VIP Culture In India: "No Parallel In World Democracies"

It is  satisfying to find that BJP government 's decision in Himachal Pradesh  allowing MLAs to use flags on their private vehicles has not gone down well with the general public .The move has drawn flak from most quarters. Undoubtedly, its a case of misplaced priorities at a time when the state is grappling with the pandemic, the move is drawing flak from most quarters.

Posts in social media platforms have been so severe, slamming the State Govt for encouraging  VIP culture when all efforts should be directed towards fighting the pandemic.

Himachal has just towed its neighbor Haryana, also ruled by the saffron party. In Cotober 2020, Haryana gave its legislators the gift of using ‘flag’ on their official, private or even hired vehicles to facilitat “due recognition” to them. It waget thems quite amusing to know that lawmakers weren't getting due recognition and a flag was needed to get them the recognition.

Three years ago BJP govt had  rejected the ‘VIP culture’ and decided to remove red beacons from atop law makers'  vehicles. 

But now the same culture was put in place in 2020.

The lust for status is so intennse that even in Punjab, Congress MLAs are clamouring for special flag. Congress MLA Gurkirat Singh Kotli on the concluding day of assembly budget session  demanded that Punjab legislators be allowed to put up a special flag in their vehicles on the lines of Haryana. He felt it more needed as the use of red lights was done away with, as such there should some identification that the legislators can get recognition.

Following Kotli's request, Speaker Rana K P Singh had asked Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra to take up the matter at the state government level.

It may be noted that long ago in December, 2013 The Supreme Court had slammed the rampant misuse of red beacon lights on cars, saying the practice had “perhaps no parallel in the world democracies".

And BJP, then in opposition was on the forefront to welcome this decision.  now the same party govts in state after state are reverting back to "viP cuture" 

“The red lights with or without flasher can be used only while the specified high dignitary is on duty and not otherwise," senior judge G.S. Singhvi had ruled . He observed, even criminals were getting away using red lights because the police were too “scared" to stop a car with a beacon.

Conceding that the constitution does permit some dignitaries to use beacons, the judge nevertheless criticized the message that such practices gave out. It criticized “the use of symbols of authority, including the red lights on the vehicles of public representatives from the lowest to the highest and civil servants of various cadres".

The judge directed “imposing deterrent penalty on the violators of the rules containing prohibition against the use of red lights and multi-toned horns or similar devices".

In view of this judgement, the states allowing flags and red beacons for law makers are just dishounoring the top court and can be sued for contempt proceedings. But alas! in india laws are meant only for common men, not for those who make them.

(Chander sharma)