I have this habit of talkig to the cab drivers and auto drivers whenever I travel. Talking to these give a glimpse of thoughts travelling in the minds of this part of society.
Sometimes the discussions are very hillarious, sometimes it becomes very aggressive and sometimes it gives information which one may not be able to get from other sources.
Most of these drivers I had come across, are from the neighbouring states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh. Few of these are from Bihar.
I remember once I hired a cycle rickshaw from the Metro Station to my house. I started talking with the man who was paddling the cycle rickshaw. I asked him about the place he hails from. He told me that he belongs to Bihar and has landed in this cosmopolitan city to earn his livelihood. It was the month of December and the winter was at its peak, so when i asked him whether he has rented a house for living, he answered me in a chaste Purabia style, "Are auntie ji Mor nahi jayenge itna thandi mei, agar ghar lekar nahi rehenge." He rented a room for Rs.4000/- which he shares with three more boys from his native place thus the rent comes to Rs.1000/- each.
I asked him that, why he is spending his days here in Delhi which is quite far from his hometown, he asked me vehemently that how will he survive if he leaves Delhi. I suggested him to continue this pulling of cycle rickshaw there at his hometown also. Then, very vehemently he asked me that how can he do this work at his hometown in front of all his relative and friends. As for him this job is of a very lower status and this will impact the reputation of his parents.
Till today, I am thinking that how a job which is helping somebody to run his or her life, can be of low status. Paddling a cycle rickshaw is low status job because the passengers are paying in Indian Rupee?? Had it been in Dollars or Pounds or Euros even then will it be considered as a low status job??
One of the Cab driver, let me give him a name A, was discussing politics. His father was a Congress man whereas he has opted for Bhartiya Janata Party. When I asked him about this change, he said that BJP is working positively and adding to the development to the country. Since, I don't discuss party politics and I do not read Newspapers or listen to News on any of the News Channels, so I have no idea about this party politics and the tall claims by the Parties.
Later on, this A, told me that he has worked in Lucknow also and he liked the BSP Supremo. He then started talking about her that she was a good administrator, she had done good works etc. etc. But he had one complaint against her that she had installed so many statues which according to A was really bad and she could not have done this.
I was aghast to hear the reply from him when I asked him that what does he think about the statue of Sardar Patel, he very vehemently asked me "Madam which party you belong to." Is it necessary to get attached to a Party????
Now, the other day the Driver B was from some village of Madha Pradesh. He was the follower of the ruling party even then he was critical of the ruling party. He was against few of its policies. He appeared balanced. A true follower is the one who is open to criticism but now a days I have found it very difficult to converse with so called followers. They get violent with a spur of criticism, they are always ready to tear you apart. No logic works with, these days loyalists. If one has no eye for evaluation then he is not at all a follower, he is blind mentally.
Anyhow, he narrated me that how the farmers are suffering in the state. He talked about the electricity connection for the farmers. He told me that in earlier regimes, the total expenditure was born by the Government, whereas these days the farmers have to pay 95,000 INR for 10 electricity pols (9,500 INR per electricity pole). This was a news to me.
The Driver C, a Delhite. While crossing through the Karol Bagh Area the biggest market of Gold, I saw a Mohalla Clinic, an initiative by the Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Admi Party. The Aam Admi Party (AAP) took the reigns of Delhi Sultanate from Ms. Shela Dikshit who ruled under the banner of Congress Party for 15 years. The major thrust of AAP after coming to power from Dharna, was on Education and Health which are non-issues for other parties as well as their followers. The AAP started Mohalla Clinics to provide the health care facilities to the population living in Jhuggi Jhopri clusters, densely populated areas and un-authorised colonies. Basically residents of these areas are deprived of or have very limited access to these basic health care facilities therefore many private clinics and doctors caters to such necessities. These clinics are built in porta cabins.
The Driver C informed me that doctor is available in these clinics from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm. Besides one doctor there are three nurses available in these clinics. There are about 212 tests which are available free of cost. Every doctor in these mohalla clinics is paid Rs.50/- per patient by the State Government.
Since it was an election period, therefore this driver was talking about parties and their achievements and mal-functioning. He told me that after the AAP took over, he is saving at least Rs.14,000/- per month as the electircity and water Bills have come down. Since he belongs to the Economically Weaker Section of the society, therefore, he is able to send his kids to the reputed school. His kids are studying free of cost.
He, further, narrated an incident when both the high security number plates of his cab got stolen. He used the older number plates which were lying in his cupboard for the time being and fired an online First Information Report of the theft. He had also applied for new high security plates. He told me that it takes about 10 to 15 days for the new plates to arrive. Few days after this theft incidence, he was ferrying a professor from the airport, when en route he was stopped by the police. Though he had all the records i.e. copy of the FIR and receipt of the high security number plates, but the traffic police was adamant for issuing the challan to the driver.
Seeing this, the passenger, tried to intervened but the driver stopped him. Driver was of the view that if any passenger ever tried to intervene in these small skirmishes with the traffic police, then there is 100% probability that of increase in the amount, to be paid by the driver, to the traffic police. On intervention, the policeman told the passenger vehemently that he has no business to interfere and he was advised to sit quietly in the cab.
He was directed by the Traffic Police to surrender his Licence as well as vehicle to the Police Authorities. As imagined by the driver, this intervention of the passenger, resulted in increase in the amount of challan to be paid by the driver as few more articles and clauses of the Rule Book, were added in the Challan against the driver.
