Wednesday 22 January 2014

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 269



Khaas aadmi wants Modi
22.01.14


On Sunday I had given my driver an off and on my way home after visiting my sister in Sion hopped into an auto-ricksahaw. The driver requested to take a different route because some MLA was holding a rally on the highway. “Why are our politicians so foolish, why don’t they think about people who need to drive to the hospital or airport? After all highways are for traffic not for morchas!” At the traffic signal, the driver  wiped his face with a napkin and said he drove from 8am to 8pm and with great difficulty earned rupees 1,000 a day and was still not able to afford a decent meal because of the prices. “And these politicians are embroiled in so many scandals and cheat on not lakhs but crores of our money, is this fair? I have decided I will never trust Congress again. We gave them 60 years and they give us corruption, price rise and potholes.”
He is upset and it reflects in his distracted driving, says, “It is a long time I have eaten a full meal and I’m driving all day on these rocky roads that is not fit for any vehicles. Last month I was in Gujarat. Narendra Modi has done a terrific job of the roads and development in the state. I attended his rally when he was in Mumbai and have decided to vote for him. He is a leader and if he is in power I’m confident I will get my meal and my country is in safe hands, what do you feel madam?”
I said what about AAP don’t you trust the new and young CM in Delhi? “No way madam, they are too kachha as yet and don’t know the ropes to rule the country. They have a lot of josh but they lack maturity. I would not vote Aam Aadmi and I would certainly not vote Rahul Gandhi.”
And what if BJP does not come into power, what if Modi is defeated by Rahul or Kejriwal?
Aisa kaise ho sakta hai madam, vote toh hum karenge na, aur hum Modi ko jeeta kar layenge?
I have reached home and searching for my wallet to pay him. The driver turns to me and says “madam aap ne toh bataya nahi aap kis ko vote denge?’ I smiled and remained non committal. He said, “Ye hi toh problem hain – aap logo decision nahi le paate – roz roz news dekhkar irada badalte ho. Desh ko bigadne mein aap logon ka bhi haath hain. Magar hum logon ka irada pakka hain – Modi ko jaan denge aur desh badlenge!”
Bhawana Somaaya/@bhawanasomaaya

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