By Manuwant Choudhary
India's Prime Minister may be a sardar but even innocent sardar's pay a bribe.
Like I saw a crowd of policemen and people on a highway and I inquired what the commotion was all about so the inspector told me that there had been an accident and this large container truck parked alongside was the accused in the FIR.
But I had seen the truck parked there since morning. It had not moved an inch.
So I told the inspector, "Kya paisa kamane nikle hain?" (Are you on your rounds to earn money?)
The inspector sheepishly promised, "Sir, thana paisa nahin lega." (Sir, the police station will not take money.)
The police wanted to move the truck and the truck driver protested because if he moved his truck the only evidence he had that he was not involved in the accident would be destroyed.
Since it had rained just after the accident and the underside of the truck was a dry spot meaning the truck was stationed there before the rains.
But the police forced himto move.
For a few days the police said they were investigating the matter.
Some 200 local people gave in writing that the truck was stationed since morning. But the DSP refused to believe them.
And round the clock a chowkidaar was posted to guard the truck.
Everyday I told the chowkidar as to why he worked for thieves.
The chowkidar would get onto his cycle and and rush to the police station to complain that a person said the police are thieves.
The local DSP argued that 200 witnesses were not enough evidence.
He wanted money.
A few mechanics acted like go-betweens, pretending to support the truck driver, but convincing him that it would be better that he pays the DSP rather than be dragged into the case.
Just then the owner of the truck sent a fax - a copy of the printout - of the satellite GPS system which was installed in the truck.
It gave minute by minute account of the trucks movement.
It had not moved at all on the day of the accident.
The DSP settled for Rs.1100 ! (Eleven hundred rupees)
I asked the truck driver why he paid when he was innocent.
He replied he had no choice as he would be harassed by the police on this route everytime.
I asked him whether he was aware a sardar was India's Prime Minister.
He said, Yes.
I asked, "And you still pay a bribe."
I told him not to pay a bribe.
Only then can this country become great (Mera Bharat Mahan !)
Forget Anna Hazare and Manmohan Singh and the Ramdev Baba's and their committees.
I am the Lokepal.
You can be a Lokepal too.
Lock-up the police stations and 50 per cent of corruption will stop.
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