V I P culture in India

Kudos to TIMES NOW​- for picking up an issue of V I P and V V I P  culture in Inidia.

But like all other things the Times Now​ channel picks up from time to time- [and mark my words]- this too is going to fizzle out.

Times Now has picked up many issues ever since it started- but there have never been any follow-up programs on the issues they  have raised.

I will  not be wrong to surmise  Arnav Goswami, that the relevant and burning issues you raise everyday in the News-hour program- are just to increase your T R P.

Would like to bring to your notice a few instances of V V I P culture and how it affects the common man

1. 1985- The Centenary Session of the Congress to be held in Mumbai as that is where they say the Congress was established.

Rajiv Gandhi , the then Prime Minister , travelling from do not know where- but going towards South Bombay[ oh please it was Bombay then] .

The traffic was held up. I was standing opposite Sion Hospital, to cross the road [ was coming back from my uncle's house in Sardar Nagar , Koliwada ] to go back to my house in  Matunga Road , walking . There was a pregnant woman- who was hoping to cross the road to reach the Sion Hospital, for delivery. She was held up as the V v I P- Prime Minister was to pass- none was allowed to even come down on he road [ the foot-paths were chock-a-block with people to cross the road and go about on their way[ none I assure you was waiting to wave when the V I P passed.This was widely reported in the press too

2. July 11- 2006- the serial train bomb-blast in Mumbai. There was a blast at Matunga Road Railway station .. Trains were closed , people had to walk to their destinations far off in the suburbs . People did whatever they could to alleviate the troubles . There was lot of human traffic on the road. Suddenly past midnight- the police started clearing all of Tulsi Pipe Raod [ Senapati Bapat Marg ]of any and all persons. It so happened that Sonia Gandhi, with an entourage of more than 100 cars, visited the blast site at Matunga Road well  past midnight. Till she was there none from any of the surrounding buildings, including the building in which I stayed, were allowed on the road- including those good Samaritans who helped transport the injured  to the hospital.

3. Nana Patekar- who has a ground floor flat- in Nav-Sahyog Society- 3 buildings away from my residence on Senapati Bapat Road [ Tulsi Pipe Raod- brings home Lord Ganesh, every year during Ganesh Chaturthi [ that used to happen even when his father was there]. However ever since Nana became famous- that Ganpati attained stardom. Not only ordinary people around or from far off , but even the V I P 's started visiting to appease Nana or the God or for a photo-op with Nana- only Lord  Ganesh knows. Balasaheb Thackrey, Raj Thackerey , Smita Thackerey, a few actors and even the Home Minister of Maharashtra R R Patil. Whenever these V I P 's were supposed to visit, the media congregated and hindered the smooth movement of pedestrians like me. Of course the police were present in large- very large numbers,

 A few minutes  before any V I P arrived - traffic and pedestrian movement was stopped- till the V I P had their darshan of the God and Nana bade them farewell. This continues even today

4. Sanjay Nirupam- the M P from Borivali== While travelling to Borivali, [ where I have shifted since July 2013, as  my building has gone into redevelopment in Matunga Road- Senapati Bapat Marg], I found one evening that no passengers were allowed to disembark at Borivali- Platform No. 7. for a couple of minutes. It so happened that Sanjay Nirupam- who was an M P then had come to to the station [ don't know what for]. But till his entourage , which comprised more police than his sycophants , went outside the platform- none was even allowed to get down from the train.

Can give a few more instances, but these  are enough to prove that all V I P 's including bureaucratic V I P 's must be treated like ordinary citizens.

Arnav Goswami- I do not have any expectations from you to sustain this movement- it will be the people of India, who will banish this culture from India .

Rest assured

Dilip Apte

February 26, 2015

Religious Conversions

Nowadays listening to Arnab Goswami's diatribe is an exercise in tolerance .

We hear only his voice- most of the time complaining or making a point and when not,  proclaiming how his channel is No. 1, since eons- ha ha

Sometimes, just for the heck of it or for want of any interesting content on the TV- I watch it.

Today it is about Mohan Bhagwat's remarks about Mother Teresa.

At the outset- let me once again emphatically say that ' The practice of Religion should stop at the threshold of the house of the practitioner.

Be that as it may- I do not have a fan following and thus , am aware that none is going to listen to my views.

I have great respect for the humanitarian, cause Mother Teresa espoused and the work she did.

But I take it with a grain of salt in it. The basic aim in all this social work was to augment the Christian flock.

When I make this sweeping statement, I also perhaps concede that whatever time the Hindu religion came into existence , the following years may have been devoted to indoctrinate others [ It's a matter of contention, whether any other religions existed then], into this religion

One thing is sure- Christianity is documented to have started around 2000 year ago and the faith of Islam- around 1300 years ago, while the Hindu religion preceded it by quite a few millenniums.

Be that as it may.

I studied in a Convent School- from 3rd standard to 7th in Victoria High School, near Sitala Devi Temple Road and Lady Jamshedji Road junction in Mahim, Mumbai [ it was Bombay then ].

Victoria high School was Victoria School, when I enrolled. A small 2 storey building, attached to dilapidated Church. Each year one standard was added. After 7th standard, we were all en-block, enrolled in St. Michaels's High School [ yeah the same Church, which has now become a hot pilgrimage spot every Wednesday for the weekly Novena- it was not so when I was enrolled there..

However the glory starts rising only when a few believers are the recipients of some benevolence from the Almighty.

Now coming to the crux of the matter-and this is what it is all about==

When I was in 9th standard, we had a Principal by the name of Father Frank Lobo .

I came from a very humble background. My father was a lower middle-class government servant, with many mouths to feed, being the eldest son [ which included his brothers and sister]. Needless to add here that my father was barely able to manage the monthly fees.

To make matters short, I was offered a free-ship [exemption from fees ], free uniform etc. from the School in the academic year 1962-63, by Father Frank Lobo [ not aware if he is alive and can defend himself ]. That was a lot then. However, as per my father's advise or rather diktat from him- I didn't acquiesce.

So conversion- forced or coerced did take place

Hence to say conversions- forced or coerced -do not take place is a fallacy. They took place 50 years back and they took place 1500 years back.

It will be difficult to imagine the population of Christians and Muslims in India to have multiplied manifold- only due to childbirth.

Muslims since the last 700 years and Christians- since the Britishers and Portuguese etc. embarked upon creating new frontiers.

Yes conversions did happen- we all need to accept that . However now in a more civilized society , with many laws to protect all- these should be stopped.

Whether what Mohan Bhagwat said about Mother Teresa is true or not is for the Law of the land to judge and act on- with the same jurisprudence to examine- if there is any truth to his say.

As far as I am concerned- Religion is the ROOT cause of all conflicts and should be banished or kept confined to the respective practitioners threshold.

Now and forever

Dilip Apte

 February 24, 2015