Dhoble as a state of mind

The opposition to cosmopolitan Mumbai's liberal way of life, unfortunately, comes largely from within — the quick-to-judge middle-class Maharashtrian population. That, in many ways, explains the roaring support that Vasant Dhoble, who led the Mumbai Police's Social Service Branch, receives from the urban middle-income community.

Dhoble, who claimed to be on a mission to rid the city of moral corruption, found sympathisers not just in the Marathi manoos, but also Arup Patnaik, Mumbai's ex-top cop, politicians as well as Mumbaikars tormented by the "nuisance" of nightclubs. In fact, when a journalist asked one of the senior-most ministers to explain his silence on Dhoble's actions, he quipped, "But did you speak to the Marathi newspaper-reading people? They see everything right in what he is doing."

The Maharashtrian middle class, however, may be trapped in a web of moral dos and don'ts. While almost every family has a son, daughter, nephew or neighbour studying in the US or UK, it is only the "knowledge" and monetary benefits that they are encouraged to bring back. But if he/she steps into a watering hole to learn a few lessons of life, they are "vaya gelela" or wasted.

Parameters are twice as narrow for girls. The studious ones who never have a boyfriend until an arranged marriage are admired for the ability to stay focused. And the Maharashtrian perception of "decent" is as indigenous as the Czech feeling of Litost.

So Dhoble, the urban hedonist's party-pooper, is perceived as the guardian of middle-class values, rescuing straying children from the night club culture.

A little less than half of Maharashtra's 11.23 crore population lives in urban areas. A large chunk comprises a middle class divided into upper and lower. The upper middle class prides itself on its foreign holidays and likes to believe it is more open to social change. It attributes the regressive views of morality to the lower middle class which has "little global exposure".

... contd.

ALSO READ

Boxing, a family matter

Russia cleans out doping closet

R R Patil as the policing force

Chouhan as the secular one