Changing India
India is changing. It was
obvious in the polling booths filled with enthusiastic 19-20 something first
time voters. A few were confused—“Is the AAP (Aam Adhmi Pasarty) symbol a
mango?”
“No” said her friend, “it is
a Gandhi cap!”
“Look said another “there is
no Gandhi cap on the list pasted here, there is only a sports cap!”
“Look, said the first girl,
its under broom.”
I am really glad they sorted
that out!
The turn out was more than
70%. For the first time (I have voted in all the elections) I stood in line for
an hour and fifteen minutes!
Things have changed in other
ways also. As we came out of a “hypercity supermarket” I Hyderabad, I saw a
gentleman loading his young wife and daughter with their purchases into an
auto. As soon as they got inside, he whipped out his smart phone and
photographed the driver with his badge clearly visible and the auto license
plate!
I saw the same thing in the
airport. The flight was delayed by an hour and a half. By the time we got into
Hyderabad it was 10:30 pm. Most of us were negotiating at the prepaid taxi
counter. As soon as the taxi pulled up the PYT
in front of me whipped out her phone and started messaging her father,
time and license plate!
My daughter was jogging on
the road when a road side Romeo pulled up alongside on his motorbike. “Kadalai”
(lover) he sang and then proceeded to
finish the first stanza of this romantic
movie song.
My daughter’s not that well
versed with Tamil movie songs. She does know the Hindi ones though.
“Mere Pyare,” she started
smiling at him. She whipped out her phone to take a photograph.
Needless to say he fled for
his life.
Smart phones are God’s gift to women. Despite all government
warnings many autos try to get by without putting their meter. Tired and hot as
I left Central station Chennai an auto driver approached me.
“Rs 250” he said when he
heard where I wanted to go.
“No,” I said “Meter.”
“No ,” he said.
I took out my phone to call
my daughter and ask her what a reasonable rate was.
“Arre” said the auto driver,
”why do you want to report me? I will put on the meter!”
The bribing of voters in this
election is incredible. Though as Kejiriwal said openly, “take the money. I am
not asking you not to. But after that remember your ballot is secret. Vote with
your conscience.”
There is a flying squad ready
to take action at a moments notice. One of the political parties brought an
incredible 50 lakhs to Vellore to bribe
the voters. Information was leaked and the squad arrived. The people carrying
the money abandoned it and fled. Only 30 lakhs was found so some one (no one
seems to know who) made a killing for a day’s work!
Times are changing. Though we still have colleges forbidding cell
phones in college. They seem to consider them less of a utilitarian safety
device and more of a mechanism for “love trysts!”
I hope more shackles are
removed.
I hope the march forward
continues.
Dr. Gita Mathai
The
writer is a paediatrician with a family practice at Vellore.
If you
have any questions on health issues please write to
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