Yeh India, woh India

6th December is a date which will be remembered in history textbooks as the day on which the Babri masjid was demolished.

But, if you are a resident of Mumbai, it is the day you know you'll be stuck in a massive traffic snarl. Because 6th December is the day that thousands of dalits descend on Chaityabhoomi near Shivaji Park - to pay homage to Dr B R Ambedkar on his death anniversary.

Many will stay on for a day or two - to 'see' the city. They will camp on the roads, at railway stations. Their presence will be an eyesore and a nuisance to us city-slickers.

And yet, we can only be grateful that they do go back to whatever miserable existence they know. That they don't choose to stay on here and demand a share in the visible prosperity of the 'other India'.

Because with their sheer magnitude in number, under an able leadership, they can easily decide it's time for 'revolution'!

On the other hand...
Even as the 'have nots' choose to stay peaceful, the haves are going on rampage. And over what? A bucket of water!

TOI reports:
It all started on Saturday morning when two first year MBBS students, Sanchit Mittal and M Chandrakant, got into an argument over who would first get hot water for a bath. Chandrakant complained to the acting secretary of R M Bhatt Hostel, Ramdas Morale, a third-year student.

Morale and four others confronted an injured Mittal and later warned all non-Maharashtrian students not to "trouble" others.

Despite efforts to broker peace on Saturday and Sunday, a huge mob entered the hostel shouting slogans Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji! on Sunday night, students said. They vandalised the hostel rooms and beat up non-Maharashtrians.

All students are now out on bail - the judge apparently took cognisance of the fact that they have exams coming up. So instead of cooling their heels in the lock up, they only have to 'report' to the police station twice a week.

And finally...
As I write this TV channels are flashing the news that there has been a lathi charge at Mumbai airport. Supporters of spiritual leader Swami Narendra were protesting against him being frisked by airport security.

To disperse this crowd, which refused to leave after demonstrating for over 2 hours outside the domestic terminal, a lathi charge was ordered. TV reporters say many have been injured...

The question: Why was Swamiji flying if he or his supporters have a problem with airport security? And if they did have a problem was protesting loudly the correct and spiritual thing to do?

Yes, on the surface there is 'civilisation'. But it doesn't take much for an almost-like-Bihar scenario. It takes but a minor spark to start a fire over imaginary 'issues'.

India is a cauldron, simmering with frustrations. Something is cooking - and it doesn't smell good.