Political Diary
New Delhi, 25 April 2017
Lal Batti Is History
RED LIGHT TO VIP
CULTURE?
By Poonam I Kaushish
“Every Indian is a VIP,” grandiosely announced Prim Minister
Modi after the abolition of the abominable ‘lal
battis’ and sirens atop vehicles of VVIPs and VIPs from the President,
Prime Minister to the chota-mota
two-bit neta, babu, inspector downwards last week. “Cars with beacon lights have
no place in a democratic country,” he added for good measure. Really? You could
have fooled me.
Specially as flashing red lights are blaring examples of
importance, power and VIP status, more than security aids. Think, daily the aam aadmi has to go through the
harassment of in-your-face VIP racism with a misplaced sense of power on roads.
With an entourage of gun-toting commandos they flaunt their “status” by
blocking traffic, jumping red lights to exhibit their ‘power’ might.
God forbid, if anyone questions their misdemeanor be
prepared for open fury. “Tujhe maloom
nahin main kon hoon, mera baap VIP hai”, a lexicon which makes the aam aadmi feel a second class citizen.
As do other freebies like VIP lounges (airports and
stations), VIP hospital wards, VIP reservations (air and train), VIP entrances
(India’s
temple of democracy, Parliament), VIP seating (everywhere), VIP Z+, Z, Y, X
security, VIP quotas (two admissions in Kendriya Vidyalayas) etc. In fact, the
very VIP nomenclature is abhorrent.
Of course, this is not to distract from the fact that the
first step, a miniscule one, to ending
VIP racism in Mera Mahan Bharat has
been taken.
Questionably, is it a chimera? Will the VVIP culture go with
the beacon lights? And for how long will are powerful follow it, if at all? I
have my doubts as the discussions on whether to dispense with these went on for
over 15 months!
Remember, the Supreme Court had wanted
the red beacons removed from all VIP cars barring Constitutional authorities in
December 2013 as it felt they were “ridiculous and synonymous with power” but
its order fell on deaf ears.
The tragedy is
that our ever-ballooning list of VIPs feel their selfhoods are at stake when
asked to follow the rules as they nurse a feudal mindset and demand
differential treatment. Of which ‘follow-no-rules’ is a fundamental
part. They rule by law.
Ironically, even as the Modi sarkar wants an end to VIPism, it has granted security too more netas than its predecessor UPA.
Government's figures show 15,842 VIPs enjoying State protection are drawing
more than what they are entitled to by way of police escorts — 16,081 personnel
in excess of what has been sanctioned.
Shockingly, our police personnel to population ratio is 1:
761, but more than 47,557 cops are protecting
14,842 VIPs country-wide, three policemen to one protectee, no matter rising
crime poses a serious threat to the common citizen’s security. In Delhi over 14,200
policemen are deployed on round-the-clock VIP security duty, in Mumbai there is
a 1,200% rise in cop cover for VIPs over 5 years.
Do our jan sevaks
need a sepoy to protect them from their janata
they profess to serve? Shamefully, security is even being provided to those
facing serious charges in court. Look at the absurdity. Even VIPs who face no
threat to their life are given minimal security of four PSOs round the clock.
Bringing things to such a ridiculous pass that one sees fat waddly busy body wannabes
in the sarkar walking in Delhi’s Lodi
garden chest puffed-up to show-off their VIP status and cars.
Scandalously, there have been innumerable instances of MPs
and top-shot officials quarreling with airport guards who give security more
prominence than pandering to trivial VIP requests and obnoxious protocol.
Indian dignitaries throw a fit merely at being asked to follow a mandated
security procedure such as getting their belongings X-rayed before check-in.
Over 62 VIPs have complained against the Central Industrial
Security Force (CISF) for 'misbehaving' with them at airports across the
country since 2011. Leading to increasing frustration, disconnect and contempt
for the rulers which results in defiance by people at large
More. Our moophatkhor
VIPs jump queues with priority check-ins, treat themselves to free
refreshments, high quality handling, read Maharaja treatment: Starting from
Airport manager to “meet” VIP, escort to plane and cabin crew to offer
“compliments of the Captain”. Manager to “monitor”, “liaise” and “ensure”
flight operates on schedule, inform counterpart of VIP’s seat number, baggage
location and “special requirement at destination”.
Not only on sarkari broke Air India but also
private airlines. All at our expense. More. They also demand “behaviour
sensitization” of toll plazas employees on national highways, many of whom
“lack of civility” and “callousness attitude”. Why? Simply because they are
asked for toll tax. Sic.
Indeed, if sobriety begins at home, should our netagan be living in tony Lutyens’ Delhi
replete with seven-star bungalows? With manicured lawns, growing wheat and
vegetables, free furniture, air-conditioners, fridges and maintenance to boot,
down to a tube-light, all living like Burra
Sahibs! Costing the tax payer an extra Rs 60 crore annually.
Further, each house could be sold to wealthy Indians between
Rs200-Rs 350 crores, cut into 1000-2000 sq yards plots and auctioned to the
highest bidder thereby netting the Government thousands of crores or rented out
for Rs 25-50 lakhs monthly. Bad luck, the hoi polloi, packed like sardines live
in tin boxes atop each other.
In fact India has the highest number of VIPs in the world,
who get everything before us and that at our expense, money we pay as taxes.
Britain reportedly has a total of 84 officially designated VIPs. France boasts
109 such personages, Japan 125, Germany 142, Australia 205, the United States
252, South Korea 282, Russia 312, and our neighbour China has a total of 435
designated VIPs.
True, the cynics feel that as long as there is power
dynamics in a relationship or position, the VIP disorder will last. Indian VIPs
are aspirational for more power afflicted by the Orwellian principle of more equal
than others. Also, power and pelf bring in its wake an abominable arrogance is
old knowledge in our nation.
One can go on and on about the hedonism, of the majority’s
growing disillusionment with the system which explodes in rage and in which
more and more people are taking law into their own hands. Slowly but surely,
the people’s patience is running out, and running out fast.
If NaMo truly wants to end the VIP syndrome and bring
equality he must not stop at only red beacons this is just the tip of the
iceberg of a litany of self-styled unnecessary privileges, financial pampering,
freebies, perks, make their incomes and salaries taxable of our hum-toh-janata-ke-sevak-hain. Also stop
pensions to ex-MPS. Our polity to realize that any increase in privileges is
co-terminus with an increase in accountability.
In sum our rulers need to remember a home-truth: Democracy
is based on the fundamental premise of equality for all. Netas need to recognize that they must deserve before they can
desire. The bottom line: Stop fawning and shed the colonial hangover.
The Prime Minister doesn’t tire of tom-toming his
credentials from an ordinary chaiwallah to
a Pradhan Sevak. Will our VIPs
practice what he preaches? Truly and urgently? We do not need gestures which
total zilch. What gives? ----- INFA
(Copyright, India News and Feature
Alliance)
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