SF-isms (I understand NIMBY is also used outside SF) don't map perfectly across oceans.

Suffice it to say that people living in slums in India can have a lot of political clout. For example, once a large slum pops up in an urban area, literally no one dares to lawfully remove it, for fear of losing the next local election.

Brushing aside the elite paternalism typical of HN, spare a thought for these people would go through were they not as organized.

Indeed! There was an instance in Bangalore not so long ago where the muncipality swooped in and destroyed a few houses with ~10 minutes notice[1]. In the atomized world that is the Indian middle class, no one really gave a fk.

Perhaps the Indian society can't find commonalities to organize beyond tribes (aka 'jati' 'caste'). Of course it's not really 'caste' since the grouping is voluntary, but who are you going to shout at about etymology (the epistemology of an Indian means exactly nothing just so you know).

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/070816/b...

[1] Conveniently those belonging to public figures (politicians, actors..) were given a pass.