Womania Cops

We in India are living in a police state. In Bihar the only jobs available under Nitish Kumar was the khaki uniform. In some districts there are more police personel than citizens. And many lady cops. Young and untrained but ready to take on their new role. Nitish of course claims women vote only for him. Recently, I visited a local police station and found just a woman cop at 11 am. She informed her male colleagues the other lady cops have gone on strike as they cannot come to office by 10 am. To which the male cops were rather sympathetic. "Haan, sarkar ko unke liye sochna chahiye. Wo 10 baje kaise aa sakteen hain. unhein khana banana hai, phir snaan karna hai, phir naasta karna hai, phir baal sukhana hai, aur scent bhee lagana hai, powder lipstick karke to 12 to baj hee jayega." Outside, in the male lock up a youth slept on the floor, perhaps a petty thief. In the women lockup there were no women, just cartons of alcohol - Seagram!

Why He Climbed His Roof

My car workshop owner is an Indian Muslim. So everytime I go to check on my cars progress he offers me a cup of sweet milk chai and we talk. About politics, Modi, and even the local politicians who line up to get their cars repaired. He specialises in engines particularly. From its roar he can sense what is wrong. He can fine tune it to a hum. Last evening he spoke about how his entire family had once packed their bags to leave for Pakistan. Even the train tickets had been purchased. On the morning they were to leave his grandfather got to know. He refused to leave. Instead he climbed the roof of his tiled house.