MY PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE FROM GOLD CHAIN SNATCHERS

Snatching of gold chains is a common feature  in all places irrespective of whether  it is a city or a village.  The general practice followed by the chain snatchers is to travel either in the bikes or such vehicles, snatch the chain and escape. Snatching gold chains of bus passengers by cutting is also common.

Recently, I had an experience of  chain snatching.  One day   I was waiting at the bus stand for going to my office. Then  one bus came which was almost jam-packed. Even though I was reluctant to board it, one man well dressed and  seemed to me a gentleman from the appearance, called me from inside the bus telling that there is enough space in the bus.  On his insistence I boarded the bus and started travelling by standing.  He was in his late fifties who was soft-spoken and looked an amiable person.  As soon as I got inside the bus he has engaged me  in constant talk about things irrelevant to the context.   I tried to go to the backside of the bus he  did not allow me to proceed to the backside telling there was no space there.  After 5-6 minutes of my boarding, another  person seated near to me immediately got up and tried to disembark the bus from my right side when he could have done so from my left side very easily.  In the process he deliberately pressed me hard as if he is freeing himself from the  rush.  In the melee I got little perplexed and shouted at him why he cannot disembark from my left side .  In the meantime, that  ‘gentleman’ who has invited to the bus put his sweater over my head covering my face fully pretending to be accidental.  Thereupon I raised my voice and shouted at him,  as to what are they upto?  Then it struck me that the artificial rush and covering my head  with the sweater are all part of a well hatched plan to snatch my gold chain.  

 I became conscious of what is in the store for me and tried to regain my mental composure and searched for the gold chain shouting  at the high pitch of my voice to allow me to stand properly.  Meanwhile that person who got up and pressed me hard  jumped from the bus. My shouting made the other  ‘gentleman’ panic as he became  suspicious  that I have realized their game plan of snatching the chain. He told me not to get tense and made me to sit on a seat by making another person to stand.  Immediately thereafter he also got out of the bus.  Then I searched for the chain and found that it is there.  However, when I pulled the chain it came out and to my utter disbelief I found that it is cut into two.  All these things took place in 10-15 minutes.

What I presume is since I have become self-conscious about what is going to happen and regained my mental concentration and composure,  I did not lose the gold chain which was valued approximately Rs.52,000/-?.  Possibly the person who pressed me hard while getting out of the bus must have cut the chain and it must have been the responsibility of the  other ‘gentleman’ to remove the same which could not be put into practice.   I still do not know how I was able to regain my mental composure and concentration at that juncture. It was nothing but sheer luck.

AN INEXPLAINABLE AND UNFORGETTABLE EVENT IN MY LIFE

It is common knowledge that many an incident that cannot be explained happen in one’s life.  Some of these incidents are interpreted as quite accidental or as ‘God’s will’ in accordance with the belief of those concerned.  One such kind of experience which I had a few years ago comes to my mind now.

I stay at Bangalore for the past several years.  A few years back, accompanied by my wife I was waiting for a bus at the bus stand. Then a Keralite who was in his early forties who looked fragile, accosted me and told me that he had come all the way from Kerala for painting work but had to get admitted to hospital as he was suffering from viral fever.  He further told me that he did not take proper food for many days and requested me to give him Rs.250/- to buy return ticket to Kerala. I felt what he has told me is true and much against the wish of my wife,  gave Rs.250/- to him. On getting the money he expressed thanks and before leaving told me ‘Sir for this kind help God will reward you’.

After one month or so, my boss gave 10 Dividend Warrants of two companies which were in the names of himself, father, brother and 2 sisters and told me that the share certificates concerning the shares which were worth many lakhs of rupees got misplaced and if I can arrange to get duplicate share certificates he will reward me suitably.  Knowing him as I do, I thought that he may give me only meagre amount as reward  and I told him that I do not want any reward and as part of my job I will get duplicate share certificates.  Thereupon I had initiated action for issuance of duplicate share certificates and in one month’s time got the share certificates issued.  However, to my utter dismay and disbelief, my boss had given me a cheque for Rs.10,000/= as reward belying my expectation.

Even though this had no direct connection with the incident involving the Keralite worker whom I had paid Rs.250/- in the previous month, when I received the cheque for Rs.10,000/- as reward from my boss, the words uttered by the Kerala worker that ‘Sir for this kind help God will reward you’  were ringing in my ears. These incidents that took place one after another remain as an in-explainable and unforgettable  experience in my life.

CHEATING IN THE GUISE OF FRIENDSHIP

Every human being has to confront certain shocking experiences in his or her life. Some of these will happen unexpectedly that too in unthinkable manner.  Moreover, it will be too late before these come to light.  Naturally, in certain cases by that time one will be left with no remedy to repair the damage caused.

