Credit: TOI

Students of northeast coming out after the community leaders having peace talk at Jasma Mandir Austin Town, in Bangalore on August 16, 2012. (TOI photo)

If you decide to move to Bangalore, you should ask the state’s political bosses a few questions.

1. Will you welcome me even if I am not a Kannadiga? 2. If there is an assault on my gated community by vested interests, will you take action swiftly? 3. If there is a (lawful) party at my place, will I be shielded from vigilante fringe groups? 4. Will you ensure local politicians, primarily MLAs and corporators, do not harass me on civic issues? 5. Will you also ensure protection to people from the northeast? 6. In short, will you enforce law and order?

These six questions may be applied in different forms to different states across the country, but Karnataka is on the verge of getting a lead medal (the worst performance) for lawlessness. Perhaps the people of Bangalore expect too much since they are credited with global mindsets and, therefore, global benchmarks in every activity that entails citizens and officials. But what’s wrong in demanding peace and order? What’s wrong in setting a higher benchmark?

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