बिज़र्रे - विथ instalment

19. INNOVATIVE WAYS OF BAG LIFTERS

A lady Professor had gone for lunch with her friends to a posh hotel when a woman, in the garb of attending to her baby who was near the chair occupied by the Professor where the Professor’s bag was kept, bent down and walked away with the bag and child. Since the Prof. had no clue on where her bag had gone, she asked for the hotel’s CCTV footage. The Prof. said ‘ I had kept the bag under my chair. Two women alongwith a toddler were sitting behind us. In the CCTV footage I saw that the toddler came near my feet and one of the two women in the pretext of picking up the child, took away both the child and my bag also.’

My comments: In almost every walk of our lives we like and applaud innovation. It is innovation of electrical gadgets that have made our life easier and less tedious. Be it cell phone, TV. Air conditioner, car or aeroplane, it is innovation that has led to progress. But then why should we assume that innovation will be limited to pluses only. Thieves are also becoming innovative.

20. THIEF CAUGHT SLEEPING ON THE JOB

A stationary shop owner opened his shop to find that all the costly items were packed in cartons and cash was missing. Realising that a burglary had been attempted, he wondered why the thief had left without taking the booty, when he heard a sound from the rear of the shop and spotted the thief snoring under a cot, police officials said. The thief was woken up and was stunned to find the shopkeeper and the police surrounding him. Admitting that he had broken into the shop, he was, however, at a loss to explain how he fell asleep, police said.

My comments: It is not unusual for watchmen to sleep. That we take for granted. In the case of many a child, the movement in the early night when he opens the school book, he feels sleepy. There are many who are regular sleepers in the office. In the instant case, the thief after breaking into the shop and packing the stolen goods, would have been tired and thought of closing his eyes for a few minutes. But then his body needed longer rest and so the incident happened.


24: LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:

Recently this award was given to Machhli. Machhli is a tigress of 12 year age. She has given birth to nine cubs. She has given darshan to over 100 million people. And for all this, she has been given the life achievement award. Machhli was born in Ranthambore National Park. Julian Mathews, Chairman and Founder of the UK based non profit body Tour Operators for Tigers, on behalf of the Foundation while giving away the award stated ‘ Machhli was selected for the award on the basis of several factors. She has been spotted by over 100 million tourists. She has been captured on camera, allowing tens of millions more to watch her on television. And the revenue generated has greatly benefited the sanctuary.’

My comments: We human beings ( who should really be labeled as inhuman beings ) are always surprised to hear news like this. We think it is the prerogative of human beings to get awards. ‘ What can the tiger do with the award?’ that would be the comment. Some would sneer at the peccadilloes of the foreign guys. Our care, appreciation and recognition of animals never go beyond a line we have drawn up with this side the higher and glorious (!) human beings and on the other side the junglees. It is time that we change our attitudes.

25. GROOM AND RELATIVES THASHED FOR ASKING HIGHER DOWRY THAN SETTLED EARLIER

This happened in Haryana. The bride groom and his family had earlier agreed to a Maruti car as dowry from the side of the bride. This was agreed to as the bride’s father wanted his daughter to marry somebody educated and the groom was studying in Jamia Milia Islamia. Everything was fine and the nikaah was performed with all pomp and show. However, when the time came for ‘bidaai ‘ and bride’s father went to hand over the key of Maruti Alto to the bridegroom, the latter refused to take it. The Groom said that he would not accept anything less than a Scorpio and Rs. 15 lakh in cash.

Since this was going back on the understanding, a fact known to the villagers who were present at the nikaah, the bridegroom and his father were not only beaten black and blue by the villagers, but they also took 25 baraatis hostage and tonsured head of the groom and his father. Later in the night, a village panchayat was called and it pronounced the decision that the family of the groom would have to pay Rs. 8 lakh to the bride’s family, which according to the Panchayat was the money spent by the girl’s family since engagement, if the groom, his family and the baraatis wanted to get released. Left with no other option the groom’s family agreed to pay the money. Then they were released. The marriage was called off and the groom was forced to divorce his wife even before the ‘bidaai’ as he did not ‘ deserve her.’

Meanwhile, the police chose to keep away from the spot. A senior police officer defended the move saying that in cases like this, panchayat takes its own decision.

My comments: I applaud the action of the girl’s parents, the village folks and that of the Police. In many places in India, particularly in Kerala, this pernicious dowry system is vanishing. Yet in large parts of the country, mainly in rural areas, the custom is in tact. It is not that the parents of the girls happily give away dowry. They do it because it is the custom. Often they are forced to sell part of their land or give away part of their savings or borrow money, with the indebtedness making their subsequent living miserable. Yet individually parents of the girls cannot oppose the system, because that would result in the girls not getting married. Social workers have to take the initiative. Educated and employed boys and girls will have to stand up against the system. The Panchayat has to take the initiative, as in the instant case. But the Panchayat referred to in the instant case did not oppose payment of the dowry but only intervened when the groom’s parents showed their arm twisting methods to get more dowry than agreed to. And once such a movement starts, then there is no stopping.