Editorial

Aam Netas, VIP Attitude

By The Editor: Siddharth Sehgal

Imagine the ego boost you’d have if you have the power to delay a whole flight and keep the passengers waiting to reach their destination, don’t mind the inconvenience. Imagine if you can make babu’s, peons or any other government employee far below your rank to sweat profusely by one askance look. It’s your whims that matter and rest everyone else can go to hell, why? You are the damn VIP. It’s the other Indians fault that he is not a minster. It’s his fault that he not a high cadre, snobby bureaucrat who has an entourage of ten catering to his every need. I mean these guys can have a whole charted plane for themselves and the gang but people, you should be happy that you have the good fortune of sharing a journey with a “Very Important Person”. Don’t listen to your crying baby or old mother who might have arthritis, just bask in the glory of our VIP to bestow this rare privilege upon you.

 Though PM Modi has shared his views on putting an end to VIP culture but I don’t think his ministers or MP from any party for that matter share his thoughts on this, at least in practice. Maharashtra CM kept an international flight on hold for his principle secretary. What kind of principle secretary doesn’t carry his own passport or knows if it has a visa or not. I wouldn’t be surprised if this secretary or minister in question doesn’t know how to iron a shirt. I bet none of these blue blooded species ever booked a hotel reservation or stood in line for a ticket.  I had a personal story of writing an email to Maharashtra CM and Pune DM on transportation issues in state and five months on, I’ve yet to get a reply or even an acknowledgement of any sort. M.K Stalin went one step further and just slapped a guy. Though we don’t know the entire scenario but atleast its clear that respected lawmaker never hesitates to give a personal touch.

 Now coming to Kiren Rijiju, the “humble” union minister of state for home affairs, he is so humble he not only delayed the flight but also kicked few passengers out to make place for his friends. He later issued an apology and diverted all the blame to the pilot and Air India staff, so much for humility.  At least these guys just delay the flights. I remember in Congress days they had a sign board at the security checks at the airports that MPs, ministers and members of the Gandhi family are exempt from frisking. Trust me, congress-men only fly charted, I’ve seen with my own eyes. And now they all want a pay hike on top of that. Then there is AAP, they have made a career out of simplicity, they are so simple they can’t stop singing the miracles of “their Arvind” with a price tag of Rs.500 Crs. Who pays for that, the common Indian who pays his dues.

 Stopping the traffic for a politician was the norm in the earlier days. The airports, railway stations and roads were and are still treated as private property of the high and mighty but its we who needs reminding that we are citizens of a free country, not their subjects.

2 Comments

  1. Sudha Dixit Thanks a lot Rose

    Very apt & timely

    Sudha Dixit

  2. you’ve hit the nail on the head. this is a true example of democracy “Of the people,by the people for the people”… and what Shakespeare rightly asserted,”SWome are born great, some achieve greatness, some have greatness thrust upon them”
    Whether AAP, BJP, or Congress…. Greatness has been Thrust upon them by our very own people. Bosolas, Ferdinands, and Shylocks are cheaper by the dozen
    Might is Right
    The public is “Cattle Class” as the high and mighty Shashi Tharoor classifies and justifies just because he was in the CHAIR where is he hiding his skin now?
    It is high time the public was educated on such issues. Politics is a dirty game and people join parties not to serve the nation but to line their pockets and exploit the people. Within a few years these country, servers roll in crores of rupees as netas, MLAs, MPs ministers and you name it … enjoy extensive luxuries, free electricity, free / subzidised lunches etc, etc, at the expense of the public who is burdened with rising prices and taxes