Politicians have used the tragedy to score political brownie points and the media has been a willing participant, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.
Instead on reforming them, our jails are turning inmates into hardened criminals, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.
Despite all views about afterlife and such, it matters little to the dead how he or she is disposed of, says Mahesh Vijapurkar
Civic bodies which are supposed to regulate the dimensions of a city's growth, including what land ought to be used how, also have the responsibility of detecting and curbing flouting of norms, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.
Who are the politicians who either build illegal housing or protect them, or worse, secure compliance from the civic officials who wink at the contraventions? More importantly, where is the blacklist of builders who have indulged in rule-breaking as a business practice so that the buyers can avoid their projects, asks Mahesh Vijapurkar.
The real estate business thrives on creating excess spaces beyond the permitted building codes, short-changing the buyer, and even opting for poorer quality of material. This finds an enthusiastic resonance among the officialdom. Flouting rules is part of the business model, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.
A legislator can invoke privileges only if prevented/obstructed from performing his duty as an elected representative. Breaking speed limits on a sea link or brandishing a weapon is not one among such obligations, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.
The move by Mumbai airport to have the drop-off point for autos at a distance from the terminals reeks of class distinctions, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.
To make anything manageable, both the intent and the will to manage is important, not empty words. This is missing from all those involved in operating a city where budgets as they exist ought to provide good results only if politics and politicians' objective of pelf do not lead to poor execution and large-scale drain of resources. That is why even small is not beautiful, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.
While hawkers are a necessity to the bribe-takers, it has to be understood that the vendors fulfil the needs of the citizens. Once they are pushed off the streets, everyone, the official fattened on bribes and the citizen deprived of a walk-through service are affected, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.
Politics as practiced is bad enough, the Choutalas, the Owaisis and their ilk have made it worse, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.
We are making the politician an integral part of our lives. We have conceded too much to their breed. They are no so ensconced that they will not vacate the space themselves. We will have to spare ourselves of them, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.
There were certainly two kinds of violence at India Gate: one avoidable, another reprehensible, notes Mahesh Vijapurkar.
To assume that Narendra Modi chose Hindi only to reach out to a national audience because he had prime ministerial ambitions was more than a stretch, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.
No doubt in the Shiv Sena's history, the party has close links to the Shivaji Park but does that make it Sena's own? asks Mahesh Vijapurkar.
The spectacle of lakhs of followers of Bal Thackeray silently congregating for his funeral and leaving without any violence was hitherto unseen. Just when people were beginning to wonder if the Shiv Sena was changing came the attack on a hospital in Palghar following a Facebook post by a young girl. Mahesh Vijapurkar on what to expect of the Sena after Bal Thackeray.
With Bal Thackeray's demise the Shiv Sena does not cease to be but it does weaken substantially. And it will take the two heirs to his legacy to overcome the setback together, says Mahesh Vijapurkar
There are some interesting, and even educative, takeaways from the US elections, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.
Recent events underscore the belief that wealth and politics go together. You have wealth and get into politics. Or, you are in politics, so naturally accumulate wealth, writes Mahesh Vijapurkar.
Mahesh Vijapurkar's advice on Arvind Kejriwal entry into politics: No need to squirm at the idea of baby steps. After all, the voter too has to be educated, his apathy eliminated. Had he been, we would have had a better political arrangement that worked for the people.
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