Red beacons on vehicles have become the sharpest symbols of status, clout and entitlement, reinforcing the divide between the common man and the political class.
The decision by the Union Cabinet to dispense with red beacons on cars of VIPs or dignitaries is a significant step in the right direction, and is in tune with public sentiment against VIP culture.
Red beacons on vehicles have become the sharpest symbols of status, clout and entitlement, reinforcing the divide between the common man and the political class. The timing of the PMO’s decision is also significant, coming in the wake of public outrage against Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad’s brazen assault on an Air India staffer.
Two years ago, when the Centre was firming up plans to prune the list of dignitaries allowed the use of red beacon cars, NDA ally Shiv Sena had insisted that Mayors of cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata should be included in the list of dignitaries allowed the privilege.
In a bustling city like Mumbai where time is at a premium, the common man on the move to work is forced to brace for traffic snarls each day. Preferential treatment to red beacon vehicles often compounds commuting woes.
Escort cars annoyingly shoo away vehicles to make way for the ones with red beacons. The move to do away with the red beacon on VIP vehicles will prove more effective if there is a similar directive against hooters or sirens used by them to clear a path.
The decision could also nix the use of red beacon cars by con men to perpetrate fraud. All political parties should embrace the move, as it reflects the changing times and the mood of the common citizen. The red beacon on a politician’s vehicle has become a much reviled symbol of the VIP culture that should be done away with.
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