'License' to Kill

Dear minister (Prime or otherwise) and bureaucrats,

Thanks for the speeches and promises as we celebrated yet another Independence day a few days back. You are the apostles of patriotism and I feel that we are lucky to have you as our guarding angels, people who keep our democracy close to their heart and ‘chest’.  

I am a layman with limited understanding of how the world works. Sometimes I feel I am lost in the abstract nature of circumstances that surround me. Mr Minister, I am not much of a man behind the wheels, however, just as you are aspirants of driving the country in a proper manner, I want to drive a slightly smaller object of comfort - my car. Unfortunately, I do not have a license to drive. Having applied for it almost a month back, someone in the office told me that the Passport papers are not submitted as yet. They demand me two grand to fix this up, for submission of papers that were given to them a month back. It is painful in itself that after 24 years of my existence I am not allowed to take the car on my own. I am assuming that these two thousand rupees are the processing charges , though some of my friends tried to misguide me into thinking that this money would goes to the personal pockets to a few. They say that just as no one could get a Passport made without paying Rs. 500 or 1000 to the officials, driving a car is but a dream if you so not pay what is demanded. But then, I am sure my friends know nothing and I choose to repose my trust in you, though it is strange that I could not find any information of this fees on the website (http://india.gov.in/howdo/howdoi.php?service=6).

As you choose to block my SMSes (a loss of  an amount worth the sms pack that 2 years later the CAG may accuse you for helping the mobile players gain some lakh crores in the garb of curbing rumour train), I wanted to raise this trivial issue on the blog, more because I wanted to tell you how active and concerned a citizen I am. I will contribute to the progress of my country by paying this processing charge. Just as you use the tax I pay for building ‘durable’ roads, ‘efficient’ healthcare, ‘universal’ public distribution systems and ‘affordable and quality’ education to all, I hope you use this money to a good effect.

Thanking you

Yours truly

Rahul