VIPs and the General Public
Introduction:
Anybody traversing the Grand Road of Puri town of Odisha, the road leading to the temple of Lord Jagannath labeled as the national highway, will be surprised at the number of rising cattle-population led by huge bulls, fighting among each other, destroying stalls, injuring people and even killing a few of them. A walking or running bull is so huge, so awesome and so powerful that people are afraid to come to their front and maintain a purposeful distance to avoid being hit and injured or even killed as we have seen a couple of cases in recent times.
Bull fight is as enjoyable as it is fearsome and formidable. Exactly the same scene can be seen during a VIP’s visit to an area as people and vehicles are flushed out of the path by piloting police vehicles with sirens cautioning people for the benefit of the escort vehicle and the VIP vehicle. This is done to allow a safe and secure passage of the VIP. Both the scenes of the bull fight and the VIP visit have some dissimilar commonness in view of the fact that in the first instance, people for their own safety and security maintain a good distance and in the second case, they are made to maintain such distance for the safety and security of another person.
Red lamp and siren:
Now, the pertinent question is as to whether the VIP is for the general public or vice versa. This sort of discrimination and differential behavior compels us to classify and categories citizens into distinct and lower classes which are antithetical to the constitutional provision and spirit. Day by day, the number of government vehicles using red lamp and siren is rising, making it difficult for the ordinary man to seek out his day to day requirements. Even a vehicle carrying a critical patient and patient requiring urgent attention is delayed with disastrous consequences.
The Honorable Supreme Court of India has expressed concern over the rising cases of rampant use of such vehicle and number of VIPs rising and even ordered stringent action against use of red lamps and sirens, limiting it to a few very important posts. The honorable court had advised the central government to pass necessary orders in this regard, making legislation if needed. The honorable court is also very severe on the government with a note of caution that if the government fails to enact a law to this effect. It will suomoto to pronounce a directive.
Motor Vehicle Act:
Earlier, during the month of April the honorable court had directed the Central and the State governments to amend the Motor Vehicle Act which the government has not done, consequent upon which the directive of the court is so strong and particular. The honorable court has excluded ambulance, police vehicles, and fire fighting and military vehicles from the purview of this order.
The honorable court is of the opinion that the general public hates the use of a red lamp and siren and the people using it maintains a huge distance of VIPs from them. Realizing the hatred and plight of the common man in this regard, the Honorable Court has asked the central government to apprise of the date of creation of this tradition with its opinion as to whether in a democratic country like India, it is necessary and required.
The Ambala incident:
The Honorable Supreme Court is also of the opinion that the so called VIPs travelling with red, rotating lamps on their vehicles and siren to invite hatred of the general public. While the honorable court will examine the constitutionality and legality of the prevalent system, one thing is sure that it is treated with distaste and disdain, needing a quick break. Among many instances we saw the news in the daily newspaper that a sick man coming from Ambala to Chandigarh was stranded on his way to hospital in a critical state at various routes in the name of security and safety of VIP who was on his way to address the convocation ceremony of the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine and Research and he died before reaching hospital.
Of course, the concerned VIP offered apology and ordered an enquiry into the incident, but the fact is that one precious life was already lost. The Police Act of 1861 had already crossed 15 years of its existence, notwithstanding the fact that it was formed by the British government to curb the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny. It is still in vague, though it is obsolete, terrifying and was primarily formed to provide the colonialists the platform to suppress and rule its subjects and slaves.
British legacy remains:
We are still a slave to this law even after 66 years of our independence. The reason is being that colonialists have been substituted by VIPs now with the self-same mentality, action and reaction. The present democratic set up is born out of anarchy, autocracy and dictatorial system of the British rule, but the British legacy remains. Instead of providing safety and security to the general public, police is now busier in protecting the so-called VIPs.
Our constitution makes every Indians equality before law, irrespective of cast, creed, sex, religion and position, but only in pen and paper. The term ‘VIP’ and ‘VVIPs’ now are discriminatory and selective awarding of fundamental rights or, rather, negation of it. The Exchequer makes huge expenditure on VIP security which, otherwise, would have been spent on benefits for the general public. 341 cores have been ear marked by central government for VIP protection in the 2013-2014 budget.
Conclusion:
This is a huge sum, more than the sum spent is the inconvenience and disaster caused to the general public, the patients and students. While, on one hand, the police public ration is one is to 761, the police VIP ratio is three is to one, making the individual protection of VIPs 2283 times more than the general public. The list of VIPs is rising day by day with the inclusion of industrialists, cine stars, players and established individuals alongside the President, Prime Minister, high officials and bureaucrats of the country who were earlier in the list.
An industrialist like Mukesh Ambani has been awarded with Z+ security at a whooping cost of 16 lakhs per month. So, while we expect central government to prune the list, after the Apex Court observation, we wait in baited breaths to listen to the Honorable Supreme Court directive on the matter to save the public from harassment and embarrassment that we have been subjected to so far.
Like it on Facebook, Tweet it or share this article on other bookmarking websites.