Aam Aadmi and mango people: Encounters of two kinds of common people
By Philip Mudartha
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08 Febraury 2014: I arrive at IGI Airport in Delhi and rush through its swanky terminal 3 with both pride and awe. The terminal is one of the best in the world. It is spick clean and shining. It is efficient. I walk the red carpet to the Meru Cab booking desk, sign a register, and escorted to the back seat of a clean air-conditioned cab. I spend twelve minutes of the journey admiring the broad expressway, the glass and steel office buildings, the star hotels and flyovers. I befriend the cabbie. When we arrive at my destination 12 minutes later, I have a fairly good idea of life of an aam aadmi in the capital.
The 5.1km trip costs me Rs.210, which includes airport parking fee of Rs.91. Meru Cabs which operates metered radio taxi services in many Indian cities earned Rs.23 per km. Fair; my friends who operate private taxi services in Belle charge Rs.20-25 per km.
Encounters with AAP kind
My taxi to the airport is summoned by the hotel concierge. The return trip costs me Rs.300 flat, no meter. I ask and get a receipt of Delhi Taxi Service (DTS). DTS is Taxi-men’s Co-operative, I learn. Shouldn’t the fare be Rs.120 because he does not use airport parking lot, I ask? Nahisaab, yeh hamari fixed fee hei, for airport service. Doesn’t he believe this system of taxi co-operatives looting the air passengers unfair? Do they collect a premium from train and bus passengers? Why do they not ply by meter regardless of where the passenger is headed? My friend evades my legitimate queries. He changes subject and takes charge of the conversation. It is inconvenient for one common man to answer questions of another common man who thinks that taking more money than fair is a wrong system.
My new friend is a loyal AAP member like my earlier cabbie friend. This one comes from Shimla. The earlier hails from Bihar. During next 15 minutes, this one discusses Delhi and Indian politics exclusively. He thinks Congress and BJP are corrupt parties. Unke neta logone Ph.d ki hei, kaise desh ko aur aam aadmi ko loota jaye. Hum log kranti karenge. Hum log is baar Delhi mein sarkar nahi banayenge. Why? Because, our leaders don’t know how the assembly and ministries work. Dheere dheere, seek jaayenge.
Who should form Delhi government in that case? I ask. BJP ke paas 32 seats hein. Congress ke haat mein 8. Total 40 MLA unke hein; saat milke sarkaar chalaayem, aise bhi dono chor log hein!
How is it possible? BJP is communal. Congress is secular. Arreh, chodiye saab, yeh secular kya hotahei? galimein Ram, gharmein shyam, sab chor hein. shyaamko whisky saat mein peete hein. dinko lecture baaji chaalu.
Shouldn’t AAP form the government? Kaise banaayen?Aap battayi-ye, 28 numbers hamaare haat lage hein? Let there be re-election. Delhi-waale hamein jitaayenge, bade majority se…
When I alight, he comes round his taxi, shakes hand and asks if he can hug me. No problems. He hands me his business card. It has his photo and address. Call me, when you come to Delhi. Aapki seva kaaureik moka dijiye saab!
firmilenge, zaroor. I turn and head into T3 of IGI. A young porter insists on carrying my briefcase, even as I protest, and escorts me to Air India Flight Check-in. A pretty young woman is all smiles as she efficiently does what she should do, including inviting me to Airline Lounge, and gives polite instructions about finding my way in the terminal. The young porter escorts me till the elevator to the Airline Lounge. No demand for any baksheesh, yeh kya ho gaya hei Delhi ko?
Encounters with mango people
In Delhi, I work at Radisson BLU Plaza Hotel. I eat in their fanciful Buffet Restaurant, The Great Kabab Factory. A dozen middle aged mothers, looking like oh-so-young-n-pretty starlets of noon-time soap opera on Sony or Star Plus, occupy a big round table reserved for their lunch. They chirp, chatter, gingerly taste food and sip their sexy-looking mock-tails. They could be cocktails, I can’t tell, from the looks and names.
And what on earth are they discussing at a 5-Star hotel over lunch that costs not less than Rs.2000 including the exorbitant service charges, government service taxes and VAT? Onions, vegetables, fruits and their prices!
Sky-rocketing nah, how can aam people live yaar? Bolo-na!
I could have fallen off my chair, if I did not have company who had flown in from USA, Germany, Japan and Korea. These twitterati, glitterati, Facebook and whatsApp ladies, fiddling with their sleek smart-phones which are sitting at the edge of their plates overflowing with juicy kababs and paranthas, find life hard because onions cost Rs.80 a kilo! Why does their kurti cost Rs.5000? Why does their smart-phone cost Rs.40000? Why does their vanity bag costs as much?
