All in one day: Burning tyres, empty tanks, deserted roads

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"BHARAT BANDH," say politicos.

"KHULJA SIM SIM," says the Aam Aadmi

"Are the petrol pump stations open today?" asks my frantic dad as he braced himself for traffic congestion & political dharnas en route his office on the day of Bharat Bandh. " Maybe they are open. But not all of them though," I cautioned. "First, the govt hikes petrol beyond our budget & then the Opposition takes it away altogether," he muttered driving away.

Well that was to be just the first of the several complaints I would hear through the day.

While some people reiterated the need of letting the govt know of your disapproval, there were others who sighed at the futility of all the inconvenience.

As we waited for Andhra Pradesh's opposition leader & Telugu Desam Chief Chandrababu Naidu to arrive & court arrest, his party supporters decided to charge the atmosphere a little before his arrival by blocking traffic, deflating bus tyres & getting into scuffles with the unfortunate cops on duty. My fellow reporters & I pushed & shoved our way to get the "elusive" byte, with our cameramen, who are now adept at dodging the security ropes (still mastering the art of ducking the gunman's gun barrel though. Ouch!)

Byte done, I then turn around to see the cops... bearing the ire of all. The netas, for arresting their cadre; the junta for allowing the Netas to disrupt their routine & last but not the least from us, the media, for prohibiting our movement!!

I look beyond & I see the traffic that's a few seconds from getting jammed. Sweat beads already trickling down from under the helmets, as men & women are stranded under the scorching sun, wondering why didn't they ever think of taking the other route to work! But that's what you always think AFTER getting stuck in a jam.

As I go through the bandh reports from other states, I am selfishly enough, relieved to know that this time around my state transport buses have been spared. It could also be because there are barely a few undamaged ones left anyway, after the recent Telangana protests where everyone seemed to believe that stoning or torching down a public transport bus is the best way of venting.

The medical shop-owner in my office building nods in despair as he laments the lack of business. "Pata nahi yeh bandh petrol ke daam kam karvayega ya nahi, humara business zaroor kam karayaga."(The bandh may or may not bring down fuel prices but it sure has hit our business.) A group of students who've been let off early find their way to a Domino's outlet with cloth-covered glass doors. The watchman nods subtly, reassuring them of hot pizzas behind the pseudo "We are Closed" appearance. Autowallahs ask for extra money, "Kya madam, hartal ke time pe bhi le jaa rahe hai na," he justifies. But if all of them are on the roads, who's protesting I ask. "Woh union-wale kar rahe hai," he says almost reassuringly.

We wonder who then is this bandh for?? Is the aam-aadmi too involved in his day-to-day grievances to protest another? Why is he not on the streets instead of the politicians?? Why is he grumbling about soaring prices on one hand & on the other hand, about a bandh supposedly in his favour?? Does he want somebody else to fight his battle or is this not his battle at all in the first place??

Dad Calling.

"Thankfully the petrol stations were all open, I got a full tank done...Just in case." I can hear the triumph in his voice.

Maybe that's what it all boils down to for an ordinary citizen, getting through one day & hoping to get through another. The aam-aadmi always has a "tomorrow" to take up issues.. Meanwhile, we always have the elected representatives! Our blessing & our curse.