Prime Minister Modi has done what many of his predecessors could not?do. He finally announced the end of the VIP culture in the country. But wait, that¡¯s only an announcement. Before jumping ahead of our expectations, let¡¯s remember what politicians¡¯ promises often culminate into. The VIP culture in India is so deeply ingrained in the apparently high and mighty across the country, and won¡¯t die so easily. After all, India does have the highest number of VIPs in the country at more than 450. It is a multi-layered and multifaceted phenomenon that comes with an 'only in India' tag. According to rough estimates, India spends crores of rupees every year on providing security to many VIPs in various categories across India. Since various government and security departments are involved in the process there is no consolidated data of the amount of taxpayers' money spent on their security, however, a mere look at the cavalcades of the politicians tells the entire story about the wastage of money. ? ? ??
AFP
In India, we¡¯re so accustomed to seeing 'sarkari' cars zooming past the rest of us who are stuck in traffic and boxed in with cars. The lal batti in action, stuck atop a ¡®VIP¡¯s¡¯ car like a prized possession, is an indication to give way and most of the time it causes inconvenience. But who care? Will this ban bring any respite to us? It looks very unlikely because government personnel will still have their party¡¯s flag hanging off the bonnet of their car, and they will still be accompanied by security officers clad in safari-suits. As common people of the country, we¡¯ve learnt to shut up and let the ¡°culture¡± carry on as it does.?
AP
The lal batti will be out of sight starting May 1, so our eyes will be clear enough to see if the other elements of the VIP culture will fade away. The beacon may go, but will the security guards of politicians, who step out and clear kilometres worth of traffic for them?
BCCL
Earlier in April, an ambulance with a bleeding young boy was held up for an hour at the Ring Road near Rajghat because the Malaysian Prime Minister was scheduled to pass through. In the video posted on social media, one police officer actually says, albeit sarcastically, ¡°VIPs are more important than the life of a child who is bleeding.¡±
In another incident, which happened in December 2015, an ambulance carrying a heart patient in Kolkata was allegedly stopped to let West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's convoy pass on Kona Expressway in Howrah district.
Politicians are given clear way,?even when ambulances carrying patients in a critical state are not. Is the government going to appoint a system where the hard-shoulder is cleared for emergency vehicles such as fire brigades?
In the Republic, Greek Philosopher, Plato said that politicians should be motivated by securing a common good for people and dedicate themselves to public service. However, today the thread of trust between people and power is so fragile because governments are seen pursuing self-interest. The lal batti atop a car may be a small gesture but it expresses volumes, apart from creating an invisible demarcation between them and the people they are technically serving.
BCCL 2
India has more than 450 VIPS, more important people than any other country in the world. Politicians live on taxpayers¡¯ money and it¡¯s the taxpayers¡¯ money that is used to cover their expenses from security guards to meals at fancy hotels and restaurants. The Indian government spends an estimated amount of Rs 250 crores of taxpayers money on the protection of politicians. In 2008, the Delhi high court said, ¡°Politicians are not a national asset that need to be protected.¡±
Also read: VIP Culture Thrills In India So Much That We Have More VIPs Than Any Other Country!
BCCL
When a car with a flashing red beacon on top of it passes by, while others drive a few centimetres an hour, it¡¯s hard not to feel a pang of annoyance. After all, a democracy is the people¡¯s isn¡¯t it? So if we didn¡¯t give them the privilege to avoid traffic, and disconnect from the realities of the common man, then who did? Currently, killing the lal batti seems nothing more than a token act.
No matter how much effort is apparently put on ending this VIP culture, the traffic police believe that there will hardly be any change in the system. According to sources in Delhi police, the decision of banning red beacons may look good, but there are still many ways where people take advantage of the system and get away with the things easily.
"See, this is an election season. So, everyone is a VIP. People cite their relations to the politicians and put pressure on us to let them go after they are caught flouting the traffic rules," said a traffic cop on condition of anonymity.
He also said that there are enough people on road that have connections, which hampers the process. "When we stop people, they often call our own seniors. This does not help the cause. And we are talking about ending VIP culture," he added.