Beggars in Uniform..!

With a heart much troubled and disturbed, I am writing this article not to tell something in the air rather to bring out the reality that is existing in our democratic nation. My focus here is specific stating some eyewitnesses that I had and I strongly believe that the Indian Currents being the voice of the voiceless would bring a better solution for this existing evil and the readers of the IC can certainly bring a huge difference in bringing back the democratic values to reality. In the very beginning let me make myself clear that this is not with the aim of attacking any individual or his/ her values but rather this is to sensitize the citizens of this nation to better understand the reality and act accordingly to at least realize the fact that we are living in a democratic nation. The news on corruption has hit the headlines of all the dailies and the News channels over the few months and of course in all these we cannot forget the role of the Anti- corruption crusader Anna Hazare and his movement to fight against corruption. Thanks to him and to his supporters for their good work. Sadly though I am writing this from the land of the Anti- corruption crusader, and the incidents that made me feel sad happened in the very state of Maharashtra.

No doubt that there are many such incidents happening in other states of our country, yet I mention Maharashtra for the mere fact that this pertains much to the fact that I myself eye witnessed and also this being the land of the Anti- corruption crusader the incidents disturbed me much. I started to question, “How can we go on fighting against corruption everywhere in the country, while my own state and particularly my surrounding is full of that particular social evil?” Though many politicians have been put behind the bar, the real crooks who never fear bribing are a few police men and women who keep this evil existing for their vested interest. The main duty of police is to protect the people and of course help the citizens of this nation experience the true democratic values. Sadly they themselves have turned up to be the violators of laws and destructive evils of our democracy. Often times they play the second fiddle for those who in power and take great pride in serving the politicians and bureaucrats.

Most of the time, the victims of corruption are the ordinary citizens. They are frightened by the mere look of the police and somehow highly hesitate to question them when the police bribe them. Even the educated ones come under the umbrella of those who are bribed. Recently, I went with my educated friend to Pune city in his car along with two other friends from Austria. Just in the middle of the road, around 8 o clock in the evening as we expected the traffic police men stopped us and we had to pay him fifty rupees for not having his belt on while driving. When I asked my friend, “why did you bribe him? Why can’t you face it legally?” He said, “They themselves asked me to pay fifty and go or to pay Rs.300/- with the receipt and I found it easy to bribe him and get going.” I did question my friend for bribing. But I was much hurt to see many traffic police men and women collecting bribe in the middle of the road. I told myself, “How can we eradicate corruption, when it happens publically like this?”  Yet another event also took place in the same Pune city and this was shared by my friend from Tamil Nadu who dared to question the police yet fell prey to the tricks of police and finally paid one hundred rupees. When enquired about the incident he said, “I did follow the traffic rules. But the police woman there accused me falsely and tried to bribe me. Since I couldn’t understand Marathi she somehow succeeded in cheating me with one hundred rupees.” Saying this he added, “These are BEGGERS IN UNIFORM.” Though in the beginning I felt sad to call the police as beggars, yet another same event gave me a certificate to call them with the same name.

During the recent vacation we, around forty five young college students went to Aurangabad for our educational tour to enjoy the rich ancient heritage of our glorious land. I personally admired the rich heritage of our glorious land but all these were overshadowed by consequent incidents that happened in the tourist place while the guards there received money and sent the visitors illegally. While so many were standing in the queue, I could see a few rich men and women paying some money and getting into the historical places easily. Even the guards there were ‘beggars in uniform’. While our journey back home, early in the morning another event took place. Two police men who were suppose to do their traffic duty stopped our bus and bribed us with Thirty rupees without any reason. Though I wanted to question the police man, the language barred me from doing so. While asked my Maharashtrian friend, he said, “If you question the police they will create false accusations and you cannot carry on with your work. So better, pay and escape.”

All these incidents truly saddened me and made me think more on the fear that has entered into the minds of the citizens of our country. Where is our freedom of speech and expression? How can we ever talk about democratic values and anti- corruption when we don’t dare to question? If this situation continues how can we ever think of an India that is free of corruption? This is not only the cry of one individual rather it is a continuous cry of our country men who truly want to experience true democracy. When the men and women in uniform act as beggars along the roadside, how can we expect that they would help us to carry on with our anti- corruption initiatives even if there is a strong Lokpal? If we really want to get rid of this evil from our country, we need to get rid of the beggars in uniform who are in the road side.  I strongly believe that Indian Currents being a journalism with a soul will continue to stir the souls of the readers to act against corruption and the whole media being a powerful weapon can take the anti- corruption crusade ahead hoping to see a New India.