MUMBAI- the heart of finance in the country and also the state capital of MAHARASHTRA was once known globally for its valuable textile industry. The main reason for the growth of this industry in Mumbai was the increase in demands from ENGLAND, as USA was not in a position to export its textiles to ENGLAND. However, there was hindrance to its growth with the international industries making use of technology, and adding to this was the complete negligence of the management and the government towards the problems faced by the workers who were mainly the poor and middle-class MARATHI MANOOS. The workers resorted to strikes and with no government interference, the owners decided to close down operations of several mills in Mumbai which completely devastated the workers. The workers were not compensated by the mill owners neither by the government by giving them alternative jobs. A few who possessed lands in the native places decided to engage themselves in agricultural activities to earn their living but many of those who were landless preferred staying back in the city and worked as helpers in the houses of rich, many opened up garages, others who were unskilled had to beg for their bread and some others even died of starvation. The scenario has however completely changed in the recent years and big builders have swallowed all those mills' areas earning on large malls,commercial complexes,residential complexes for the higher middle-class and the rich. The Marathi Manoos was ultimately forced to leave MUMBAI and search for cheaper housing facilities in areas like DOMBIVLI,KALYAN and this is mainly the reason why Marathi population is in scarce in Mumbai. The soul of 106 hutatmas who sacrifised their lives for creation of the state of Maharashtra alongwith MUMBAI as its capital, would never be pleased with the present condition of Marathis in Mumbai. Many have tried to capitalise on the issues faced by Maharashtrians but no one till now has done much to help them come out of these situations.
The mill workers who lost their jobs are still waiting for a helping hand from the government and are working hard to ensure their children get a better life but the government seems more concerned about providing jobs to those people coming from other states (without being domiciled in Maharashtra state) and the future of these workers' children also seem to be in dark even after registering themselves with the employment guarantee exchange.
One can hardly imagine what these workers would be feeling about the malls,multiplexes,towers built on the lands where they once worked and earned their living. In an interview to a Marathi news channel a worker said, "our heart weeps when we see such towers and malls being built on areas which were our source of living...". and the very thought of imaging myself in their place made me write this article.
I sincerely hope that these workers and their children get a better life in the city. JAIHIND JAI MAHARASHTRA
Article is good...U highlighted a problem which is very crucial but then it is seeming biased...ppl who have losttheir jobs were not just from Mumbai or Maharashtra but all over.
ReplyDeleteN U call Mumbai a metro, then how can u expect the government to provide extra opportunities to locals.. thts not how a metro survives..!! Look at other Metros n cosmopolitians in the world.... The one thing Mumbai has to do to regain this charm is to remove the barriers of Marathi n Marathi speaking people that have been proposed off lately by political leaders. The city honours n rewards all those who work hard n it will continue doing so..
Nothing personal..just my view..!!
Keep writing :)
well written......!!!!
ReplyDeleteand i too agree with urvashi that these barriers of marathi and marathi speaking people should be removed.
nice one.
ReplyDeletea little out of the box topic though..
well done anyways.
i gues i hav given th answer to urvashi's comment personally..bt for those supportng it further i had to write it here....I AM HIGHLIGHTING THIS ISSUE ONLY FOR PEOPLE AND WORKERS DOMICILIED IN MAHARASHTRA.....every state has its own laws and every state should care for its workers and firstly the basic tax payers....when a company is registered in haryana it is a rule that 80% jobs shud b given to the locals same is the rule in karnataka and also in kerala and other majority states....then why a double standard when it comes to maharashtra!!! mumbai is a metro bt not surely a city wth no international standards..no where in world u find people from other places living or working illegally atleast not in any of the international cities so taking mumbai and maharashtra for granted?!!constitution has said living anywhere in th nation..but not illegaly...and a subsection says no harm or insecurity to be created among th locals..thn y these people cumng from north want separate political existence if they hav cum here jst to earn and live..why they want to celebrate chaatpuja as a show of strength in mumbai only when malaysia wth a bhaiya prime minister and lakhs of bhaiyas settling ther doesnt even witnes this so-called festival!!!...jst a show of strength in mumbai?!! moreover historicaly only 2 communities are such which has never allowed ny outsider to interfere in its culture,politics mostly the sikhs and the marathas ...w all remember these were the only 2 communities who were ready to get killed to save their independence against the british...nt only this marathis even hav fought with th nehru govt and th so called influencing gujurati lobby in nehru's govt which was against th formation of separate state of maharashtra with mumbai as its capital..so marathjis will never ever tolerate ny interference ....if it is not tolerated by people of other states ...y expect such thngs only in maharashtra...th constitution is nt jst applicable in maharashtra..!!jai maharashtra
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