Don't Defame Bihar, Mumbai for the Sake of Power

Alok Mehta urges leaders not to defame India over selective crime narratives.

- ALOK MEHTA

You might recall the old song: "Deewano, aisa kaam na karo, Ram ka naam badnaam na karo." I feel a similar urge to appeal to today's power players: "Please don't bring disrepute to Bihar, Mumbai, Delhi—or India—in your hunger for power."

As election season heats up, politics over "Lalu's Jungle Raj" and "unchecked crime under Nitish" has become rampant in Bihar. In Mumbai, Uddhav Thackeray is fighting a heated battle for control over the Rs 75,000 crore budget of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. This has led to confrontations over language and power, echoing far beyond Maharashtra.

In Delhi, a wounded Arvind Kejriwal and Rahul Gandhi continue to raise the pitch on crime and water woes. As a journalist—and more importantly, as a citizen—I too am concerned about rising crime. We must speak up. But only by thoughtfully addressing issues can we push for genuine reform.

This reflection was prompted by a call from Ritika Langar, a senior executive at a global finance company in London. She asked, "Is crime and political instability as bad in other Indian metros as it appears in Delhi, Mumbai, or Patna? Some investors are getting wary."

My response: "Ask them to check crime records in London or New York first. Many Indian cities are comparatively safer."