MEMO FROM NARA

VIP... VVIP... Very Important Person... Very Very Important Person... Often we hear these words in our daily life. These classes of people are very special, not like common people. They enjoy special treatments such as securities around them. These people are in large numbers in India as compared to other countries of the world. Recent statistics showed that Britain has a total of 84 VIPs, France has 109, Japan 125, Germany 142, Australia 205, USA 252, Russia 312 and China 435 only. At the same time if we look at India, the figure is  5,79,092! Thus we are unique in the Universe.

All public personalities belong to the categories of VIPs and VVIPs. President of India, Prime Minister, Ministers, Members of Parliament, Speaker of Parliament, Chief Justice, Celebrities, District level officials are VIPs and VVIPs. Everyone enjoys the comfortable life with securities offered by the government. They are the privileged class of people occupying high offices. They live a secret life and no one knows about their secrecy in life!

Most of these VIPs and VVIPs travel in executive class of aeroplanes, accompanied by a set of subordinates to assist them. The assistance may vary from helping their work and also physical wellbeing. Whatever these persons utter is taken as God’s words. In fact, they used to order things. Some of them consider their associates as slaves and treat them badly. However, everyone is expected to respect these persons. Intelligent or not, VIPs and VVIPs project themselves as the superior beings in human society.

Being an Indian I feel proud that India has the maximum number of VIPs and VVIPs. But at the same time, I feel ashamed to see the behaviour of these persons. In the finer analysis, I wish to ask a silly question: who is not important in a country? I think everyone born on Earth is as important as anyone else. Then, why is this difference?

Every one of us carries out our duty to work for the improvement of our society. The duty may vary according to the work one undertakes. Even a corporation worker who clears the trash bin is doing a great service to the Nation for keeping it clean. Similarly a primary school teacher who teaches hundreds of children and makes them literate is a VIP. But we consider only a certain class of people as VIPs and VVIPs. Someone said: “Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone.”