Is Mumbai returning as Corruption Capital of India ?

Bombay had been  christened as the Financial Capital of India long back,  since last many Centuries,  because it was one of the  premier Port towns of the Country,  opening vast vistas of  trade with  the West. Cotton, silk,  valuable minerals, fruits and many products  were  shipped  from the City to England, Europe and America. India was known as ‘Sone ki Chidiya’  mainly due to its  exports from this strategically located port.  Shifting of  capital from Calcutta to New Delhi by the British in 1911  also  helped  in getting Bombay (now called Mumbai) a more prominent position in international trade.  Then came the  Oil treasures of  Gulf Nations UAE, Qatar, Iraq, Iran etc. on the back of  automobile revolution from European factories.  This  made Bombay the undisputed  ‘Financial Capital of India’.  It contributed  60 to 70  percent  foreign exchange kitty of  the country.

Lure of earning quick money after Independence,  started the illegal smuggling  of  rich cultural assets like  ancient  idols of  heritage value, antiques and  religious books etc.to  decorate the  drawing rooms of rich and powerful of the Western world. But such illegal trading activities  were restricted to  a limited criminals of underworld, didn’t involve  the  industrialists or politicians.  The names of underworld  dons  Mustafa Bhaai,  Dawood Ibrahim, Chhota Rajan, Chhota Shakeel and the likes  were notorious for ‘Hafta Ugaahi’, extortion, forcibly occupying prime  properties  and other crimes during the seventies to nineties of 20th Century India. Then came the era of  Bomb Blasts,  communal  activities  which were reaction to emergence of  Nationalist  parties and  leadership challenging  centrist politics,  appeasement and exploitation of rural folks.
Emergence of  Shiv Sena-Bhartiya Janata Party  govts  after long Congress rule in Maharashtra,  had  controlled the situation  largely and  crime had been in control  during these  regimes.  Recent  rift between the two  Saffron parties in Maharashtra and  formation of Shiv Sena led Govt in the State in 2019, with support from tainted  Congress, NCP leaders has  started the ‘quick rich race’ again.

The latest allegations by the outgoing Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh in an eight page letter to Chief Minister  Uddhav Thakre has  forced the general public to  believe that Mumbai is returning to its  dark days of  previous century, when  the city had  been a ‘heaven of Black Money’ for  goondas  and extortionists. Charges levelled by a top rank Police Official against  his Political Boss (state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh),  has opened a  new Pandora’s Box.  Collecting Rs 100 crore from restaurants, bars and  such high profile outlets per month means  a bounty of Rs 1500 crores could have gone into pockets of ruling  politicians during the last 15 months.  The sequence of events coming into open  after an explosive laden van was  caught outside the residence of  well-known  Ambani business family;  murder of  van owner during investigation and  alleged involvement of a much tainted Inspector Sachin Waze in  the unfolding story is   forcing  the Citizens of the Country to  believe  that Financial Capital is  getting back to its  Corruption/Crime Capital of India  days.

Whatever direction the  investigation  into this episode unfolds,  it is time  the State Govt  takes immediate steps  to clear the  filth  or the Central Govt  intervenes  with strong  action before it damages the path to  economic recovery  after a year of  horrible Covid-19  nightmare, the country has suffered.  The state is also the most affected Corona zone with  India’s one-third death tally reported from Maharashtra !!!