Driver D, the most constipated driver. Constipated in his outlook, his approach towards every thing was negative. My cab was passing through Mother Teressa Crescent where a huge statue in the memory of Dandi March led by Mahatama Gandhi is installed. I tried to click the picture of this famous statue. He interrupted me with his words "Madam, why are you clicking picture of this statue", I said that this is the famous Dandi March led by Mahatma Gandhi and efforts of these all people have brought independence to our country. He then in his negative tone and approach, said, "We gained nothing after getting independence." His negative approach continued whatever he talked about. I don't want to narrate it here.....Ufffff
Sometimes these drivers agree to my view point. One day, a cab driver told me that I am riding in his taxi for the second time. While talking on one very sensitive issue, initially he approved the action by a small faction of the society but when I talked to him in detail and discussed my point of view, he very politely told me that, "Madam, no body talks like this and nobody tried to correct me. Had there been more people like you who talk sense, things could have been very different."
But sometimes, there are people who react very sharply against my views, even if, I am talking sense
Later on, this A, told me that he has worked in Lucknow also and he liked the BSP Supremo. He then started talking about her that she was a good administrator, she had done good works etc. etc. But he had one complaint against her that she had installed so many statues which according to A was really bad and she could not have done this.
I was aghast to hear the reply from him when I asked him that what does he think about the statue of Sardar Patel, he very vehemently asked me "Madam which party you belong to." Is it necessary to get attached to a Party????
Now, the other day the Driver B was from some village of Madha Pradesh. He was the follower of the ruling party even then he was critical of the ruling party. He was against few of its policies. He appeared balanced. A true follower is the one who is open to criticism but now a days I have found it very difficult to converse with so called followers. They get violent with a spur of criticism, they are always ready to tear you apart. No logic works with, these days loyalists. If one has no eye for evaluation then he is not at all a follower, he is blind mentally.
Anyhow, he narrated me that how the farmers are suffering in the state. He talked about the electricity connection for the farmers. He told me that in earlier regimes, the total expenditure was born by the Government, whereas these days the farmers have to pay 95,000 INR for 10 electricity pols (9,500 INR per electricity pole). This was a news to me.
The Driver C, a Delhite. While crossing through the Karol Bagh Area the biggest market of Gold, I saw a Mohalla Clinic, an initiative by the Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Admi Party. The Aam Admi Party (AAP) took the reigns of Delhi Sultanate from Ms. Shela Dikshit who ruled under the banner of Congress Party for 15 years. The major thrust of AAP after coming to power from Dharna, was on Education and Health which are non-issues for other parties as well as their followers. The AAP started Mohalla Clinics to provide the health care facilities to the population living in Jhuggi Jhopri clusters, densely populated areas and un-authorised colonies. Basically residents of these areas are deprived of or have very limited access to these basic health care facilities therefore many private clinics and doctors caters to such necessities. These clinics are built in porta cabins.
The Driver C informed me that doctor is available in these clinics from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm. Besides one doctor there are three nurses available in these clinics. There are about 212 tests which are available free of cost. Every doctor in these mohalla clinics is paid Rs.50/- per patient by the State Government.
Since it was an election period, therefore this driver was talking about parties and their achievements and mal-functioning. He told me that after the AAP took over, he is saving at least Rs.14,000/- per month as the electircity and water Bills have come down. Since he belongs to the Economically Weaker Section of the society, therefore, he is able to send his kids to the reputed school. His kids are studying free of cost.
He, further, narrated an incident when both the high security number plates of his cab got stolen. He used the older number plates which were lying in his cupboard for the time being and fired an online First Information Report of the theft. He had also applied for new high security plates. He told me that it takes about 10 to 15 days for the new plates to arrive. Few days after this theft incidence, he was ferrying a professor from the airport, when en route he was stopped by the police. Though he had all the records i.e. copy of the FIR and receipt of the high security number plates, but the traffic police was adamant for issuing the challan to the driver.
Seeing this, the passenger, tried to intervened but the driver stopped him. Driver was of the view that if any passenger ever tried to intervene in these small skirmishes with the traffic police, then there is 100% probability that of increase in the amount, to be paid by the driver, to the traffic police. On intervention, the policeman told the passenger vehemently that he has no business to interfere and he was advised to sit quietly in the cab.
He was directed by the Traffic Police to surrender his Licence as well as vehicle to the Police Authorities. As imagined by the driver, this intervention of the passenger, resulted in increase in the amount of challan to be paid by the driver as few more articles and clauses of the Rule Book, were added in the Challan against the driver.
Driver D, the most constipated driver. Constipated in his outlook, his approach towards every thing was negative. My cab was passing through Mother Teressa Crescent where a huge statue in the memory of Dandi March led by Mahatama Gandhi is installed. I tried to click the picture of this famous statue. He interrupted me with his words "Madam, why are you clicking picture of this statue", I said that this is the famous Dandi March led by Mahatma Gandhi and efforts of these all people have brought independence to our country. He then in his negative tone and approach, said, "We gained nothing after getting independence." His negative approach continued whatever he talked about. I don't want to narrate it here.....Ufffff
Sometimes these drivers agree to my view point. One day, a cab driver told me that I am riding in his taxi for the second time. While talking on one very sensitive issue, initially he approved the action by a small faction of the society but when I talked to him in detail and discussed my point of view, he very politely told me that, "Madam, no body talks like this and nobody tried to correct me. Had there been more people like you who talk sense, things could have been very different."
But sometimes, there are people who react very sharply against my views, even if, I am talking sense
