Car with Beacon and Government logo of Pune IT Commissioner - Police not impressed
The status of a Government officer is made known to the public through a red beacon atop his car and the Government's logo. Babus were prepared to travel in rickety old Ambassador cars as long as the cars had the beacon - the symbol of the might of the SARKAR.
Recently the Government had allowed the babus to hire private vehicles for their official purposes. They have hired fancy jumbo cars but they can't let go of the beacon and the logo. Many of these private hired cars proudly sport these beacons and government logos. We recently asked a Customs Commissioner why his hired limo sports the beacon and logo - he told us that the taxi fellow have them to avoid police harassment.
But the Pune Police was not impressed. It seems yesterday they stopped a private vehicle carrying the Income Tax Commissioner and fined the driver Rs. 100/- for carrying the beacon and the logo.
This is a country where pomp and power are respected. Incidentally the Prime Minister of India still travels in an ambassador car - after all he need not show off.