I write this with a very heavy heart. Yesterday some three people from the Pune Municipal Corporation came to this lane. Apparently, they wanted to put new meters on the water connection. They did not provide any identification documents, despite a request. They gave a xeroxed application form provided by the PMC according to them. It required details regarding the electricity meter, and all the details regarding the personal mobile number, etc. The job seemed out-sourced.
The in-charge, belonging to a certain minority religion, earlier was screaming at the top of his voice "Grandmother, open the door" as I lock the approach gate from the inside. Later, he just continued staring hard, and trying to enter the premises.
Even when it comes to autos, it is very often the same experience. Such auto drivers keep both the mirrors directed inside. So one has to sit at such an angle that only the bag full of books can be seen. What to do? Buses do not ply, and surely not on time. Even if one rides a two-wheeler excellently, who wants a consciously attempted incapacitating accident!?!
Well, to get back to the water meter installation, since the meter was set up on the main line, the tap has gone totally dry, absolutely bone dry. There is not a drop of water. Of course, I shall go to the PMC, and do the needful. But extremely difficult it is when you are in to teaching, as timings would never match.
Well, yet again, I was thus forced to realise that in this demographic country, one can live comfortably if and only if one belongs to certain castes, certain (minority) religions, and has a certain gender or two identity!
The Swacch lady, too, is so 'well-behaved' that she literally throws the garbage pail back at you, while glaring at you as if she is the queen, and you are a criminal.
In front of our front yard gate, there is a huge neem tree from the neighbours' premises under which all such people stand/sit yaking for hours. Once I dared to politely tell such intruders that constant loud talking, actually screaming, disturbs. I was told off in crude Marathi that it is a public road!!!
Obviously then such incidents, repeated umpteen times, prove that the 'system' in this democracy is governed by certain identities, and woe to those who do not 'belong' to these identities! How does it matter that you are a sincere, genuine, law-abiding, tax-paying citizen!
This is nothing. If you stay awake late as you want to complete writing an article or two, there are loud, snide remarks about a witch (a 'hadal' in Marathi) by the 'under the neem tree' types! You cannot question anything as such smarties would say 'how do know/why do you think it was against you?/ directed at you?We were discussing amongst ourselves!'
These wondrous votaries of free speech (who would not dare to utter a single word about drunks screaming like beasts even during broad daylight, not to forget late nights) forget conveniently others' rights to stay awake, to sleep/wake up as per their convenience, and, that, too, in their own homes! Clearly, such bossy behaviour boils down to demogaugy and demogaugery!
Plainly, there is some mastermind behind all this conscious viciousness. Whosoever it is and whatever might be his motives, the person is a sheer cad, as he has to so invisibly operate through bought (has to be!) minions!
Surely silly, stupid harassment! A well-wisher suggested modes of dealing with it, and certainly I would try these. This blog is to assert that such harassment IS bothersome, but certainly it does not, and sure will not, serve its purpose of intimidation!
Pratima@ Such subtle violence is hardly harassment. It IS a mode of terrorism.
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