Shobhaa De | Did Fadnavis Fiddle While Mumbai Nearly Drowned?

“Rain… rain… go away… Little Donald wants to play…” While Mumbai drowned, the rest of the world stayed afloat, and in particular Big Bully Donald Trump, who tossed away any thoughts about a peace deal with Iran by declaring it was “over”.

Closer to home, Mumbai just about managed to keep its head above water. Without writing another whiney column about the “multiple organ failures” of the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation), which is the primary civic body responsible for the civic infrastructure and day-to-day administration of Mumbai, and also happens to be India’s richest civic body, I do need to vent. When a megapolis virtually shuts down for two to three days, it is not just unacceptable but borders on the criminal.

A crime minus any punishment. Year after year, Mumbai comes to a standstill because of an annual event -- the devastating monsoon. Note: This is an annual event. Not something that takes Mumbai by surprise. The Mumbai Monsoon is not an ambush. It is not a sneaky stealth attack that catches the city off guard. It is a closely tracked weather pattern. A known beast. “A Hungry Tide”, that sweeps over a city with due warning. Year after year. Despite its predictability and well-established savage behaviour, the lack of preparedness by the civic authorities is nothing short of vicious negligence. It is a wonder, in a city that boasts of the country’s top legal brains, nobody has taken the authorities to court on behalf of citizens. When things get desperate, we invoke the mysterious “Spirit of Mumbai”. Mumbaikars are expected to miraculously rise to the occasion with zero help, and even less responsibility, from those civic bosses and politicians sitting pretty in their homes and offices, offering lame excuses for all the disasters inflicted on sitting ducks -- ordinary citizens.

To add insult to injury, just as Mumbai was staggering back to life, the ineffective and weak Maharashtra government has announced a Rs 13,000-crore “flood plan”. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis rolled out the plan in the state Legislative Assembly -- and nobody laughed! The BMC is currently hanging on to a staggering Rs 78,000 crores in FDs: which is taxpayers’ money.

What is it doing lying around in FDs when there is a dire need to disburse funds right now and rescue Mumbai before some more disasters and deaths occur? Let’s not even talk about The Missing Link – which is CM Fadnavis’s biggest folly. A folly that exposed the worst in our system. The much-touted “Missing Link” (what a strange name!) collapsed before it had even taken off. The “engineering marvel”, built at a cost of Rs 6,695 crores and described as a “feat”, the bypass with two major tunnels connecting Mumbai and Pune, was inaugurated only on May 1, 2026! It is already being described as a gigantic embarrassment … an expensive “link” that is missing! Had it not been for the alertness of a 24-year-old young man named Sandesh Kharat, who, thanks to his presence of mind, pressed an emergency SOS button near the exit of tunnel number 2, when he and his friends witnessed a landslide from a distance of 200 metres. The control room in Pune swung into action. But even before that, the young men stopped approaching vehicles and warned motorists about the landslide. They deserve recognition and gratitude. But hey… that does not absolve the administration from taking full responsibility, owning up and explaining where that money was spent -- who pocketed how much. Rampant corruption in high places has paralysed Mumbai for decades… But the worm is ready to turn!

DROP

Despite the downpour that converted Mumbai into a filthy, dangerous swamp, there was reason to cheer -- two high-profile celebrity shaadis were celebrated with the expected dhoom dhaam -- nothing was allowed to dampen the spirits of Bollywood revellers. Mumbai loves its “Monsoon Weddings”, especially if those involve our movie folks. Aamir Khan, 61, lived up to his well-established reputation as a life-long, diehard non-conformist, by marrying for the third time, surrounded by his loving family (which includes two former wives and their children).

The latest Khan wedding generated such a strong buzz on social media that for a few short, sweet hours we forgot all about our soggy, miserable, rain-soaked lives, and joined the party. Hurrah! Aamir set a new fashion trend for desi bridegrooms by wearing heavy anklets and a nose clip. Disappointingly, a beautiful “maang tikka”, sindoor and mangalsutra were missing from his attire.

Not to worry. The wedding of Anshula marked the first marriage in Boney Kapoor’s family. It was celebrated with all the traditional trimmings associated with a boisterous Punjabi shaadi. Rohan Thakkar, the lucky bridegroom, was around. Of course. If fans cared to look for him, beyond the dazzling guests dancing energetically, while the rest of the city limped back to semi-normalcy.

DROP

Hallelujah! At least one global person was home and dry even if the world was crying “foul”. President Donald Trump getting the Fifa boss man to revoke a “red card” during Fifa’s fiercely fought World Cup football matches has created a permanent black mark on the reputation of the Beautiful Game. But why is everyone so shocked by Donald Trump’s obnoxious abuse of power? He is a sore loser. An abusive loser. He has just made that official. In US striker Folarin’s place, any other sportsman would have felt humiliated about the embarrassing intervention by no less a person than the President of the country. This is only the second time in World Cup history that Fifa has overturned a suspension for a player sent off during the tournament. Even worse, Gianni Infantino, Fifa’s president, should have resigned from his position, rather than surrender to a bully. Tell the world, Signor Infantino, now that you’ve been stripped of all authority and dignity… how will you appear in history? And please… how are you living with yourself after such a public disgrace?

But guess who had the last laugh? Belgium! Didn’t you love the way the team mocked President Trump after their win over the United States?

So… who are you betting on, folks? Like the rest of the football crazy world, I am crushing on the Viral Viking. Seven goals in four games so far. And that hair… uff… Haaland is Samson! I am rowing away with this striker!

I am looking forward to a France-Norway Final on Sunday, July 19… Let the best boot win!