hang a citizen of Bihar for the failings of their political masters. Your rejoinder would then be "They elected their masters!". I concur. To me, thats a failure of democracy, but that's another debate all together.
There is no question that the average migrant worker from U.P or Bihar is uncouth, illiterate and lacking in civic decency. I would also add "according to our civilized standards" as an addendum to the last sentence. I would however blame their characteristics, not on their genes or their personality, but on the failings of their society. Their political leaders are corrupt and they live in a failed state. But the minute we put ourselves in their shoes, should we not sympathize with their plight?
They show up in a new place, packed in on a train with no home and their worldly possessions tied up in a bed sheet.. The only place they can get a roof over their head, is in a slum which sadly, is controlled by the local bhaiyya who collects rent and a certain percentage of their earnings. From then on, it is an uphill struggle to find a job, stay safe, get cursed daily and be called a "dumb bihari" nearly every day, hated by everyone, when all they are trying to do is make a living.
Basic human tendency neccessiates survival in a group. It is in their interests to form a political block, so they can get electricity, a bit of water, little things needed to get by in a city that doesn't want them. I'm not averse to the idea of them forming some sort of group to take care of their needs. Of course there are bad apples in every group. In this case, the percentage of bad apples is very high. Again, the only way they've known to get something, is to grab it, because for countless years, they've been looted in every way possible in their home state. I'm fully aware that the group they form, then becomes more menacing
We now enter the nature vs. nurture debate. I don't think their goonda-gardi is a product of their nature. They aren't born that way and if things were fair to them, I tend to think they would behave civilly.
This immigration is putting extreme pressure on Bombay's infrastructure. Bombay can't handle it. And unfortunately, the only way in the short term to stop migration, seems to be to fight fire with fire and start threatening people based on regionalism. The sad part of this story is, for 50 years India has tried to cobble together a working group of states, highly federated and suddenly it seems to be coming apart at the seams and looks like it is being balkanized.
I have only contempt for ALL politicians. All the UP/Bihari politicians want, is to flex their muscles and sadly, so does the Thackeray family. Stuck in the middle are normal folks and the poor migrants, neither of whom, is to blame. Unfortunately, when the swords and sticks come out, the folks who will get hurt are not the politicians, but normal people.
The line seems to be drawn in the sand and I don't think this issue will be resolved peacefully. I'm concerned as to where this will head, because seeing this, I'm pretty sure the southern states will follow suit too. Where will this end?
posted by orphean at
7:29 PM
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