End Of VIP Culture Sets Stage For New Beginning

- Uppendra Rai

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to ban the ubiquitous red beacons atop cars of all ministers and bureaucrats from May 1 and thus ending the VIP culture prevalent from the colonial era, has sent a positive signal across the world that in democracy, politicians and bureaucrats must not only behave as common citizens but also be seen as one of them. Now every Indian is a VIP. India has the highest number of VIPs in the world – more than five lakhs, a staggering figure, who preferably get ahead of the normal Indians and that too with the money we pay as tax. They acquire power to serve people, but once firmly ensconced behave like kings of the forgotten era. The basic principle of our democracy that government is of the people, for the people and by the people is forgotten. There was a time when a person like Lal Bahadur Shastri, became the prime minister, who is still in the hearts and minds of the people because of his simple way of life, honesty and uprightness. He lived a modest life till the end. He will always be remembered as a humble and down to earth leader, who as a prime minister instilled a sense of confidence among the teeming millions who considered him as a source of inspiration. If a poor farmer can reach the chair of Prime Minister on the basis of his ideals and ideologies, then there was a strong sense of belief in the minds of the common people that their children too could become like Lal Bahadur Shastri following his path.