When controversy convulses Mumbai and its social tensions are seen to be politically sharpened, it becomes so easy to forget its proven capacity to survive. The city became a commercial centre in the 17th century when Gerald Aungier, the second governor of Mumbai, invited and attracted skilled and trading talent — Gujaratis, Parsis, Bohras, Jews, Banias. On August 8, 1672, while inaugurating the First British Court of Justice he told the court: “The inhabitants of this island consist of several nations and religions, like English, Portuguese and other Christians, Moores and Gentoos, but you, when you sit in this seat of justice and judgment, must look upon them with one single eye as I do, without distinction of nation or religion.”

Four centuries later, in his February 28, 2006, Budget speech, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said: “When I look at the map of the world, I am struck by the strategic location of Mumbai. It lies almost midway between London and Tokyo, two nerve centres of world finance.” The high-powered expert committee on Making Mumbai an International Financial Centre (IFC) submitted its report 12 months later, on February 10, 2007.

Today, two years after Mumbai-IFC was conceptualised, I fear this dream report will remain just that: a dream. It is not as if its authors were not aware of the politics underlying modern skyscrapers in the city. In fact, the 15-strong committee spent two of its first day-long sessions mulling over what we’re seeing today — an amazing tolerance for lawlessness by those mandated to manage the state and an equally predictable political climate where Indians are randomly dragged out of taxis, shops, homes and beaten up.

... contd.