Smart-phones are status symbol yaar, onions are not!
That is right, mango people used to be aamaadmi a few years back. They are THE ordinary people who were in the right place at the right time to grab opportunities of making money when this country began to shed its socialist past. They seized the opportunities quickly when economic reforms were unleashed. They bought licenses for setting up businesses for imported good which were in great demand and made crazy profits. They exported the best goods the nation had to offer at bargain prices and earned fat profits.
Only twenty years back, these ladies could only dream of lunching at a 5-Star gourmet restaurant. Now, they are actually living their dream. Twenty years back, only film stars and khandaani rich could sip cocktails like sex-on-the-beach, mojito, pinacolarada, long island iced tea. The economic reforms since 1991have unleashed new money. Its power is heady. This nasha of easy money has dulled minds of newly-rich mango people. Much more than the cocktails and mock-tails can. It has drowned reason. They are at once aam aadmi and memsahebs, rolled into a hypocritical Jekyll & Hyde split personality.
At sabzimandi, they want vegetables at Rs.20 a kilo, prices of pre-1991 era. They want aayi-baai (domestic help) to wash their dishes, mop floors and pick up nighties and underwear, fold clothes and organize their imported-from-Malaysia wardrobes. How much for her services? mahineka 2000 chalega? Nahin?2200? 3000. haan, teekhei! The services of aam aadmi for a month at a price of ONE sumptuous buffet meal with a few cocktails at a 5-Star restaurant. What a bargain deal!!
Some call it India Shining; others call it divide between India and Bharat
Sheila Dixit and her party, INC, has not come to terms with their loss of Delhi NCR. In 15 years, they changed the face of Delhi. Swanky World Class Airport: Terminal 3. World Class Metro: Air-conditioned and under-ground. Expressways and flyovers: drive home in your own stylish cars. Banks and ATMs: hamesha aapke saat, now you do not have to worry and check your wallet when you buy, buy and buy. Kitna kuchch huayeh 15 saalon mein!
Fir yeh CM ki kursi nahin mili dubara.Kyon? Kyana-insaafi hei! Yeh aam janta beqoof hei!, Nah, hum beqoofhein! It was wrong to wake up a hungry sleeping poor man and show him dreams. Sapne humne dikhaaye, magar? Kyon aaam admi ne hamaara saat choda? We should introspect, said Sheila Dixit, even as I too saw the phenomenal progress Delhi has made during her rule.
When the poor aam aadmi came out of those dreams of improved life, he saw that he was left behind to wallow in squalor and filth. His neighbor had connections. He did not show any morals, ethics, honesty and such pious ideals. He got the rules bent and made his money from contracts. Those priests, teachers and leaders who preached virtues of truth and honesty: let them be damned. They too betrayed him and are enjoying life: pretty women, whiskey and wealth. Only his hand can’t get into the cookie jar. He waits watches in anger. How shall he take his revenge? Out goes, Sheila and Congress. Didn’t BJP go out the same way in 2004 in general elections?
AAP is an amalgam of smart mango people
The founding members of AAP are not aamaadmi. Most of them afford meals at The Great Kabab Factory. They afford comfortable apartments in Delhi and NCR. The difference is that these mango people of AAP have realized the power of the losers in the post-1991 economic reformsbusiness in the country.
They understand the pain, humiliation and indignity of the losers. They could choose to ignore and lead comfortable lives as most mango people do. They could join the mango people and buy licenses. They could swing government contracts their way and make profits from legitimate business opportunities. They can pay fat bribes. They can splash the big profits on lunch and cocktails to entertain contacts and dalals in upscale restaurants and sleazy bars. They can gift Korean smart phones to whoever helped them earn more profits.
But they choose the other way. Yeda and crazy, yes, but that is their mission. Their choice is to live a life that shows some hope and holds promiseof change for better in the lives of losers in this system of crony capitalism and license-raj. Their mission is to challenge custodians and guardians of this wicked and rotten system. Their mission is to defeat and humiliate bad people in all political parties who have bent rules, to their and their friends’ advantage, using corrupt and unfair means. If the corrupt and criminal people do not control the system, aam admi gets a fair chance to improve his life.
Delhi mein paisa bahuthei. sirf neeyatki kami hei. India and Indians have plenty of money. But it lacks morality. There is no word in English that means the same asneeyat. It is lot more than morality.
Would neeyat of aam aadmi be challenged? That was what I did when I challenged my AAP member cabbie. Why does he charge Rs.300 for 5.1km trip which should cost only Rs.120?
