Thursday, January 8, 2009

Bloody politicians

I hate these bunch of people called politicians.
I know its a common feeling among Indians, and Murali Deora said that he was ashamed to call himself a politician (in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks). But I feel, the day God just lost all virtues from his tank, but still had to meet some deadline of creating species, he went ahead and made the ignominious one of politicians.

Today I had to attend a training at 10 in the morning. For that, given the awesome traffic condition that Chennai boasts ( I am not passing a general comment on Chennai, but yes - I would love to spit on the face of the CM who is so occupied in grooming Stalin ( Gosh what a funny name!! ) that he has scant regard for anything else) (Parentheses ended there :) - read on ) I started from my home which is some 14 odd kms from my office at 0815 hours. Yes a good 1 hour, 45 mins ahead of schedule.

All along the road, there were pictures of the old *&^^)$ (This is what I will refer to the CM as) smiling at the gentry. Some were re-ee-aa-lly hideous smiles. I was able to reach Guindy which is kind of a middle point for me around 0915. I had 45 more minutes with me, and I was optimistic that I would be able to meet the deadline and reach the nearbies of Ramapuram by 0955 ish at the least.

Buttttt.... At Butt Road (Yea thats the name of the road :D )- there was not a but but a full stop.

All on-going traffic was halted for the Prawasi Bharatiya Diwas celebrations at Chennai Trade Centre. We were halted at Butt Road around 0925 hours. First I had no clue whether it was a traffic jam or there was some other problem. So I started my fervent prayers to Ganpati Bappa who is my friend in need. When the clock ticked to 1005 and I came to know of that traffic had been blocked for VVIPs I gave up all hopes of reaching office remotely on time and I started messaging K complaining about the way things were functioning.

Being crammed in the share auto for over 40 minutes was already cramping our legs. Finally around 1010, I asked the other two girls in the share auto, if they would be game for walking the stretch (it was still some 6-7 kms from office) The girls readily agreed since there was no clue as to when the blockage might end. There were quite a bit of people who had started alighting from their respective means of public transport and walking. After walking for say 500m we were stopped by a policeman who said that "VVIPs were supposed to come, so no one would be allowed to proceed." This irritated some people who were walking ahead. An elderly uncle standing at a bus stand retorted "These fellows are going to work, at least let them pass. What problem might you have with people who actually work". A couple of gutsy men also got into an altercation with the policeman.

Then we saw a man strut right ahead tagging a bag along. In a pretty brusque way, he reprimanded the policeman and made a gesture from which I could understand he was surging to slap the policeman. Then he shouted "I am a DELEGATE out here and you are stopping me? And why not allow these people to go? #!$$^$%^# (some profanities in English) I was like Hallejuiah!!

There was a crowd of atleast 500 people stranded in the middle of the street opposite
to Madras War Cemetary, for nearly 35 minutes under the hot sun watching one or the other vehicle with a red light and screeching sound zip past. Then another funkily, but "out of placely" decorated couple who screamed "WE ARE NRIs" through their clothes passed by. By standers went ballistic and had a roaring time passing comments on the white kurta of the man with dyed blonde hair and the heavy jacket ( yeaaaa in Chennai if someone flaunts fur she has to be a NRI) of the woman he had in tow. But some 15 minutes after they passed, strangely we were allowed to walk through.

As I passed through the Chennai Trade Center, I saw the first delegate fellow who had passed us, and I really felt like thanking him because I felt he must have mobilised some support for the people who were sweltering in the heat. Then on, we walked for some 2-3 kms till we were able to board an auto and get to office.

What irked me the most was the total dis regard for the convenience of the common folks. There was the MIOT hospital on the way - what if someone needed to get there urgently. The way the police force was behaving, I am sure, they would have no regard even for human life. And if there was something planned like this, where the hell did the minimum sense go of sending out a circular that traffic might be stopped/diverterd. Does it need the brains of a rocket scientist to figure this out - or was the civic administration and political class so busy licking the boots of the fellow above him, that this completely missed him? Seriously, the politicians here are gung ho about supporting the LTTE folks which completely the problem of another independent nation and would even go to the extent of de stabilising the government in Center, but would not bat an eyelid for the people of their nation.

I somehow believe, we always have a trickle down effect - the head of an organisation should be proper to ensure the organisation is functioning properly. Any where if the person heading an institution/initiative is proper, he/she can ensure that all subordinate to him follow his path, but all the people down the runks might not be able to pull it through, if the person who heads is corrupt. Sometimes they might be able to reach success, but there are greater chances, that the dubious credential of the man heading, might mar rather than make things.

That India would actually be in a position to show the light to the world one day needs nothing short of a miracle. We do need a miracle so that we are able to succeed INSPITE of the gruesome malice called politicians.



12 comments:

The Furobiker said...

few days back there was a jam created by some political party on the ring road in Delhi. God knows what they were protesting for but everyone knows that a poor fellow died in an ambulance stuck in that jam.. these politicians are really pathetic

Satish N said...

Amrita coooollllll ... There is a worst city in INDIA by the name Bengalooru, you should live here for a week to appreciate the kindness of other states politicians. These Karnataka f****g politicians have NO BRAINS even the size of their B***S. But dont read me wrong as if in am supporting any politician for that matter. On the whole, all politicians are a ROTTEN LOT and remember the fact that we are the citizens who sow those ROTTEN elements in this country, so you and I are the people to be blamed. :(((

Renu said...

This is the stae everywhere Amrita., I hate it when they stop public because of any VIp. Public must be given more importance then a few VIPs onlt then situation could be any different.
I wonder why they are given so much of security, when so many people dies in Mumbai attacks, how does it make nay difference if a few VIP also die?

♥ÐÅyÐяєÅмє®♥ said...

kolkata..... u forgot that...I m so habituated of this political jams :P..life feels devoid ..if I don't come across one in Kolkata :P

Nitin said...

//but "out of placely" decorated couple who screamed "WE ARE NRIs" through their clothes passed by..

hahaha .. expressed NRI very well

its common ppl who suffers most due to this... Why not rallies should be banned its sheer waste of public money.. right now even u see when we are facing fuel shortage (due to oil staff strike) govt lacks will to take any decision.. they make it big and then comes with solution....

Salomie said...

Couple of months ago, we had two such terrible incidents in B'lore: political rallies in the heart of the city brought traffic to a stop for like 6-7 hrs. The worst part was that schoolkids were stuck in their buses unable to go back to school or reach home and that too without food or water. I can't imagine what their parents must have gone thru.

Here, on some rare occassions we get smses from the traffic dept stating which routes to avoid. This is a good thing, but they need to be regular about it.

Anonymous said...

Amrita,

It is a daily sight in Delhi. You are absolutely right that it is the head of the orgnisation who sets what rules be. Our esteemed politicians worry about common people only while canvassing for their election and once voted into power what is the life of a common man for them.

Take care

Anonymous said...

Terrible situation man. And it is the same everywhere.

Piper .. said...

same state of affairs everywhere! Had to face a similar problem this time when I was in Kolkata!Really disgusting

.. said...

Miot hospitals being on the way is a great concern if traffic is blocked without a notice....would have been be a pity if an ambulance had been stuck up on the way...

Renu said...

Hello Amrita ! long time no see?

SAFAHL said...

fine taste u hve