A memorable journey - part 1

Mr TTE, your powers and rule books can not intimidate me to raise my voice against exploitation and atrocities!!!

  I often narrate an event of my life "A memorable journey" in response to overwhelming queries from people, e.g.

"Are not Anna Hazaare or RamDev dis-serving democracy and law of the country through such agitations???" 

or

"Is it the Govt. who is oppressing democracy and twisting law/power/forces against truthful voices Or the awakened people who have stood up for the genuine cause?" 

Ignorant masses often gets intimidated and  confused in such issues and at such times of 'Pure GundaGardi by Authorities'.

A memorable journey by train

After Passing out from IIT Delhi in Dec 1997, I had joined my first job and perhaps it was the first or second Diwali  there. A few weeks before Diwali, I had booked a sleeper class berth. to Jaipur .Reservation was not confirmed it was waiting WL-15.  On the due date I reached on the station some 50 minutes before time because I had to check my reservation status before boarding  I rushed for the Reservation Chart Board but.....

Scene 1...No Charts on Display

To my surprise there was no chart displayed. I ran to the other and all the possible places of chart display and was disappointed every time. Rushed from one platform to the other  (as was told on repeated inquiries) but to no avail. Reservation chart for this train was simply not displayed anywhere!!! Tried to locate the concerned TTEs but none of Railway staff could tell there whereabouts. Tired, I thought usually there are individual coach lists on each coach. Again to our surprises there were no charts on the coaches as well. Either they were not displayed or safely torn out!!! All public was running madly for the same except for those who already had a confirmed seat!!!

Any one could understand the game plan. At such mad rush days of Diwali, passengers to people TTE ratio decreases and those on duty wish to hide all information and use this ignorance to fill their pockets. At last getting no avenue to know my reservation status, I got into a coach having some extra space in it's gallery where I could safely unfold my little holdall  on the floor and laid down with my head tied due to headache. Besides me there were plenty of people piling up in the same gallery. Train started...

 Scene 2...TTEs tyranny and exploitation of timid, self centered and short sighted public

After some time I noticed three TTEs roaming to and fro through the gallery with a load of people following them every time in the humble hope of getting a seat.  (later I came to know these were only TTEs in the train and all three were roaming in sync together to loot the public). People mostly from Status families were grinning after them greeting them with wide smiles bringing  their all teeth out of the mouth!!! And the response of the TTEs was rude to rudest, particularly of the one leading and who was also the youngest and the strongest of them. From their  conversation I could  decipher some of them had already paid them extra for the seats but were repeatedly told to wait or pay extra. I was seeing all this 'drama going on and brigade of three TTEs passing over and again from that gallery.

 Scene 3...TTE ruffles a labor traveler

In the train, there was a lot of labor class travelers as well who might be going to nearby stations (natives) on the eve of Diwali. General coaches which are usually limited to two or three in express trains were loaded and  these laborers  with general coach tickets were crowding the sleeper coaches as well. At a point of time there were around 12-15 laborers in and around our gallery. At the same time three TTEs passed from there. One of them noticed the gang laborers and said "tum log fir aagaye jaldi se yahan se dafa ho jaao (you came again...disappear soon from here!) ". meanwhile TTE in the middle, their leader looked down at those laborers and said "Ye aise nahin jaayenge..inhain maja chakhata hun...(they will not go like this let me see them...)" . Saying this he held the collor of one of those laborers and  drag him out of their herd and started beating!!!

Scene 4...A voice against tyranny and exploitation

At this juncture I lost my patience. I, the spectator of their whole drama  from the beginning - no charts., . disappearance and sudden appearance, their rudeness and loot...so on. But what pained me the most were humble and selfish passengers who were tolerating all in the hope of getting a favor in the form of a berth at last!!!
I roared Aye Mr. TTE you have no right  to touch or manhandle him? If he does not have requisite ticket you can charge him. In case he does not have money I can pay it out for him. So stop beating him!!

Scene 5...All wrath now turned on me!!!

At this he left the laborer and rushed towards me to teach me a lesson saying - "Ok let me teach you the rules and laws...Show me your ticket!!!" Me: Now you are asking for the ticket. Where were you when all the public was madly rushing to know their status? Why did not you hang out the Charts? Where are the individual coach charts???

They turned a deaf ear to all my queries shamelessly. Not only these concerns were meaningless for TTEs but  to the passengers as well. Passengers traveling with their families, kids wives were  more to focus  on berth rather than any justice. All the dozen of laborers fled from the scene as soon as I  got the attention of TTE. To the passengers who had already bribed I was just playing spoilsport.

TTE repeated - "show me your ticket.  I gave him my ticket and reading WL 15 on ticket he asked me to get down of the coach immediately, saying, as per the rule they could not allow me in the coach". I said this WL 15 was before many weeks. Unless I come to know my current status I will not get down whatever is your rule!!!

Scene 6...Soon our horns were locked in the moving train

They were not ready to tell me my status and repeatedly asking "Shall you leave the coach  or  we throw your luggage out f the train.  I repeated the same Unless you tell me my status.... I will not leave! More and more people gathered from the neighboring coaches for a glimpse of the entertainment. Full fight was just to crack. Out of clue-less, confused and silent passengers around, an old gentleman came forward  from the other coach appealing both of us to peacefully settle down. Though he appealed to both parties but I could see a soft corner for me in his peace appeal. He did not wish (then lean and thin ) me beaten up by three TTEs and then subsequently booked for breaking the rule to travel in the coach without requisite ticket!!! None listened to him and seeing both of us adamant the gentleman went back to his place.

But I would say his interruption worked its miracle. One of the TTEs (senior most of the three) turned his hidden list and replied your current status is Waiting 1 (God knows right or wrong because I had nothing to confirm  this status) and now you must leave the coach or we shall throw your luggage out of moving train. He also showed me the written rule of Railway - "Waiters  (People with unconfirmed reservation) are not allowed in the coach to travel".

But against all odds, I refused again to leave the coach and cited two reasons:

I know you are eager to know the end result but let's take it in part second..... and request you use this break to deeply reflect over:

• Essence of Laws, their limits and no truth and justice can be met unless they become the business of every citizen.

• Too much individuality and self centered thinking that most of the Indian parents feed their children with hinders in the development of the 'discretion power'. Thankful are those who have got training to think beyond stomach / career / spouses kids / friends or foes ! 

"This is my country, my land and the laws of the land are also mine. And Always without fail I would ensure that truth and the truth alone wins on my land"

/ a Striver