(Audrey) India is a very status conscious country. People here are very particular about their titles, getting special privileges, and the like. Not that most other countries are any different. America is somewhat unique in at least gesturing at leveling the playing field. But India does go over the top with this status-thing a lot… way over the top actually. Take, for example, the VVIPs. First off, why wasn’t VIP good enough? I don’t know, but there’s way too many VVIPs here, i.e. very VERY important persons. This results in minor annoyances for the public all the time. Particularly in Delhi, with all its embassies and being the center of government, roads are often closed so that VVIPs can zip around without encountering the infamous traffic of the city. Wouldn’t want them to be delayed and thus perhaps actually prompted to build some new highways… oh no. Sometimes this also has more tragic results, such as a a few weeks ago when an area cordoned off for the prime minister of India caused an ambulance to be delayed and the guy being rushed to the hospital died.
But that was the prime minister of India—I support high level security for him. But what about when-er-less worthy VVIPs compromise security? Check out this sign at Calcutta’s airport, domestic terminal.
Okay, now can I ask: why are these people exempt from airport security??? Something about this is not translating in my American brain—you hold a high enough position in society and thus your bags needn’t go through metal detectors? And don’t you love the last entry. Most everybody else is a position, and then there’s Mr. Robart Vadra. His claim to fame—he married well. I think I’ll take a hard line on this one—marrying into the Gandhi-Nehru family should NOT mean that you get to board a plane with hundreds of other people without being checked for having weapons and explosives, period. Sorry Mr. Vadra.
And what happens when somebody breaks the rules and dares to check a VVIP? There’s a massive outcry by all other VVIPs, such as the frisking of the former president of India a few months ago by Continental Airlines. If VVIPs would put half the effort into running this country that they do into ensuring their own privileges, we all might be amazed to see the results.
I propose a new VVIP rule: If you’re rich enough to have your own plane, no airport security. Otherwise, get in line, put your bags on the little belt, and deal with a wand being waved over your body. The rest of us do all the time.
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Tags: airport, airport security, Calcutta, India, Robart Vadra, status, VIP, VVIP
November 15, 2009 at 5:06 pm |
The inclusion of Lt Govs & Govs amuses me b/c decades ago, a South Carolina Lt Gov walked out of the Statehouse and shot and killed someone in broad daylight with witnesses (and got away with it). Meaning, he had a gun inside the halls of government. And our current Governor (the infamous Mark Sanford) tried to board a commercial flight with a gun in his carry-on several years ago.
So I’m with you, Audrey. Real security, peoples.