THE QUEEN OF DELHI

I am 68 years old. I was not born in Delhi. I toddled across in to this city clutching the hand of my father who migrated to this metropolis in 1947 in search of bread and butter. Since then our family settled down in the city witness to ups and down of family and the city history. We did not make it to the golden pages of the city history as a family but our footprints can be seen at the memorial of unknown citizenry, if ever their will be one.We started calling our selves Delhiites. No one ever within the family or out side ever questioned our status and no one, except a few govt. offices ever asked us our birth places. We became and remain Dilli walas. In fact if you were to ask us about our roots unless we undertake a research project, we shall only refer to Delhi.
During the course of last sixty two years of independent India's history Delhi, the dusty, crawling city of traders and descendants of courtiers, changed its face without changing its soul. The traders still rule the roost, the courtiers have been replaced by Babus, Kotwali still exists for its name sake but the Kotwal has been replaced by a DCP, Ghantewala halwai's 6/7th generation is still doing brisk business, migrants keep pouring in the city in droves in search of livelihood and I protest at any social gathering their encroachment on my space in Delhi. I think it was always like this, the same play, the same dialogues with changing faces.
Delhi was always a capital city but now it has become a state,a half baked version of a state, which allows its callous babus and political bosses to take cover of ambiguity that defines the status of this city state.Having to bear the burden of the seat of Central Govt.the city tries to maintain a character of its own.A city of middle class people.
After the Chinese dragon's spew of fiery power and efficient administration during the last Olympic games in Beijing the political bosses of the country woke up with a huge mew of crying ally cat and decided to stake their claim as somebody. They hooked on to CW games started marketing it as an event next to Olympic only.which it might as well be.
Sheila Dixit became the chief minister of the state approx 12 years ago. In her third term now, her government along with powers at the center enjoyed each other's company for the last so many years till the CWG bug stuck them all. For two terms the governments at centre and Delhi kept dragging their feet for renewal of infrastructure in Delhi and now they want to gallop across the time gap and do in five years what they could have done in 12 years. This has resulted in compression of time and resources. They now have to produce the volume of capitol investment in 5 years what was otherwise required to be produced in 15 years. They have to earn the amount of money required in 5 years in order to be able to spend it now and they don't have it. Midway now centre too, struggling with paucity immediate money palmed off the burden on the state govt. to develop the infrastructure of the city. Sheila Dixit govt. has started dutifully palming of this burden on the people of Delhi.The taxes are being taken to new heights,the whole city is being dug up to create facilities for the games.The essentials of life are being made costlier without justifying the reason for opting for higher pricing. Sample this-
(a)The potable was made costlier for the citizens assuring them that after the price revision the shortage of water in the city will be part of forgotten past.
(b) The power tariffs were revised two years ago and now are being revised again. The citizen of Delhi went without power earlier for 3-4 hours, he still does.
(c) The transportation system of Delhi used creak it still does in spite of Metro. The middle class still avoids public transport because of its inefficiency and discomfort.
(d) The fuel cost revision has added fuel to fire. Delhi is perhaps the only city where attracts 20%vat on diesel.
Madam Sheila Dixit justifies all this with aplomb stating that Delhi people are earning more than required and need avenues to spend.She is perhaps comparing the earning of average citizen with her son and herself. They forget that the pay revision of a man in the street comes after 10 year sand the revised pay is given to him after 15 years by which time the hike in pay is neutralised and overtaken by the prices in the market which are artificially fueled by the same govt. The Delhi is perhaps on of the most costliest cities of the nation.
I have retired and I have a daughter who lives 40 km. away in a NCR satellite town. I invested my life time savings in a car with diesel engine to be able to maintain closer touch with her.Madame Dixit says I am earning too much and must give away every thing in order enjoy the security of living with the family. My grand daughter is two years old. I still watch helplessly when I see her squirming in extreme discomfort,when the power is suddenly switched off in the middle of hot Delhi afternoon/ humid night when the cooler in the room comes to grinding halt. I have been dreaming of having a/c in at least two rooms. Of course Madame does not have to bother about such alien issues.The queens can eat cakes when bread is not available.Over crowded metros station is three km. away from my abode. I spend more for reaching metro station than on ticket. I stand in the Metro for full one hour before I reach my destination. For madame it is a small price paid for living in Delhi.
Long live the Queen The subjects are dead