Today will be marked as the lowest point in state backed terror against a helpless citizen whose only recourse for justice is law, nothing else. Maharashtra government and BMC are unravelling at an alarming pace. First the abuse of a woman was brushed aside by people drunk on borrowed power. Then, her office is bulldozed without allowing her to present her defence. We had witnessed this in the days of Emergency when Indian Express office was sealed, Turkman gate homes were bulldozed. Never since 1977 have I felt a chill before speaking on TV debates or writing in Social Media, using words very carefully!

And what was the cause? For speaking bluntly about drug mafia about which everyone, specially in Mumbai, knows but does not speak. For the temerity of challenging a ‘naughty’ party leader about his language.  This was done by the party that had called Modi government Aurangzeb or something similar. The silent brigade of Bollywood that went into a tizzy when Modi ji came to  power and talked of ‘intolerance’, ‘leaving this country’, a country under an ‘undeclared Emergency’ is today supporting a woman arrested for alleged drug peddling but refuses to support a woman who spoke unpleasant truth, rose on her own, who has been targeted, bullied and insulted in worst languages before her dream office was smashed by vengeful officials behaving like occupation army under pressure from a three legged government.

Maharashtra was the first and probably the only state where the state government passed stringent rules not allowing any news about Covid infection if it spread fear or hatred. So, giving right numbers of deaths, or exposing fake news spread by vested interests could land you in jail. Then, same Covid time regulations were waved at us to stop you from speaking about ‘Justice for Palghar Sadhus’ and case was handled so badly that most of the top suspects were freed because case was not filed in time. Then, we had Sushant Singh Rajput case that was not filed for weeks together till Supreme Court slammed the  government. As the case unravelled the drug angle came up. The person who brought it out is now threatened. But, we dare not call this government a failure for fear of being harassed.

Can even temporary power be so intoxicating? Why blame Nehru family then, for acting like Mughals? I fail to understand why a government is so upset about expose of the drug mafia? Why was the government fighting hard to dislocate a suspected death? As a citizen I am perplexed. I can understand that Palghar was too far off. Hindu Sadhus are nobody’s stars. So, they let the case sputter to near failure. eBut, a suspected death? A case of drug lords ruling the film industry in Mumbai? Are stars so indispensable for us? Or our children’s lives are more important?

What kind of liberalism is this that calls for smashing male patriarchy when a suspect is jailed? But, celebrates abuse and oppression of another woman on the same day?

I can only say that this dictatorial attitude cannot last in a highly educated and staunchly nationalist state like Maharashtra. It is tragic that even in a democracy, politicians who come to power feel that they are here for eternity, even if they got into power with some ‘naughty’ friends’ games. 

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