Indian Politicians defies common sense
It is not an unknown fact that for politicians nothing is more important than getting votes and stay in power. Perhaps that is why some of them defy common sense to please a particular section of the society.
Chandigarh is one of the strictest cities in India when it comes to traffic regulations. This city had seat belts compulsory before they were made so in Delhi by the Supreme Court. And this is only few of the cities which have made helmets compulsory for all two wheel riders (pillion included). Though the law is supposed to be enforced in the whole of India, there are few places where it actually is… Even Mumbai had no such enforcement when I visited there last year!
Here comes the problem. Chandigarh being the capital of Punjab (in addition to being a Union Territory and capital of Haryana) has a large population of Sikh people whose religious principles does not allow Sikh women to wear any kind of head gear. Now comes the dilemma, helmets can be a life saver in case of an accident. But people being people ignore the safety fact and protest against this rule. And sensing the public feeling, the local area’s newly elected MP got into the controversy by publicly expressing his dislike for the enforcement of the law on Sikh women. Now, the problem arises that people read the MPs statement in national newspapers and does not wear the helmets causing problems with the traffic police guys. Now, a MP has nothing to do with the enforcement which is following a law passed by the parliament. Still, he got into it to gain public support and ended up being an ass.
Indian Express published an interview today in which they ask him the logic behind his outburst. The answers included the regular religious sentiment stuff and also this incredible observation:
… Helmets look improper on women. Imagine a woman going to a wedding function wearing a helmet. It will spoil her hair.
And what about men? Why they should get their hair spoiled!
Certainly, men should wear helmets. … It is a useful thing. …
I am left speechless.
September 14th, 2005 at 04:10 pm
I AM IN FAVOUR OF MAKING HELMETS COMPLUSORY FOR MOTORCYCLE RIDERS. BUT IT SHOULD BE DONE IN A DIFFERENT WAY. INSTEAD OF STATE GOVERNMENTS MAKING IT COMPULSORY, IT SHOULD BE DONE AT THE CENTRAL GOVENRMENT LEVEL. THEY SHOULD DIVIDE THE INDIAN CITIES IN TERMS VEHICULAR POPULATION AND MAKE IT STRICTLY MANDATORY IN A PHASED MANNER ALL OVER INDIA. ABOVE ALL, I HAVE FOUND THAT EVEN ISI MARKED HELMETS ARE NOT UP TO THE MARK. INSTEAD OF BIS(THE ISI MARK ALLOTMENT AUTHORITY) NGOs SHOULD PICK UP THE ISI SAMPLES FROM MARKET AND GET THE TEST DONE AT INDEPENDENT LABS. WE SHOULD TAKE THE MATTERVERY SERIOUSLY.