My first hand account:A tryst with the Kotkapura traffic police.
When it comes to the traffic police Kotkapura, It pats itself to play the judge and empowers itself to stop for checking and whom to let go.
No discreating between apparent violators floating traffic norms all the days.
I was driving on My TVS victor motorcycle today afternoon. As I always keep my documents complete and abide by the traffic rules, I do not try to bypass the Battian Wala chowak and as per my route, drive through it.
As I approached the Battian Wala chowak, which always has the traffic police to steer clear of the traffic, ASI Jasvir Singh signals me to stop.I stop my bike aside the road and ask him the reason.
“Sir, why have you stopped me alone while all the violators are driving through,” I ask.
He gets irritated and if I had not identified myself as a reporter, he may further go ahead to teach another violator to teach a lesson a lesson.
“Go and get your documents checked,” he authoritatively asked.
I enter the narrow trafic room built on the chowk.
ASI Gurtej Singh is busy with his phone as there was also some other disruptive party outside.
“Good afternoon Sir,I identify myself and ask him why I was stopped alone while I was wearing a Parna and even my government high security number plates were visible to all and apparent violations were driving through fearlessly. If you don't stop those violators, let me go.”
“Look, we can stop anyone. Here is not a Mandir(Temple) where we stop all and give Parshad. If you have your documents, show me. You have to show now,’ questioning the indifferent attitude of the traffic police to fail to stop the violators hurts his authority.
The violators, including the bikes without number plates, without helmets, Motorcycle driven rehris, overloaded vehicles, parking on the Jaitu road and Railway road by influentials paralysing the normal traffic all day is no issue for them though it is a major concern.
Even the thousands of modified vehicles and trollies of the loads of the woods ply in the town.
But insiders say that allegedly the monthly is there.
I get all my documents checked and traffic IN charge is busy in his phone. When he finds nothing wrong in my documents, RC, Insurance and Pollution certificate, after playing with the insurance papers for a while as if he would fine me finding something,, he pushes them away.
I hurriedly leave him and park my motorcycle completely along the side the of the road.
“what are you doing? Jasvir asks me irritated.
“Now let me make a video how the violators are being spared by you? I reply now mustering all my courage as I had always faced such incidents in my 13 years long career.
I start making video and Jasvir start calling me.
“Oye, edhar a, Now I don't bother the outcome of the incident. The fearless journalist within me wakes up.
“Go to him,” he says.
“No not at all. You can have my visiting card. I shall not go to your in-charge now. You can shut me inside your police station and I shall expose how you treat gentlemen and let go the violators,” I reply.
“No cards, you go in. We can stop anyone we like, you are not a judge on us,” Jasvir is outraged now.
I kick off my motorcycle and leave the place.
“Here he goes,” he shouts at me calling his boss.
But I wonder shall there be reverse migration where the common man is violator of the rules and the politicians and powerful people brake all the rules fearlessly without any questioning.
I pray to God to bless more the young generation to leave such a place where the laws and rules are only at the discretion of the police without any discretion and sense.
The lower ranks cops spoil and dent the image of the seniors of the police department who claim to modernize and sensitize the police.
In my personal opinion, young generation should try to migrate as much as possible to North American and European countries to try their luck where they can use their potential.
In the US, black lives matter shook the whole country, but in our country, trapping of the 41 laborers inside a tunnel is almost no news.
Sidhu Moosewala’s parents still dying death each day to get justice for their son, but justice, they say, is a remote thing.