When the medicine that AAP proposes to cure elite and mango people boomerangs on its supporters, what would Pipers of AAP do? That is another story; stay with me.
| Comments on this Article | |
| Philip Mudartha, Mumbai | Mon, February-10-2014, 3:50 |
| @Valerian, Yes, there is anecdotal evidence of fear gripping Delhi government servants. The corruption has come down. My Delhi contacts confirm this fact. Institutional corruption is biggest evil among which political corruption has to end first. Followed by that, the corruption in government jobs. Then the big corruption in business houses, co-operatives and unions. The DTS overcharging is a practice is an example of corruption by unions. The taxi driver cannot break out of system and charge me Rs. 120. His union members will beat him for his breaking their rule. These unions are controlled by political parties, like INC, BJP, BSP, CPM etc. now many are switching loyalty to AAP. My point was that AAP will soon find accusations of corruption thrown at its support bases by rival parties. It will be tested severely because AAP has set higher moral standards for itself. It cannot use a fig leaf like INC, BJP and BSP have been doing in NCT. When we discuss more on this facet of AAP support base, and how it will choose to discipline it s own members, the samudra manthana for Amrit will begin. That is in my next. | |
| Philip Mudartha, Mumbai | Mon, February-10-2014, 3:33 |
| @G. D Souza, No one denies the infrastructure and economic progress Delhi NCT made under Sheila Dixit-led Government. I have visited in 1998 and 2013. There is phenomenal progress.no one denies that. Media had run these stories also. A large population segment, particularly of lower income group, has not shared in the fruits of this new wealth as much as privileged segments. In absolute amount, they also make money. But, relatively speaking they FEEL they are worse of in 2013 than in 1998. I had same assessment from my visits to Rio in Brazil. My travelogue published on BV describes the disparity among favela dwellers and apartment dwellers. I have described the crime rate and the social cost to control crime. If equitable development is not pursued, if the policies do not make ordinary lives better, Delhi will go Rio way. The daily incidence of rape, kidnap, theft, mugging and murders are early warnings. | |
| Valerian, Dubai | Sun, February-9-2014, 7:12 |
| Individual actions of any ordinary person can not be compared with ideology of a party. We talk more and sadly our actions do not go with it. AAP as a party is challenging the present corrupt, unethical and power hungry system. Last 67 years of independence could not solve our basic problems of food, housing, sanitation, roads, power and water. This shows lack of political will and system completely buried in corruption. We do have enough laws, rules but there is no accountability. Unless this accountability comes in, equitable development is difficult. Just take the recent examples of AAP leaders action on health and education issues. How they have already improved the system in Delhi. Minsters pay surprise visits to schools and hospitals to get first hand account of situation and take suggestions from ordinary people. One of my Delhi friend says the corruption in government departments have come down by 90%. Only because Delhi Police is not under control of Delhi state government, there are still issues with police. Need of the day is Political Will and I am confident AAP can change the system for better. | |
| G. D Souza, Mangalore | Sun, February-9-2014, 5:26 |
| Sheila Dixit s government in Delhi has done a lot of development in Delhi over the last few years. Unfortunately, all the good work is undone by the rampant corruption and inability of Congress Government to curtail this corruption. Media in India is hell bent on showing negative side to get TRPs. I as a aam aadmi only know how many scams the Government is involved in than how much development the Government is done. | |
| Philip Mudartha, Mumbai | Sun, February-9-2014, 3:12 |
| @Anil, That joker of a man in that local train is cynical. Majority of men in India do not want to touch and invade the modesty of a woman. That is fact. The anonymity a crowd takes fear of consequences from some common men. Similar most of us paid bribes, not because we liked it or corrupt. Because, we did not afford the the cost of not bribing in terms of opportunity loss. Arvin s Kejriwal, his team and AAP is aware of this apparent contradiction. They know the challenges lying ahead in their fight. Many of their supporters will desert them. But that, in my next, after I have more reactions. Many realists also called pragmatists may not react at all. Such lack of reaction will also be an indication that the path AAP carries grave risks to its existence. | |
| Philip Mudartha, Mumbai | Sun, February-9-2014, 2:58 |
| @Benedict, Senior citizens are most cynical of AAP. In their sunset years, nothing much is stake for them. They have paid bribes to a ration card, a birth certificate, a death certificate, a family tree, a property inheritance certificate, registration of land, house, flat etc. They are bitter because they could not win against bad people in such system. Arvind Kejriwal says he and AAP will fight this system and win. Or they can kill them. But, they will not surrender. Such courage of the naive kind shames us, the impotent, who settled for a compromise. This explains our patchouli gal pleasure when a flaw in AAP is visible or a challenge is pointed out. There will certainly be a fourth article for which let us not wait three months. It will as early as BV editors want. | |
