India
Incessant rains in the city have been wreaking havoc, crumbling the infrastructure, flooding the roads, uprooting trees, causing traffic jams and leaving many stranded. At such a time, a Home Minister asking for zero-traffic facility, when he was in no urgency to attend an emergency meeting or concern is surely a matter of concern.
Convoys, zero-traffic rules are made to help diplomats, leaders during emergency. It is a privilege that should be used with caution. But when politicians start using it as if it is their right, then it causes inconvenience to the public.
Just like Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister, G Parameshwara, who is also the Home Minister asked the authorities concerned to make way using zero-traffic facility to get to the airport on September 25. It was raining cats and dogs in Bengaluru when the direction was given.
Incessant rains in the city have been wreaking havoc, crumbling the infrastructure, flooding the roads, uprooting trees, causing traffic jams and leaving many stranded. At such a time, a Home Minister asking for zero-traffic facility, when he was in no urgency to attend an emergency meeting or concern is surely a matter of concern.
When media questioned the Home Minister in this regard, his answer was anything but apologetic. "If my predecessor has not used it, doesn't mean even I should not. I wanted it so, I did make use of it. Why are you jealous?" he said. When he was reminded about inconveniencing people too, he did not look bothered.
"Ministers are given this facility after considering many facts and needs," Parameshwara said.
"Yes, exactly, but always putting people at the receiving end is not the way to show people that politicians have power, nor is it a justification for using the privilege," said Suchitra S, a commuter.
It is also said that Parameshwara, who is also the in-charge minister of Tumakuru had travelled to the district using the zero-traffic facility.
In fact, the minister even told the media that he was the one who had issued orders that an ambulance should not be stopped to allow the convoy to pass, whether it is the chief minister, governor or even the prime minister.
But what is the point of such a direction, if the person who directed it does not bother about the general public stranded in heavy rain.
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