(I had written this article just before the oct10 commonwealth games, but I just re-edited with an interesting video too to put it upfront, in the light of current rage of ‘movement against corruption’)

We may continue to talk about the numbers, that may vary from 35,000 crores to 85,000 crores that was spent on the Commonwealth games. The real story is that neither we, the (ir)responsible citizens, nor the government (which we only choose) care about the Common Wealth of the public!!

We, Indians, talk big and undertake pad-yatras, candle-light vigils, fast onto deaths – movement against corruption, boycotting elections for reforms etc…but we do not do not fulfill some of the basic responsibilities that we are expected of, as a citizen of our country. We have a very unique distinction of being indifferent to anything that is not mine. Most of us, who really contribute to the chaos are highly literate, but not educated!!

Here is a short film that depicts our attitude in India and contrasts with perhaps our own attitude when we go elsewhere, where not adhering to the rules can be prohibitively expensive.

We, the people –

– Red lights cannot stop us, neither can a fine of 200 Rupees !! We will find a way !
– Trash will fly out of the windows of cars and homes; Eat and leave it at your feet; Cleaning? someone will do
– I will spit anywhere as long as it is not my drawing room
– Parking, where is it?
– Vandalize, who is concerned – It is not my property!!
– Put a red beacon on the car, who will dare to stop me!
– Blaring the horn or music system – It is my car, damn it!
– Driving in a lane, what?

– Roads are there to cross anywhere, we will hardly find zebra crossings anyways,
– Foot over bridges will be built at a place where citizen hardly ventures
– Dig and leave rubble as well as ditches anywhere on the road; Manholes will be left open; If someone falls, we will see…
– Road construction is only our job, taking away the demolished? Traffic will take care..
– Over loaded trucks can ply anywhere, any time… as long as someone greased my hand!
– We will leave a vehicle in the middle of the road if it fails or does not move; It will be there for days… irrespective of the long traffic snarls!!

let me share a few interesting examples, that amply demonstrate what we contribute to the public cause…….

After almost a decade I went into Janpath market in Delhi to find this scene. On enquiry, the hawkers said, “It has been so, ever since the blast happened in Karol Bagh”. That has been a couple of years ago. The police keeps all bins upside down, so that no one places any bomb in it!! What an alert police and what a logic… So that is the case of heightened security, apart from contribution to sanitation and cleanliness by the civil defense (or even the responsible hawker’s association!!)

Leaving the rubble or construction material, unfinished work on the road is so common with the civic authorities, that they come to senses only when a report in paper about a fatality appears. Don’t we have a simple rule of not leaving anything on the road…. I do not get to see any such instance any where else in the world.

Over loaded trucks will stand still or fly, poorly serviced vehicle will fail to move in the middle of the road for days on, creating traffic snarls… Neither will the owner nor the civic authorities bother till someone rams into it!!

So called underpass in construction for a year… No activity seen for the last six months !! It has become a parking place for heavy machinery !!

We will play or our children will in a public place till the ball does not hit an elderly couple and injures them, while they are on a walk!!

New additions by responsible governments, thanks to the desire of showcasing India to the world –

– Metro stations are coming but no cross over bridges to the other side of the road, indulge in J-walking
– Beautification, dig all over : forget FIRE or MEDICAL exigencies, the sufferer will take care
– When it rains, water all over and you never know how deep the ditch is….. We have spent a few crores in cleaning the sewerage ducts!!
– All underground passes are closed, why? renovating for games…… and no sign of any construction activity either..
– New underpass being built for the last one year!! In fact the road leads nowhere. It is now an official parking place with a chowkidar

Heights of humaneness –

– Will do business by forcing children to beg on streets!!
– Child labour is our birth right!
– Will lure and sell women

Leaders of the nation –

– Bandh we will do? Why? Tomato prices are high, never mind it causes loss of Rs.10,000crore or the common man on the street does not find his labour / food!! How does it matter to me, I am in my AC car and AC bungalow, I get enough perks to do all these!!
– I have done a couple of murders and many bandhs, I should get the party ticket for Lok Sabha!
– I am buying for serving people, AC at four lakhs, Treadmill at 10 lakhs !!

Looking forward to your feedback, here or at sreeni@iwsb.in