An incident of cheating in the guise of friendship on above  lines concerning me that had happened is cited here.  It had happened as far back as during the 70s when I was working in New Delhi. After marriage I used to go to the locality where I led my  bachelor life for meeting my family friends etc.  During such a visit to a family we happened to get acquainted with another family consisting of husband, wife and a male child.  They have invited us to their residence which we visited the following Sunday.   We reciprocated their gesture and gradually the friendship between two families blossomed into a close one.  Going to see films, on  picnic etc., were a frequent affair.  Two years have gone by like this.  Meanwhile those family friends through whom we got acquainted with the new family cautioned us on several occasions that  we should not take it for granted that our friendship with the latter will remain intact.  According to them prior to our becoming friends with the new family friends the latter was very close to them and it was only after we became their friends they have abandoned them. Initially we did not take their advice seriously; however, with passage of time we felt from their behavior that what was told by our old friends is true  Whenever we visited them, they started avoiding us on some pretext or the other culminating into cutting off relations with them.  Later on I learnt that the said ‘friend’ has left for Gulf.

When we were having cordial relations I had got passport for the husband ‘friend’ in the said family by getting application signed by my boss. On obtaining passport for himself  that ‘friend’ got passport applications signed for 2-3 more of his colleagues through me who were known to me. This included a Keralite who had left for some Gulf country on obtaining passport.  

After elapsing of one year or so, I came to know that the Keralite for whom my ‘friend’ got passport application signed through me, had come on leave and gone back.  This acquaintance who told me about it further informed me that that Keralite was very angry about me and told him that my ‘friend’ had told him that I wanted Rs.100/- for signing passport application which he had given to my ‘friend’ for being given to me.  To say the least, this revelation came to me as a rude shock for I never dreamt that the so-called ‘friend’ can stoop so low to commit such a mean act.

I have a gut feeling that that the  ‘so-called friend’ must have collected money from the other  2-3 people also. My efforts at tracing them proved futile as they had left the organization where they worked and their whereabouts were not known.  The thought that like the Keralite who had obtained passport through me, they must also be nurturing the notion that I have taken money for the same continues to haunt me even today.  The cheating by the ‘so-called friend’ still pains me  which remains fresh in my memory

THE CULTURE OF CORRUPTION

Nowadays I am residing in Bangalore.  In Karnataka corruption and bribery are ruling the roost and is more conspicuous in every department. To elaborate, I had bitter experience of the same last year when   I had to go to the office of Bangalore Bruhat Mahanagar Palike at Bangalore for remitting  property tax of my son’s flat .  In fact the tax for last 2 years was in arrears and totally 3 years’ tax was to be paid .  I was asked to present receipts of payments made for the previous 3 years by the  Clerk of the concerned Section.  As I had not got receipts for 2 years I have requested him to get the same  from computer records, which he refused to do. I was in a quandary and was helpless.  Finally that clerk called me alone and asked me whether I can do some ‘adjustment’ so that he can help me out and  demanded a bribe of Rs.3,000/-.  Further he informed me that I will have to pay double the amount as tax since the flat is given on rent.  He was ready for ‘adjustment’ for this also provided I agree to pay Rs.6,000/- for the same. Anticipating  that I will accept the offer, he has searched  out the record next day and accepted the tax arrears payment.  Later on, after ensuring  that he is absent  from the office,  a couple of days later I went and collected the receipts and evaded payment of bribery.  

This is the state of affairs prevailing in departments like BBMP in Karnataka. I was told that what I experienced at the office of Bangalore Bruhat Mahanagar Palike was only tip of an icreberg and  offices of almost all Government departments in Karnataka are knee-deep in corruption and without giving bribe you cannot get any work done  in any of them.

This brings to my mind the memories of working under environment of corruption and bribery in Hindustan Newsprint Ltd., Kerala.  That is to say, like anybody else, it was my long-cherished desire to get a job in my native state. While I was working in Delhi, I had made some attempts towards that direction but to no avail.  On getting married in  1974, my wife has started pressurizing me to seek an employment in Kerala. As ill luck would have it, I was able to get an opportunity to apply in that company in 1981 only. Then some  local leader of Congress Party (which was in power both at the centre and State at that time)has approached my father-in-law and asked him to pay a certain amount  for getting the appointment order and he made the payment.  Subsequently, I joined Hindustan Newsprint Ltd., during  September,1981.

