At last I have hit pay dirt!
My last post earned me lots of wrath from people who defy branding. One asked me why `I' had pegged the number of Bangladeshis in the city at 1 million. ``why not two or three?'' demanded an activist. A friend queried sarcastically if I didn't want Bangladeshis in my backyard, who did I want? More clones of myself? Well!
Didn't know the choice was soooo limited.
Another one suspected I was a BJP supporter. If the BJP indeed is raising this point, -- I don't remember the last time they spoke on the subject -- could it possibly be because Bangladeshis are NOT Indians? IF the BJP is indeed vocal about it, surely it is not as if the presence of Bangladeshis hurts only Hindus? Give it a thought. At least there is merit in THIS logic of theirs, presuming it's theirs. (More on how it hurts each one of us later.)
Conversely, are the Congress and its clones quiet because Bangladeshis are Muslims and by virtue of that fact, should be allowed to settle down into OUR country? Shouldn't you recognise an illegal immigrant as an illegal immigrant irrespective of his religion or nationality?
Yes, we did have a policy to resettle Hindu refugees from Bangladesh for a while but that owed to the terrible political climate of that country which persecuted them, leaving them with no option but to flee.
The casual mention of Bangladeshis has indeed been very revealing.
Of course, there were several -- many, many more than the hate mailers -- who enjoyed or agreed with what I had written. But the problem is they are a silent majority. It's absurd that a wrong view prevails simply because the people with these views are forceful, and those with a perspective prefer to sigh and resign themselves to their fate. Lest they be tainted as BJP supporters!
Now, let me explain to my friends and foes why every issue need not be viewed with coloured glasses. For decades now, everyone has been complaining about Mumbai bursting at the seams. The city has been short of power, roads and water. Check out the slums where many of these Bangladeshis -- I talk about them because all my respondents are now talking about them. I would ideally include all encroachers into the picture -- are squatting. They consume water from punctured pipes or illegal supply; they get illegal power, and of course they hog our roads.
Someone will promptly argue they consume less water than families living in buildings. True, but then, they shouldnt be consuming any water at all.
While cribbing about load-shedding, we automatically point accusing fingers at the utilities for not planning for the future. But the encroachers-- the illegal immigrants-- are a co-accused in this case. They are responsible for snatching away portions of infrastructure that was built for us-- the legimitate citizens of the city who pay for everything we use. or at least are supposed to.
Yes, there are those obnoxious developers preying on every inch of legitimate space building legitimate towers that draw more people into the city and that consequently also legitimately poaches our resources. I would be the first to agree that their activities have caused our resources to shrink much more than the illegal immigrants. But since these guys are a matter of policy-- we have no vision in place to cope with such an influx into the city or means to deny them their right to living here -- unlike the illegal immigrants who are necessarily not wanted.

So, the next time you have an issue with the city's crumbling infrastructure, look out of your balcony. Part of the problem probably rests close to it. And think. Are you large-hearted enough to permit all countries to settle down in your city as if it were their birthright? I am not sure if there is any political philosophy that allows this.
But do give me all that headbanging. Go on. Makes the blog a better place to be in.