Something or nothing...!!!

Yes, I know, I have been out of scene for a very long time. Also a few of my friends have been insisting me in a complaining tone, to take to writing again. I too have missed writing my blogs and keeping you all updated with recent happenings at my end. It has infact been more than a year since I last wrote. I don't promise to be regular but can surely try to be a more frequent with my blogs. 

Something or nothing was the title that came to my mind when I went to watch India - Australia cricket match at Mohali on day 2. There were a couple of incidents that made me contemplate, that in India, you either are something or are absolutely nothing. If you happen to be something, life is a pleasant journey, with best of things, that life has to offer, but unfortunately if you happen to be on the other side of the fence, then, you have had it.

Going by the incidents, I am made to believe that we (me for sure!) fall on the wrong side of the net. It so happened that I along with my mother decided to watch the match, courtesy our office help, Prem who somehow managed two tickets for us. You would not find anything amusing until I would tell you that, I in the first place did not like the idea to go on free tickets. We Indians, are so used to free luxuries of life, that we would not even bother thinking purchasing things, no matter how small  they may be, because we can always get some "JUGAD" and yes, that's what I did being an Indian. Really shameful, but then... “Sab chalta hai yaar.”

And then, as we were about to enter the stadium, a police inspector yells at us from about 10 feet, which goes something like this, "Bibi eh purse andar nahi jaooga, eh bahar rakh ke aayo" it seemed ridiculous to me and I intervened, requesting and pleading with the middle aged officer to be considerate and told him we were ready for a thorough inspection of all articles in the purse. But, PP (Punjab Police)... "ki dassan main tohanu ohna baare"... and suddenly the inspector threateningly pointed towards me and said "oye, hun tu mainu dassenga ki karna aah, eh purse le jaa, te kite hor rakh ke aa" I felt bad and a tad humiliated and again requested him to kindly let the purse in, as our car was parked almost 1.5 kms away. But did he give in, please don't even expect so, instead he almost got out of his chair in again a very threatening manner, as if to hit me and yelled "tu chahe eh purse rakh aa, chahe samaan ithe hi sutt jaa, par purse andar nahi jaauga" and then a lot of ladies joined us to protest against this absurd law. May be the police officer was performing his duty to perfection, but was that serving/ helping us? May be not. Was he courteous enough, certainly not. Did it portray a benevolent image of the police? Forget it. Were there any instructions in newspapers beforehand detailing items that could be carried and those that cannot be carried into the stadium? Absolutely not. Was there a collection center for items that cannot be taken inside the stadium? Sorry, the answer again is a big NO.

Then, as we were forced to call it quits for the day, immediately after lunch, by the piercing heat, we noticed something unusual. We saw a turbaned Sikh, running after a teenaged boy in full fury, which he ultimately could not catch hold of. I thought that may be, the boy pick pocketed on him and was hence running for cover. I thought helping the sardar and chase the boy down. I went to the sardar and asked what has happened, to my dismay he pushed me away and asked me to mind my own business. Well done sardar ji.

And now, that "Milkha Singh" Sardar ji, was none other than a PP (Punjab Police) officer and was chasing down a black marketer of tickets. Not bad. But just then, I saw a village bumpkin being handcuffed by the sardar and being taken away. I stopped, enquired from the passer bys as my offer for help had already been turned down by the mighty sardar. And what I heard tore me into ruptures. The police could not catch the guy trying to black market the match tickets, but instead caught hold of the poor guy trying to purchase tickets. Ha ha ha. God save that poor guy from PP constable. You must be wondering, why I am laughing. Ok. Let me tell you. At the whole stadium, I could not find even a single stand for selling match tickets. Then what would you expect from people? To just hear the cheers of the stadium standing outside? Well, that's asking for just a bit too much.

So, these experiences made me wonder, that in India, either you have to be Something or you are absolutely Nothing!!!