On joining  I was posted with the Personnel Manager of the organization.   During that period, the recruitment of  workers was going on  in full  swing. I could smell the corruption prevailing in recruitments and  also realized the game plan being implemented by the authorities.  The modus operandi was as follows. They used to leak out the list of selected persons once the interview was over to a particular union owing allegiance to the party that ruled both State and Centre.  This union,  in turn used to send their emissaries  to those selectees and make them believe that though they have applied for a job, it is not certain that they will be appointed and if an amount is given as bribe they can get them appointed in the company.  In this manner they have  made many selectees  to pay an amount as advance on the assurance   that the remainder shall be paid on getting appointment letter and  many such deals were struck. Then it struck me that my father-in-law also fell a prey to such a plan by paying bribe for my employment. 

While I was in Personnel Department, I had access to recruitment file concerning Stenographer and  to my utter disbelief I could find that my name ranked first in the list of selectees and for that my father-in-law was duped to pay bribe to the local leader of Congress Party.

Many people used to pester me with offer of bribe as I was attached to Personnel Department and it has become a mental disturbance and embarrassment for me.  I recollect that some of my friends had then branded me as a person who has not learned to live as  in their view I should have taken advantage of the situation by reaching an understanding with the authorities thereby amassing  as much wealth as possible.  Finally  I got  myself transferred elsewhere and escaped from the suffocating environment. 

HEALTH CARE A MERE BUSINESS FOR PRIVATE HOSPITALS ?

We are having plenty of private hospitals and authorities of these hospitals proudly boast  that they are well-equipped at diagonising accurately and  providing effective  treatment for any disease. There is a general belief amongst the people that while Government hospitals including medical colleges are fraught with corruption and hence common man cannot get proper treatment without paying bribe, making the role of private hospitals vital in the field of treatment. Incidentally, falling prey to such a belief, even those sections of people who are backward and who cannot afford to get treatment from these hospitals also are forced to seek treatment  from them incurring heavy expenditure. Whether the theory that the people are able to get effective and proper treatment in private hospitals is borne out of facts or is it a myth?  This doubt arises in view of the experiences of many people who have undergone treatment at various  private hospitals.  Let us examine this in the following paragraphs.

Five years back one of my wife’s close relations  had developed some serious uneasiness and fatigue and sought medical help from Amrutha hospital, Ernakulam.  In the process of the treatment, she had to undergo different medical examinations/tests etc., and finally the doctor has diagnosed it as a case of diabetes and she was advised to follow treatment for the same. Needless to state,   In accordance with the   doctor’s advice she  has been taking medicines for diabetes for the last 5 years.  Nevertheless, as ill luck would have it, a fortnight back that person has developed severe uneasiness and fatigue and was about to collapse upon which she was admitted to Lake Shore Hospital, Ernakulam.  To the utter dismay and disbelief of the said patient and relations, when she has undergone medical tests in the said hospital, she was found to be having 4 blocks in the artery, one being a big one that had developed 5 years ago when she had undergone treatment at Amrutha Hospital, Ernakulam .  Subsequently, she has undergone angioplasty for removal of the 3 blocks and viewing the condition of her health the doctors has opined that  the big block cannot be removed  alongwith others.  Accordingly, she had to remain  in the ICU for 4-5 days and was discharged with the advice that she had to take rest for one year.  Nevertheless, unfortunately after 3 days of her discharge from Lake Shore Hospital, she had suffered  heart attack leading to  her hospitalization at Lake Shore Hospital and even before the doctors could do anything she has breathed her last.   Who is responsible for her unfortunate death?  It goes without saying that had the doctors at Amrutha Hospital properly diagnosed her complications and found out the correct disease she could have taken proper treatment by doing  angioplasty in time for the block that had developed and it would not have resulted in such an unfortunate situation wherein the 1^st block has become big followed by  development of other 3 blocks.  To say the least, this is a reflection on the functioning of Amrutha Hospital and speak volumes of  poor diagnosis standard prevalent in that hospital.

I also know of the experience of a friend of mine   had with PVS Hospital, Ernakulam.  That is to say, he was experiencing stomach ache was admitted to that hospital who was diagnosed by them to be having irritable bowels syndrome Consequently, he  was pursuing treatment for the same.  However, after elapsing of many years it turned out  to be different case, giving a lie to the diagnosis made by the doctors at PVS Hospital.  I am sure that with this the list of such instances will not be exhaustive.

Last but not the least, some doctor at a Medical College had once told me about the incidence of  patients who had undergone treatment in different private hospitals and were not diagnosed properly are getting admitted to Medical College in a complicated condition. Undoubtedly, it  makes a sad commentary on the performance of the private hospitals.

DR.SUKUMAR AZHEEKKODE'S BAPTISM TO LEFTIST IDEOLOGY?

