Argumentative Indians
It was the killing heat of summer of Delhi. The temperature was touching 45 degreeC. Rahul was walking bare footed holding hew newly acquired shoes from a neighborhood store. The road was under repair. It had been under repair for a few weeks now. The Rikshaw puller will not ply on this rowdy road. His house rested at the end of the one mile road that was under repair.
Unable to walk any further, he sat on a huge dump of debris. Passersby simply ignored him. But then arrived a middle aged, frail bodied, haggard man. He sat next to him. Another passerby advised to sit under some shade and moved on. He looked as far as he could see and found no shade. The middle aged man knew it already.
The middle aged man enquired why he was sitting there to which he replied that his house stood at the end of the road and he cannot walk any further as his feet were hurting.
"But you have shoes to wear" - reminded the middle aged man who himself was in Hawaii chappals.
"I do but they are pinching" -Rahul informed.
"God only can save this country. In spite of having new shoes, you are not in a position to wear them and walk home because they are pinching" - the middle aged man said agitatedly in a loud voice.
"What God or country has to do with my pinching shoes"- Rahul objected, little surprised.
By this time a few more people had gathered around them. They were expecting some duel.
"Everything! Everything! My friend! Here is a road which is under repairs for weeks. Here is Government which can not do any thing right. Here is a store that can not supply wearable shoes. Here is country that cannot choose a good government. And here is our God that is not punishing them. "- lamented the middle aged man.
" Which make the shoe is? " enquired somebody in the crowd.
"X and Y company"- Rahul informed.
"That's s good brand" - somebody from the crowd suggested.
"From which store did you buy"- another voice.
"A and Z store"- Rahul confirmed.
"That store owner is a cheat. He stocks faked brands. Last time I also purchased a pair from that bastard and it did not last even a month. I asked for a replacement and he refused saying I could contact the manufacturer. I approached the manufacturer and they said this damn store was not their Authorised dealer"- documented that voice.
"But see this road is under repair for weeks now! What's the government doing"-a voice enquired.
"Can't you see? They are laying under ground pipes and it takes time. You seem to be from opposition party"- opined another voice.
" So what? I repeat this government is inefficient, anti people, corrupt! " - protested the previous voice.
"Let us not blame everything on government . As citizens we have have our rights but we should be aware of our obligations too"- sermonized some sane voice.
"That is okay but we live in a democracy and we have every right to protest. No body can take that right away from us"- another aggrieved soul solemnized.
"We deserve the government we chose" - an intellectual butted in.
"Democracy is the government of hundred fools"- a likely communist quoted.
"Now you will even blame the government for this hot weather"- a realist said.
"And why not, Sir ? There is no power in our area for three days. The water taps are dry. It happens in every summer. Why can't they plan in advance?"- another dissatisfied citizen complained.
"Tomatoes are selling at 100 rupees a kilo"- a poor householder raised his voice.
Crowd was gathering. Some were whispering, some were agitated and some were simply watching. No body seemed to be mindful of the heat. No body knew what motivated this gathering and for what purpose. But they were talking and throwing arguments at each other. No body noticed when Rahul, the bare footed man holding shoes in his hands and the middle aged man slipped away.
Democracy is alive and kicking.
It was the killing heat of summer of Delhi. The temperature was touching 45 degreeC. Rahul was walking bare footed holding hew newly acquired shoes from a neighborhood store. The road was under repair. It had been under repair for a few weeks now. The Rikshaw puller will not ply on this rowdy road. His house rested at the end of the one mile road that was under repair.
Unable to walk any further, he sat on a huge dump of debris. Passersby simply ignored him. But then arrived a middle aged, frail bodied, haggard man. He sat next to him. Another passerby advised to sit under some shade and moved on. He looked as far as he could see and found no shade. The middle aged man knew it already.
The middle aged man enquired why he was sitting there to which he replied that his house stood at the end of the road and he cannot walk any further as his feet were hurting.
"But you have shoes to wear" - reminded the middle aged man who himself was in Hawaii chappals.
"I do but they are pinching" -Rahul informed.
"God only can save this country. In spite of having new shoes, you are not in a position to wear them and walk home because they are pinching" - the middle aged man said agitatedly in a loud voice.
"What God or country has to do with my pinching shoes"- Rahul objected, little surprised.
By this time a few more people had gathered around them. They were expecting some duel.
"Everything! Everything! My friend! Here is a road which is under repairs for weeks. Here is Government which can not do any thing right. Here is a store that can not supply wearable shoes. Here is country that cannot choose a good government. And here is our God that is not punishing them. "- lamented the middle aged man.
" Which make the shoe is? " enquired somebody in the crowd.
"X and Y company"- Rahul informed.
"That's s good brand" - somebody from the crowd suggested.
"From which store did you buy"- another voice.
"A and Z store"- Rahul confirmed.
"That store owner is a cheat. He stocks faked brands. Last time I also purchased a pair from that bastard and it did not last even a month. I asked for a replacement and he refused saying I could contact the manufacturer. I approached the manufacturer and they said this damn store was not their Authorised dealer"- documented that voice.
"But see this road is under repair for weeks now! What's the government doing"-a voice enquired.
"Can't you see? They are laying under ground pipes and it takes time. You seem to be from opposition party"- opined another voice.
" So what? I repeat this government is inefficient, anti people, corrupt! " - protested the previous voice.
"Let us not blame everything on government . As citizens we have have our rights but we should be aware of our obligations too"- sermonized some sane voice.
"That is okay but we live in a democracy and we have every right to protest. No body can take that right away from us"- another aggrieved soul solemnized.
"We deserve the government we chose" - an intellectual butted in.
"Democracy is the government of hundred fools"- a likely communist quoted.
"Now you will even blame the government for this hot weather"- a realist said.
"And why not, Sir ? There is no power in our area for three days. The water taps are dry. It happens in every summer. Why can't they plan in advance?"- another dissatisfied citizen complained.
"Tomatoes are selling at 100 rupees a kilo"- a poor householder raised his voice.
Crowd was gathering. Some were whispering, some were agitated and some were simply watching. No body seemed to be mindful of the heat. No body knew what motivated this gathering and for what purpose. But they were talking and throwing arguments at each other. No body noticed when Rahul, the bare footed man holding shoes in his hands and the middle aged man slipped away.
Democracy is alive and kicking.
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