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The Underworld of Car Owners



The political leaders in Delhi are driving the cars of their citizens underground.  Civic Centre on Minto Road is an imposing tower complex that overlooks both Old and New Delhi.  It houses the Municipal Corporations of Delhi, both Old and New.  If you are an ordinary citizen, even if you are driving the costliest car you can afford, you will be asked to park your precious vehicle underground.  All overground parking space is meant for the politicians and their cronies.  Even SUVs bearing an inscription somewhere on or near its number plate claiming allegiance to some politician will get access to the overground parking space.  All the rest will go snaking down to the pit below.

In 1895, H G Wells wrote a novel titled The Time Machine in which the author imagined the future of the capitalist world as divided between the Eloi and the Morlocks, people overground and underground.  The Eloi were the capitalists whose vision was grant enough to send all industries and their working class underground.  Let labour and its polluting waste stay away underground.  The earth is meant for the lords. 

The earth was always meant for the lords.  Look back into history of any country, if you don’t believe me.  Leave out a few exceptions where some kind of socialism (oh, that obnoxious word) was practised.

History can only be repeated because the human species has reached the end of its imagination for putting an end to nauseating repetitions.   History can only be repeated because the human species is driven by the gene of greed primarily.  When history failed to repeat itself, it was when the gene of adventure dominated in some adventurer who wished to see or experience something new.  So Africa was discovered, for example.  And then followed the normal human gene labelling the continent “Dark”.   In the name of the light of progress and development, the continent was subjected to all kinds of plundering.  History repeated itself.

History will continue to repeat itself.  More and more people will be driven underground even without their realising it.  They think they are lucky to get parking space in a crowded city like Delhi, even if it is underground.  All normal human beings consider themselves “lucky” or “fortunate” or “blessed” (by Gods or godmen/godwomen or some spiritual entity) and accept their underworld existence as part of the fortune.  And the rulers continue to conquer the open spaces on the planet.  Conquer the outer spaces.  Conquer the heavens.  And gods are born.
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  1. Anand MaraladOctober 28, 2014 at 11:52 AM

    At least they are able to create levels,else the not so privileged would have to abandon owning cars (like in few countries of Europe) and the unfortunate ones will have to evacuate the city for those who are blessed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalOctober 28, 2014 at 1:01 PM

      That's precisely what I said: it's a blessing!

      Now, look at it another way. In a real democracy, first come first served should have been the policy instead of the hierarchy...

      Delete
  2. Gowthama RajaveluOctober 28, 2014 at 3:36 PM

    Everything is about status in India. And you have explained it with excellent yet simple example Tomichan. Good one!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalOctober 28, 2014 at 9:50 PM

      The quest for climbing the ladder of status has become a disease. Our leaders are only adding fuel to the fire.

      Delete

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