Today there was a Dharna near Madiwala. All the vehicles were stopped causing traffic to be jammed for a long long way... till at least Bommanahalli, I am guessing. The reason for the Dharna - There are too many accidents on that road and the government should take note of it. It was a good move. As I see the indifference of government towards the traffic conditions I think that the issue has to be taken to the streets. But there were a few things I noticed that were particularly disturbing.
1. When I was sitting in the bus, another Infy guy walked into the bus and said that there was an accident on the road and people are blocking the road as a sign of protest against the increasing traffic. The girl next to me said - why are we being penalized? Penalized??!? One of us has died on the street and people don’t have a concern for it. They have to get home soon. That’s all is the intention. I think it is time that we understand that we are directly responsible for what ever happens around us. We cause the traffic and the traffic jams and the accidents are a result of it. We are the cause of a person's death. We have to have some level of sympathy for the dead and regret for what happened.
2. As I walked up to see what the problem actually was and so that I might cross the dharna peacefully and walk up a distance to take an auto, I saw this bunch of people holding a banner - Fight for the backward classes (That is what it translated to in English). Why should a person’s death be given a political direction? The dead could be any one. Unfortunately it was one of the backward classes. The person who caused the accident would not have gone chasing a backward class guy and run him down. The voice raised against the slack in governance is acceptable but making it into a political issue is unreasonable.
3. As I walked further towards Forum there were two kids running - one chasing the other. They were continuously shouting - Beke Beku, nyaya beku (we want justice). Would the kids know any thing about the accident, the deceased or the reason for the dharna? Or are they fighting for the backward class? Why are the minds of the kids being corrupted with these political issues?
4. Lastly, it is always about the money. The auto fares go up to one and a half without any rhyme or reason. When you question the auto driver he would not even bother to answer you. But I found an auto driver who did not negotiate about the price at all. Meter he said, turned the lever around and set off. I appreciate such behavior.
Things should change!
