IT’S A CONUNDRUM that has become routine: of remaining blind to the escalation of a problem and then waiting for Goliath to take on the other Goliath with all its might.

 

The ongoing sealing drive in Delhi represents the coming of the Goliath after the unchecked spiral of commercialization of residential areas and unauthorized constructions assumed actionable proportions. It went on without a stop for years, often with municipal officials’ complicity, till it was time for it to be taken cognizance of and intervene to at least partially restore the Capital as envisaged in the mater plan and to stop residential areas from becoming trading places.

 

The rampaging Goliath is out in the city pulling down the shutters and sealing the notified establishments, raising shudders, shrieks and a violent backlash from the lot that stands to get deprived of the place that had provided them with bread and butter for years. The enraged offenders — pushed into a corner after being given all the illegal freedom to settle and operate from where they were not supposed to be and construct as they pleased — are pelting stones at the Goliath in their desperate attempt to force its retreat.

 

But it won’t budge from its seemingly righteous rampage after having woken up late. Finding themselves in a do or die situation, the hard-hit groups are scratching for argumentative weapons to counter the justifications for the action. Most lack the edge, but there is also this sticking one that blames hidden strings of the cash-rich construction lobby behind the script. It’s this lobby, they unofficially argue, which wants them hounded out from the residential areas so that they are left with no option but buy out the shops at prohibitive prices in the magnificent malls coming up in the city. “It’s not the concern for the master plan, but the power of money that has brought us to this pass. Money has changed hands at the highest level to force the trading community to buy the cost-prohibitive floor price of the malls,” is one of the many angry outbursts that makes you sit up and take note.

 

Being on the wrong side, their argument may not cut ice. But it would take extreme naivety to dismiss it off-hand, knowing fully well how the system works. It’s the same vicious practice that allowed them to illegally flourish that has returned to snuff off their livelihoods. Hadn’t they, too, despite being fully aware of the illegalities, bribed the civic officials to keep their eyes shut?

Earlier, the small one, with small interest, did it; and now the big one, with big interest, has done it. It’s this pernicious system we have all assented to that gets the Goliath and empowers it with the moral authority to order destruction. Why blame anybody when only the mighty can question, but not be questioned in this tussle of Goliath Vs Goliath?

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