Dr.Sukumar Azheekkode, who was  the most renowned pillar in the literary and cultural world of Kerala has passed away.  He had made  his mark in our social fabric as a writer, orator, critic, Gandhian and researcher so on so forth.  He had fought tooth and nail  the  injustices and evils prevailing in our society.  He was short-tempered in nature and was never afraid of calling a spade a spade. Whereas in his youth days  he was  a Congressman, when he was convinced that Congress Party has deviated from the declared aims and objectives for which it was formed, he has become its critic and expressed his stand openly.  Interestingly, even  then he has not become a follower of leftist ideology and continued as a Congress follower.

Then what are the circumstances that led to a person like him who was an out and out anti-communist  in becoming a staunch follower of communist ideology?   If I remember correct, the circumstances leading to his becoming a staunch follower of leftist ideology was very well narrated in one of his articles written under the regular feature titled ‘Marayillathe’ in  ‘Deshabhimani Daily’ sometime back. He had mentioned in the said article that when Babri Mazjid was demolished by Hindu fundamentalists, he had taken a tough stand against them and written many articles, thus becoming  a thorn in their flesh. Needless to state, this  finally resulted in receipt of  threats to his life from these fundamentalists.  He had further mentioned that being a Congress follower at that juncture, he should have received the support from that party.  Intriguingly, Congress Party had turned a deaf ear to such threats against his life and it was only the Communists which had come to his rescue by offering him security and protection from Hindu fundamentalists which paved the way for his abandoning  whatever affinity was  left for Congress Party and its ideology and becoming a staunch follower of leftist ideology which stand he maintained till he breathed his last.

DISTORTION OF NEWS -- MALAYALA MANORAMA AND MATHRUBHOOMI STYLE

A couple of months ago a report that has appeared in leading Malayalam dailies like Malayala Manorama and Mathrubhoomi  had some such caption which read as  “Pocket picked during travel in KSRTC bus and pick pocket dies in ensuing clash’.  It was reported that a person named Raghu was killed in a clash following picking the pocket of Gun Man of Congress leader and Lok Sabha M.P. K.Sudhakaran and the money that was picked was recovered from the former.  One who read the news item would have taken it on the face value and  believed that Raghu was a pick pocket who had picked the pocket of Gun Man of K.Sudhakaran.  Hardly a couple of newspapers like Deshabhimani only published the true report. The following day these papers had to retrace their steps and  report the truth that he was not a pick pocket as alleged in the report the previous day and he came to Perumbavoor on transfer to work in a private company and the money recovered from his possession was borrowed from his friend for being given as advance rent for hiring a house.  Nevertheless, they  did not think it prudent  either to apologise or to express regret for causing humiliation to the deceased and his relations including wife by their wrong  reporting, in  total disregard of mental agony and insult that had undergone by the latter  owing to  their wrong reporting.  This is the real Dharma of these newspapers.

This is not the first time that the said dailies have published wrong or distorted reports. On several occasions in the past they had resorted to distorted or wrong reporting about various issues and incidents. I remember  that some years ago Malayalam Manorama had published a report on the illicit relations between a girl in a village in Ernakulam District and some anti social elements..  However, while publishing the photograph of the girl involved they had wrongly published the photograph of another  girl in the vicinity and that innocent girl had to bear the brunt of insults and ignominy from the public.  Needless to state, this  finally culminated in the suicide of that girl and her mother for no fault of theirs..  Intriguingly, even in that case also Malayala Manorama had neither  apologized to her and family well in time about published her photograph wrongly nor have given correction of the news  which would have certainly saved their valuable lives.

Similarly. few  years back, Kochi Edition of Mathrubhoomi  Daily had published a news in the death column giving photograph of an old man known to me who hailed from Ernakulam District with correct name and address saying that he had expired while he was still very much alive.  Neither had they published any correction nor have apologized for ‘killing the person’ who was still alive inspite of the fact that his relations had protested against the wrong report and drawn the attention of the paper to the fact that he is alive.

Last but not the least, when I had referred the publishing of such wrong news item about Raghu who was killed by the Gun Man of K.Sudhakaran, M.P., to the special correspondent of Malayala Manorama stationed at Bangalore he has justified such reporting  on the analogy that in such cases invariably they take the version  given by the police for granted, implying thereby that they do not bother to investigate about the veracity of the report  and publish the truth.  Without mincing any words it can be asserted that such a stand of Malayala Manorama makes a mockery of Newspaper Dharma and their duty to the society specially so when gloat eloquently about their glorious traditions who has mentioned their motto below the editorial column as ‘Satyameva Jayathe’.