life in a metro

We have a government but no governance

We have a system that has long stopped functioning

We have a police but no policing

A judiciary that delivers injustice

The thread can never end

We are living in an insensitive society where self outweighs all mass. The sphere of influence shrinks not in centimeters but inches. Insecurity is a common feeling amongst all human beings and the irony is that humans have laid the foundation to this stony wall which segregates human beings into rich poor, oppressed privileged, and haves and have-nots.

Few days ago, while commuting in a dtc bus, I experienced this insecurity. A fellow passenger was being roughened up by the conductor for whom indecency was his greatest asset. The abusive words need no mention and the situation was nearing physical abuse. But none of the passengers cared to interfere. In fact no one even looked at them, fearing they would get inflicted.

I was sitting by the side of the window and kept glaring outside acting aloof. The bus was packed with no space left to breathe; the passengers were forced to face the wrath of commuting. Even this didn’t stop the conductor from allowing more passengers to board the bus. With no space left to accommodate them the conductor called people to provide some leg space, to which one of the passengers denied and that led to the episode. The hero had to pay for his heroic instincts and we got awarded for our cowardice. I felt secure and safely seated in the bus as I saw the conductor pushing that roadie on to the road.

In a similar way, everyday people unaccountable face ruffians, and the onlookers (indifference arising out of fear) keep silent.

To all such onlookers I leave here, with this message,

“Next turn is yours”.