mid-day editorial: Goodbye 2016, let's year it for 2017

As the calendar flips and the year changes, it is party time for the city. Strobe lights zig-zagging across floors, Bollywood numbers sending the crowds thumping, people glued to their television sets in living rooms, others celebrating with food and friends - there are different ways to bring in the New Year. It is natural and expected to look back and take stock of 2016, see how we can do things differently the next year, and wonder if we can improve on obvious failings.

There are a few things we would like to see less of, or obliterated completely in 2017. Top of that list of course, is violence against women. Even as we write this, a stalker has been accused of killing a Pune techie. Too many young women have paid with their life for spurning romantic advances or rejecting marriage proposals. Violence against women has continued unabated, even after the Nirbhaya case spawned a mass movement against such attacks. Rape and molestation cases have smeared this country's reputation internationally too.

The Internet has brought hate and bullying out in the open as well. Technology is a double-edged sword, but we can make that a double edge to benefit people, not harass or intimidate them. We have seen global terrorism peak too, with truck jihad, lone wolf attacks and cars crashing into civilians. Berlin Christmas market and Nice (France)-style attacks can happen anywhere in the world.

Closer home, we will have to look sharp as 2017 is BMC election year, and political pandering, shenanigans, promises and hoaxes will be at an all time high. We need to be vigilant against politicians' attempts to make puppets of us. Let's make it a memorable year for Mumbai for all the right reasons. Welcome 2017, let the better times roll.