Can savages ever be civilized?

Life is unpredictable, and more so when people around you are just baying for each others blood. We all have this pre-concieved notion that street fights and community battles are between 2 different communities. Ludicrous as it may sound, but all these barriers were broken today when Sikhs started fighting amongst themselves.

Result? 1 boy dead, trains stopped, buses attacked on, common man (as always) has to suffer and so on and so forth. Again, there will be an enquiry, some people will be arrested, then released on bail. Those folks will never attend a hearing again. The case will go on for another 20 years. Then one fine day, a fire will break out in the room where all the case papers are kept and wooof, everything is smoke!!!!

Am I Bejan Daruwala, to have predicted all this. NO, I am an Indian!!! I know how the system works. I've seen it, like many of you, I have had at some point interacted with the system, and may I dare say, it is sickening.

I know quite a few of my friends, who question me. Why do I bash my country so much? Well, to all those folks out there, here is a humble confession. There have been thousands of petty reasons, which have accrued and had this ever lasting impact on me. But there are 2 distinct, disturbing incidents that have changed me forever.

The first one was when I was on a trip back from Goa somewhere in 2005. Heading to Bombay, the bus stopped for a dinner break some small place about 20 KMs from Ratnagiri. It was 10 PM or so when the bus took the scheduled halt. I did not eat much, just took a packet of peppy i remember. All folks boarded the bus and we were ready to leave. As per my estimate, we were going to touch base at 6:30 AM. So it was a quick nap and then home. Just as the bus moved, we heard a 'boom'. At first, like others even I thought it was a flat tyre. I cursed my luck that we would be later by another hour or so. Then i looked out from my window and seen that a huge guy, about 6'4 feet, well built, dark in colour (whom i will henceforth call GOON) got his hands on our driver and pulled him out. He kicked him mercilessly, until a crowd gathered and pulled the driver out. The driver was bleeding. Soon, I seen a gun in his hand. Just a reminder here, this is not a fake story or some mythological flashback, this is reality TV. He pointed the gun at the driver and cleaner and taunted them to come forward. A woman, who seemed like the goons wife, came toward the goon and pulled him away.

Soon, the picture was clear. As we were about to leave, this goon, who was travelling in a white maruti 800 also was leaving. He seen that he had a bump on his car. He did not know who did it, but as our bus was leaving, he assumed our driver was the culprit and decided to take action. And you may ask Action = ?

Yes, my friend. Action = Take a gun. Aim. Shoot.

He did that, the bullet had entered the bus, grazed our drivers lip and lie near the enterance of the bus. Suddenly I felt, is this bihar or what? So there we were, 11:15 PM, bus has stopped, people shocked. The worst part was yet to come.

I will write more tomorrow, but believe me, you are not going to freaking imagine what happened next...

Till then, be safe and God bless...