Mumbaikar ko gussa Kyon nahin aata?

Are Mumbaikars suckers for punishment? A stoic acceptance of conditions — be it bad roads, poor drainage or terrorist attacks, is often sought to be portrayed as a celebration of the indomitable spirit of Mumbaikars.

The adjectives are out the minute the city is brought to its knees even if it is for a few hours. Social psychologists are beginning to question what is being perceived as a lack of a sense of outrage among those living in the city.

Even after Tuesday’s horrendous bombings at seven different points, the tearing hurry to proclaim that the city was back on its feet, seemed very unnatural. A campaign, celebrating the Spirit of Mumbai had overtaken much of the media and the blogs, less than 18 hours after the blasts. Not surprising for a city where the meaning of herd mentality does not need to be elaborated. It is showcased often as when hordes of good samaritans line the roads leading to the suburbs and thrust bottles of water.

Compare this with the bombings in London and the downing of the World Trade Centre in New York — both attacks were followed by public fury and rage against the perpetrators. The relentless pressure on the police and the government resulted in the bombers being hunted down and brought to trial swiftly. Mumbai, though, seemed to be a study in contrast with a city of 17m appearing to be sporting an attitude of resignation and fait accompli.

City psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty says, Mumbai has become a pathological case. The city wants to cover its graveyards with glazed paper, he adds. The anger never really takes a collective form and no hard questions are asked. Instead, displaced anger shows itself at home and in railway compartments, when a commuter is pushed around. “It is very important to ask the hard questions. But we are living in denial”, he says.

The CEO of IDBI’s strategic business unit, GV Nageswara Rao, says this may have to do with with the inability of people to demand high performance in any sphere of life, the lack of passion and a fatalistic attitude.