Migration is as old as the first human group. One example is tribes would hunt in groups or pacts. When the hunt would move they would move. The tribe will move wherever they have to so that they can survive. Even now people immigrate. It might be because of war or as a result of a bad government, but whatever the reason immigration will never stop as long as one country has a better place.
RECENT EVENTS and discussions in India's commercial capital should concern everyone in the country. For suddenly, there have been a number of discussions, even at government level, on finding ways to curb the entry of ‘outsiders' into Mumbai. The Maharashtra Government is seriously talking about checking the influx of migrants into the city of Mumbai. The Congress-led State Government argues that the problems Mumbai faces - overstretched infrastructure, inadequate housing, and shortages of basic services - can all be laid at the feet of the thousands of people from other parts of India streaming into the city.
This conclusion is not based on any new data or survey but is prompted by the advent of an election looming on the horizon. For the copyright for the anti-immigrant theme song rests firmly with the Shiv Sena, which currently sits in the Opposition?
There is no disputing the fact that Mumbai grew because of migration. All cities do. Mumbai needed labor for its industries and the port in the last century. This initial migration escalated many times over in the years after Partition. In the decade 1971-81, the migration into the city was even more noticeable. This was the decade that saw major droughts in Maharashtra and elsewhere in the country. Migration was inevitable and Mumbai an obvious draw for the impoverished villager. As for the nature of the migration, repeated surveys have established that the majority of the migrants coming to Mumbai were from rural Maharashtra. Despite this, the bogey that the majority of the people coming into the city are from outside the State persists
Biharis and U.P.-wallahs were targeted by the Shiv Sena chief, Mr. BAL Thackeray, in response to a remark made by the former Prime Minister during a visit to Mumbai. Mr. Vajpayee had pointedly stated that Mumbai belonged to everyone. To which Mr. Thackeray responded by saying it was people from the Prime Minister's home State and neighboring Bihar who were responsible for Mumbai's problems.
The matter could have rested there, dismissed as one of Mr. Thackeray's usual rants. But the Democratic Front Government did not want to be left behind. So the Chief Minister, Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh, called a `high level' meeting to discuss what to do about the influx. He is reported to have said that the Government could take steps to restrict access to certain facilities by new migrants.
Even as such suggestions are mooted, there are constant voices reminding the Government and other advocates of checking the influx that this is not possible under the Indian Constitution. Yet, even this has not deterred the supporters of checks on entry into the city. It is like the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. Everyone is talking nonsense, but with the utmost seriousness.
However, while the talk of migration and `influx' is an obvious red herring, the need to find additional resources for Mumbai is a clear need. Of course, any talk of seeing Mumbai as a city with a special status immediately rings alarm bells in Maharashtra, and particularly in the Shiv Sena. ``Mumbai belongs to Maharashtra,'' is the constant refrain. Yet, the rest of the State is not able to find the funds to meet the needs of Mumbai. So Mumbai has to belong to India in the true sense of the term and the financial investment in its growth and maintenance must come from outside the State.
Here is a look at some Mumbai stats and facts.
1. Almost 54 per cent of Mumbaikars live in slums today.
2. Another 25 to 30 per cent live in chawls and footpaths.
3. Remaining 10 to 15 per cent live in buildings, bungalows or high-rises.
Future of the city...
Sources say that factors like the halt to the slum demolition scheme, the unhindered migration into the city, antiquated housing laws and sky-rocketing real estate prices, will see slums overtake the Mumbai skyline, in another 20 years.
From being known as slum capital of the country, Mumbai is now all But what can one do or say...after all "Yeh Hai Mumbai, Meri Jaan".set to become the slum capital of the world.
Migration has to stop
It is estimated that 100 to 300 new families come to Mumbai every day and most land up in a slum colony or just erect a shanty on the nearest available footpath. We need our politicians to not only speak about issues of concern but to start work on them immediately. All talk and no action is going to benefit none.
Professor R N Sharma, head of the Urban Studies unit in Tata Institute of Social Sciences says that Mumbai is undoubtedly disintegrating into slums.
"Thanks to migration, the city's population is rising rapidly. Already 67 per cent of the city works in the informal sector. If the World Bank estimate of the city reaching a population of 2.25 crore by 2025 is true, slums will be everywhere."
There's another reason why Bombay attracts migrants: It is a dream city, the subcontinent's La-La Land. Indians have mentally inhabited Bombay even if they've never set foot in it, because Bombay is home to the world's largest movie industry - Bollywood. Villagers in distant Bihar and tribe members in far Nagaland are all intimate with the skyscrapers of Nariman Point or the beach at Juhu through their projected images in traveling tent movie houses, creating dreams for the masses. And Bombay is a mass dream of the Indian people!
Jockin Arputham, Mumbai slum dweller, former urban guerilla and Magsaysay Award winner has a different take on things. "It's the whole serving class that has made Mumbai a world-class city, not the middle class," he says. For Jockin, its slum dwellers that do the building and cleaning of homes and offices, who look after the children, wash the clothes, drive the rickshaws and taxis, and work as coolies. They deserve the same chance as everyone else. He has a point
The need to check on the rising migrant population is a must, and the concern for the issue is also correct but the way of handling the issue was a terror plot, more than a concern. As an individual who’s witnessed these so called “Son –of-soil” dramas in Mumbai city for a decade, can say without a doubt in mind. That I would rather stay abroad with my dark features and be called an INDIAN, rather than live here and get classified as which region I come from. Nationalism needs to be fostered over Regionalism. Bombay was, is and shall remain a port of dreams sailing for each and everyone and no political parties can dictate terms to citizens, we still live in a democracy and no one is permitted to violate the Constitution which hands the freedom of choice. Yes, a systematic check needs to be kept on migrant population as well, so that everyone gets a chance to enter the city of dream and move on to help the country growth on a whole.
“Bombay is the future of urban civilization on the planet. God help us.”
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