| Philip Mudatha, Mumbai | Sun, February-9-2014, 2:45 |
| @Sabi, AAP does precisely that. It s politics shifts the focus from religion. The cartoon that I chose to include is evidence. BJP has realised that it s mandir masjid politics does not work. Modi at its helm will not allow such politics and stay focused on development. Congress is confused a title, because the development work it did in Delhi NCT did not bring votes in 2013. That is why Rahul is busy finding a new mantra. Wait a month or more, he will get his new slogan. In this way, AAP has already irrevocably stamped its footprint on our politics for our good. History will judge that, even if AAP fails or is killed by its stronger adversaries using their might. | |
| Philip Mudartha, Mumbai | Sun, February-9-2014, 2:33 |
| @Jitu, All those who joined and supported Mahatma Gandhi did not practice non-violent. Indians, most among his followers, we re very violent including in domestic lives. The followers of JP in 1974-79 period and the supporters of Janata Party did not practise his lofty ideals of simple living. The supporters and admirers of Mother Teresa did not do so because they would ever put themselves in her shoes and live modestly as she did. Around Kejriwal, his team and his party has mission is to cleanse the system of corruption. In the rush to mobilise crores of party workers and volunteers, raise funds and create aliens among segments of civil society, the will attract many of us who practise corrupt ways if only to get our jobs done. I think AAP is aware of this. However, the small corruption is trees, whereas big corruption is forest. One does not miss the forest and look at trees, applying a management strategy of staying focused. | |
| Anil, Moodubelle/Dubai | Sun, February-9-2014, 2:13 |
| As pointed out, as this taxi driver in the article, majority of us, Indians are corrupt in one or the other way. Is there a Indian who has not paid bribe to get his work done at Government offices? I doubt it. We are ever ready to raise finger at others. I remember a incident happened in Virar-Chrichgate local in Mumbai. It was a rush hour and there was a lady traveling in Gents compartment. The compartment was jam packed. After a while this lady raised a alarm that the person standing next to her touched her. All of a sudden all around her wanted to help this lady and started beating this man. As this drama was going on, a man standing next to me said to me These people are not beating this man because he put his hands on her, but because they did not get the chance . | |
| Benedict Noronha, Udupi/India | Sat, February-8-2014, 7:19 |
| Inspiring notes of Mr Philip. there is a turn not complete U turn. Wiat after THREE months and the Bellevision readers will have some more fun fro AAM Admi-Mangao People in ruling Delhi.It is always the case with the ruling MLAs, they can improve their economic status as we found hither to in India. India Jai Ho. Stay with Philip Bhai for the next...! | |
| Ronald Sabi, Moodubelle | Sat, February-8-2014, 5:14 |
| Thought provoking! I liked the expressions in Hindi. NCR is lucky to have such a modern infrastructure where Bangalore is struggling due to lack of application, additional thanks to resort and religion politics along with existing ones. I am sure India will grow better when religion and politics start getting delinked!! Lot of energy saving from religion based politics culminating law and order situations, money and police resources to calm communal unrest and appeasement of religion epicenters. Today religion is tool to gain power for most political parties where activists(including many so called educated) are hungry to grab points and bite the gum until it is very old! | |
| Jitu, Jamshedpur | Sat, February-8-2014, 2:46 |
| Oh! And btw. My 7yr old Nokia was at the end of it s life, so I got a new smart phone. 2 weeks and I am sick of it s over smartness. :( A lot of the features or apps( if you prefer the word) are useless for most people. But the package deal is such that you are stuck with the irritating aunt-in-law kind of apps if you marry into the family android or iOS. You turn off some of the apps and the marriage starts to break apart even before the wedding is over. :( Unfortunately for me, at least here, there are no unsmart phones available in the market. Just smart phones are. :( So I am stuck with one of them. All I can do is try a different brand/os to check which aunt-in-law is less irritating and go with it. :( | |
| Jitu, Jamshedpur | Sat, February-8-2014, 2:34 |
| That is the issue. It s always them... never us. We are not the problem.. they are. All those who joined supported, support AAP do not do it because they want someone to show them a mirror and show he flaw in their ways. No. All of them, rather all of us... we think the flaw is with someone else. The government, the bureaucrats, the poor, the rich, the middle class, the inflation, the economy, the laws, the lawless, the lawmen, the left, the right, the center,the x, the y, the z. Everyone but us. We all want the system to be cleaned. Since we consider ourselves above the system... we don t need to be cleansed. We do not need to be disinfected. Just spray your magic cleaning spray on others and clean the system. So be it the mango people in a swanky hotel, or the mango man behind the wheels of a over-charging taxi.... they all... we all want... whatever is to be done to be done to the others. Not us. | |
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