It came as a surprise for everyone when Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked red beacons on the cars to be removed. The move came unprecedented as the red beacon always symbolised very important persons (VIPs). The Prime Minister claimed his decision will be a blow to VIP culture and every Indian is VIP. It felt so nice to listen to such things. I am also a VIP. Wow!
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and his cabinet were amongst the first few people who removed red beacon from their cars. In fact Ministers like Vijai Sardesai, Rohan Khaunte and Sudin Dhavalikar who were with the Chief Minister when announcement was made went back to their home without red beacon on their cars.
The announcement was received well by the people. The social media was full of praise for the Prime Minister. The common man on the streets was so happy to have Narendra Modi to lead them. For a change everyone felt that they too are VIPs. Now, no more waiting aside to let the red beacon car pass by.
I still remember the day when a woman driver who seemed to be new on the steering wheel was fired by police jeep providing security to then Chief Minister because she took time to give way to the CM convoy. This happened near Mandovi bridge, a narrow strip where riders or drivers always struggle. This was VIP culture.
Now with Prime Minister’s announcement, I presumed, there won’t be such scenes on the road as no one is VIP. But my expectation came crashing down soon when I went to cover convocation ceremony of Goa University at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium.
The entrance at the main gate welcomed with the board ‘entry for VIPs/VVIPs only.’ Police officer who was standing at the gate was not allowing anyone to enter that gate except for the cars of VIPs and VVIPs.
Rest of the people had to walk to another gate, which was a few metres away and was for non-VIPs. There was lot of rush there, especially of parents who had come there to witness the convocation ceremony of their child.
This was not the end. Further down when we reached the stadium building, there were separate entrances for VIPs and VVIPs. No one was frisked there and everyone was let in, giving them the complete honour of being VIP.
The parents on the other hand, had to stand in a queue, flash the invitation card which was given to them, after which they were frisked and let in.
I am not against frisking. It has to be done in the interest of security. But why only parents? Frisk all the so-called VIPs and VVIPs also. Our Prime Minister has told us that there is no VIP culture and every Indian is a VIP.
Why this discrimination at the gates? There should have been a common gate for everyone including President, Governor, Chief Minister and every other person who was well connected and came here as a VIP.
Merely getting away red beacon will not serve the purpose. VIPs will always remain VIPs and the commoners will always have to stand in a queue.
I have another thought to share- the function was convocation of students. For every parent, it is a proud moment when his child gets a degree or achieves the PhD certificate. It is a time when parents are VIPs. It is the moment for them to cherish.
I would have appreciated the organisers if they had to treat the parents as VIPs. They are actually VIPs there for the event. They don’t have red beacon but it was a proud and emotional moment for them.
Doing away with the red beacon is just a gesture. We need to weed out this VIP culture from everywhere. If Manohar Parrikar is frisked, the security personnel or policeman should not be punished as the Chief Minister is also a common man now.
But this won’t happen. VIPs will always remain the same. The red beacon might have gone but the people who use the car are still the special ones. They are not common people or common man on the street won’t get treatment as VIP.
We still have to stand in a queue at the airport while we see VIPs being escorted by airlines staff breaking all the security cordons, and they are taken to the aircraft.
This is as far as airport is concerned. Back to our own Ministerial chamber, common man is stopped at the door and not allowed to meet any Minister. These days even media persons cannot enter the Ministerial block without prior appointment.
‘Goenkarwadi sarkar’ is just a slogan for many as they still struggle to get their work done. It looks like we are still in the colonial era. VIPs will still remain VIPs and we will remain common man, who are pampered during elections and then left to face the same fate.
Let Manohar Parrikar and his government make common man feel VIP. Let there be no barriers between ministers and people. These are the same people who taught lesson to some arrogant leaders during recent election. That is why many of former Ministers have turned into common man after losing election.
It is not the symbolic gesture of removing red beacons from the cars but the elections that makes VIPs common man and during that time common man gets treated like VIP.
More than just doing away with the red beacon, more concrete steps are needed to be taken to ensure that we feel like VIPs. The people don’t want anything but rulers to hear them with patience and solve their problem. We look for small pleasures. The demands are not so big. The politicians can keep their red beacon but just let us enjoy the tiny but significant privileges enshrined in the Indian constitution.

Team TNV