Off with beacons of power

Somesh Goyal

SOME are red-faced. Some see red. The harsh truth is that the red batti will be gul from the midnight of April30, 2017. In a landmark decision, the Narendra Modi government has this time demonetised the snob value of the VIPs by abolishing the use of beacons atop their cars. Detailed instructions are awaited. Since the British rule, netas and babus of all hues and shades have enjoyed this symbol of unquestionable authority. It automatically makes accessible a plethora of privileges and freebies, besides browbeating others on the road. It is natural for these people to be red-faced. A number of such beneficiaries will raise the bogey of security and the law-and- order situation in our country and the need for free passage during travel. They will present their case for the continuation of this shining beacon of authority, arrogance and privilege at the cost of the common man. 

In our feudal system, anybody in any position of authority has been identified with his car and the colour of batti on it. One is believed to have arrived socially, economically and politically if he gets a sarkari car with a lal batti. Nowhere in the world as elaborate instructions have been issued about the colour and type of beacon as in our beloved motherland. You have beacons of red, ember, blue and yellow colour and these come with or without a flasher! Incidentally, the ember beacon was born to circumvent an apex court order banning the use of red and blue beacons by so-called VIPs. A VIP with a red beacon with flasher is at a higher pedestal than the other VIPs flaunting blue or ember ones. The departmental notes, reasons offered for allowing the use of these beacons, and claims for these beacons by one and all are ridiculous, to say the least, and can be the theme of a comedy show. 

People in positions to decide such privileges have arrogated these shamelessly without assessing the functional requirement. Whosoever could frame rules for these battis has ensured that they got the most potent flashers in the brightest of the red.The worst is that the use of beacons does not stop with the VIP. It has been extended to the family and even the extended family of the VIP. Ours is perhaps amongst a handful of countries where anybody even without any official sanction can walk into a neighbourhood automobile shop and buy a beacon of his choice at a price. No questions are asked. This unreasonable and unjustified extension of the lal-batti culture and the inclusion of a large number of non-emergency services has rightly led to this outcry and strong public opinion against such flagrant misuse of privileges.

Beacons have been used traditionally by the emergency services like the police, fire services, ambulances and allied enforcement services. A crane deployed to remove debris after a natural or manmade disaster employs a beacon to keep people away from harm's way and to warn them about the situation. A police car chasing criminals is well within its right to use the red/blue beacon. An ambulance carrying a critical patient must announce itself by using the beacon. But why does a babu or a police officer, a judicial magistrate, a politician or any other government functionary need a beacon to go to workplace or to attend a social and private function? It will be good if the new set of rules on the subject limit the use of beacons only to emergency services. It is a bitter pill that India must swallow to grow as a mature society, safeguarding principles of equality and fairness. 

There is now a clamour to shed the beacons faster than the neighbour. Claims and counter-claims for initiating this positive move have already started flying thick and fast by political parties. The implementation may be easier in the central establishments and some states may take time to fall in line. A closer watch will have to be maintained on all those who are going to be dispossessed of their prized beacons. Rules can be bent, broken and twisted to please those who matter. If not the beacon, then it will be better is to get a police escort car with beacons! Yes, that is a possibility in our free country.

The writer is an IPS officer of the Himachal cadre