Will things ever change?

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I woke up to a pleasant Sunday morning. I could hear the raindrops on the balcony and once I pushed the curtain, everything outside seemed both green and clear. It was a beautiful morning and a few hours of rain had cooled Delhi. I thought to myself - this is what I love about the city. Delhi is perhaps the only metropolis which has the maximum green cover and the rains only add to the beauty. I tried my best not to think of water-logging or traffic jams. I knew I was being selfish as I had no plans to leave home today. I could read the newspaper at leisure, enjoy my morning cup of tea and catch the morning news bulletin at 9.

Everything was perfect and went perfectly to plan till I switched on the TV. The bulletin began with a report of an overnight accident on one of Delhi's roads. While there's nothing abnormal about the news of an accident on the weekend, what followed changed my mood for the worse and spoilt the rest of the day.

I saw a young lady, presumably among the occupants in the car, turn abusive with a video journalist of a TV channel. She challenged him - knowing very well that everything was being recorded - that she would go scot-free and he could bring no harm to her, no matter how much he tried. Not for a moment did she seem apologetic that the car she or her associates were in had rammed into a truck. What's the big deal, she barked at the VJ, on being quizzed. She didn't stop at that. She called him a small fry and made it amply clear that both she and her friends were untouchable. One could make out that the group of young people involved in the accident were perhaps drunk (the driver certainly was) and in a post-nightcap drive stepped on the gas without a care in the world. Why should they care? They had money (they were driving a Volkswagen), and perhaps, came from an influential family. A phone call or two could get them out of trouble in this city, like it always has.

The police were right there -- one could see on camera. Instead of taking the guilty to task, they let them go scot-free. In this day of 24x7 television news, if a group of people can display such brash behavior on camera, it just goes to show their disdain for the law. They seemed certain that no harm could come to them. Surely Papa can handle it, like he always has.

In barely five minutes, my feelings for the city turned a full circle. It is only here that the rich and powerful can drive away, no matter what crime they have committed. It was clear that the lady while thrusting her finger and daring the Video Journalist was also sending a signal to the constables nearby. If she could behave in this manner on camera with a journalist, they should know what they are in for, if they dared to stop her. The policemen presumably fell for it. Why should they get their hands messy? They know from experience that eventually Papa Powerful of these brash youngsters will call and get them out of the mess in no time.

You may argue that why blame Delhi, the same can be expected in almost every Indian city. Don't the rich and powerful get away in every nook and corner of India? This is a country where such people thrive for they know that no harm can come to them. The same people mind their ways and are extremely careful when they travel abroad. In other countries where their Papa's writ and influence doesn't hold too much weight, would they dare to drink and drive, ram their vehicle into a parked truck and then argue and throw their weight around on camera? Absolutely not! It happens only in India.

The problem lies not only with them but more with the system that we are a part of. We have created and nurtured a system where the law exists only for the poor and the powerless. In the US, the President's daughter will be fined and detained if she committed any offence. In India, almost every rich, famous and powerful can get away, with the cops looking the other way. The political class has wished it that way.

Will things ever change? But if it does, Delhi will be one of the best places to live in.

I live in hope.