How WE brought down a Corrupt Politician -Part 1

To start off,all the incidents in the blog are true.I am writing this to share some of the experiences which we as Common Men and Women had to go through a to bring down a politically powerful Corporator and put his career in shambles.All the incidents happened over almost 4 years but i will try to shorten it so that there is no reader fatigue.

So lets get started then,I am a resident of Sanjaynagar which comes under Ward No 100 in BBMP.Ok so lets take you 7 years back.

There was a huge barren land in front of home which was mostly used as a play area by some local urchins.Though Sanjaynagar is a fairly upmarket area,there is an area called Geddalahalli which houses mostly thugs and jobless people.However these people were not holding any sway over the Sanjaynagar residents.The barren land was starting to get occupied by slum dwellers and this was creating huge hygiene and safety issues for all of us.It was tough to leave our homes unguarded,and infact there were many thefts which happened during this time.

This was also the time when the Corporator elections for the erstwhile BMP (Bangalore Mahanagar Palike) were held and enter the messiah for all of us Mr M.Venkatesh of the Janata Dal Secular.He took up this barren land and converted it into a park but kept a portion of it which was towards the residents houses and retained it as a playing area.He basically concretized that portion.We hadnt realised his true designs then but we dint know he was a beast either.

The very same Geddalahalli thugs who until then had no voice of their own suddenly found one in Venkatesh.Their influence steadily started to grow on Sanjaynagar.Venkatesh's elder brother(who had also stood for Lok Sabha elections) had a son who had a built up a reputation of being a  major rowdy in Kalasipalya circles.He also started to concentrate on the posher areas of Sanjaynagar now.

THE BAD TIMES BEGIN :

Any new house being built,a percentage of the total cost would have to be personally given to Venkatesh.We also realised Venkatesh's penchant for developing new parks.The Horticulture department used to disburse funds to the tune of 1-2 crores per year for the maintenance of the parks and it only increased during Kumaraswamy's government.Venkatesh then went on a buying spree of land in Sanjaynagar.A propreitor of a school near my area,Venkatesh,a Geddalahalli frontman(we used to call this guy Thotada Maneyavnu as he had illegally taken over someone else's land,the case for which is still languishing in High Court) and the local BMP officials got together and built their own evil empire.

The building inside the park which was meant for a library was converted into a full time gym which was used by Venkatesh's boys.The play area also was unusable for us as it was usually occupied by thugs playing cricket and breaking window glasses of the houses in the neighbourhood including mine.We had initially kept quite and after a while it started getting on our nerves.Though the park gates had to be closed by 9 pm (now its 8pm) the ruckus would go well into the night.There would be alcohol parties too and this in the full view of the public.There was no one to stop them.The area police inspector was also in Venkatesh's pocket.

Sanjaynagar residents who had some power,one of them being my dad werent doing anything about it,everyone cared for the personal safety.These thugs wouldnt hesitate to do anything.Once under the influence of the alcohol they had apparently run over some ppl,the damaged car was kept in front of our houses.Other times they would play around with the watchman's wife or daughters.The park was slowly becoming unusable for respectable families.Sanjaynagar was no longer what it used to be.

One night an old man was being dragged on the road by Venkatesh's elder brother's son Raja.He  had a very very bulky frame and everyone were sure to get afraid seeing his physique.He was driving his enticer and dragging this old man by hoding his shirt through the tar roads.It was a gory sight for all of us to see.We were ppl who thought twice before killing even an ant and here we were seeing this.

But still everyone in our area kept quiet.Dad wanted to say something but was stopped by us.WHy simply get involved in all this jamela? Another day there was full scale beating up going on of a perceivably a boy from a well to do family.Reason : he had dared to overtake Raja on the main road.Raja was drunk with both alcohol and power. Dad in an impulse went outside and screamed at them as to what was happening.He told them that he had contacts in the Home Ministry and he could get them behind bars if they dint stop all this tamasha which was happening more regularly and brazenly now.

One of Raja's aides replied. "Yen Madtyo madkolole,nin a#$#$". I was inside the house and heard this comment.I knew how much respect dad had and to get this from an uneducated lout was too much for me.I rushed outside.Opened the gate and went straight to him(i still thank God that he has given me height,else i would be no match to their gymmed up ripping muscles and huge height) "Innond sathige helu,yenu helde anta"
"Tell once more what you just said".Too much film influence had gotten into me.I realised what i was up against and i could never get out of it alive.The opposite guy came and held my neck and i could hardly breathe.

Mom yelled to my dad to call the police.Raja who came there,slapped me on my face and all of the courage i was showing till then deserted me.Dad called up the police and an inspector on his cheetah came there.Dad gave his introduction and that was enough for the police to tell Raja that "Dodda officerappa,sumne bidu anva,"

"BIg officer man,leave this guy".

I found it strange.Forget the influence my dad had.I was a common man protesting another comman man being beaten up and the police officer was not seeing that.It required a contact for him to ask Raja to leave me.This was my first brush with the real society.I realised then that i was a nobody without my dad.God knows what those thugs would have done to me.

This incident shook me up.I wanted to take on Raja one more time.I was 19 back then and the hot blood was still boiling.I wanted to take on this physical beast and beat him to pulp.So once when i was returning from my evening walk,a couple of Raja's gang almost dashed their bike against my leg on purpose and then taunted me as they speeded away.That was too much for me to take.I ran as fast i could behind them shouting through the road.Till then i had a reputation of being a very silent and good guy in my area.I think that slightly changed with this misadventure.Mom rebuked me a lot that day.It was not the way boys from respectable families behaved,i was asked whether i would like to be labelled a rowdy.

The ruckus in the park was also getting unbearable and we would have to go for extended walks in the evening to avoid the noise.We had become prisoners of our own home.If we would go and tell those boys to move to another park to play,they would ask us to vacate ourhouse.Now however their reactions were not extreme as they feared Dad might do something against them.

However the fights with the boys who played there only increased over time.I was aggressive in the mind only till then.These fights started affecting my mouth as well.Bad words used to slip out and i had fallen in my own eyes.We thought we were fighting a losing battle.We also came to know that the Kumaraswamy's government used to give 50 lakhs annually for the maintenance of the library.Infact these 50 lakhs were given for every park.ALas in our park only the number of gym instruments increased.

During one of the long vacations between my semesters while doing engineering i came face to face with Raja again.I had gone from house to house during those holidays trying to whip up an anti-Venkatesh sentiment.Raja got wind of it.I had gone on my evening walk and he caught hold of my hand and twisted it.
He also said that he was seeing my dads face and leaving me.I kept quiet that day.

I wanted to punch him off that day.Fight to the finish and stuff but at that moment as the beast stood front of me,my heart was beating faster and mind had become numb.I came back angry to home,virtually shouted at my mom,i was angry on not being able to do anything.That day i sat with Dad.He told me a lesson which i am going to use through out my life.

"Son these are gundas,their strength is money and muscle power,if you are going to fight them on  these,for sure you will be the loser,we are curd-eaters,you think we can take on meat eaters,never,but you have a power which is your brain,we have only that to shield ourselves from such thugs.force them to fight on your area of strength and you are bound to win"

This was the turnaround,i had become optimistic that i could indeed change something.I will write on the remaining part next week. The part will describe how we took on Venkatesh and eventually restore Sanjaynagar back to its older days.

MANJA LOVES POOJA!!

DISCLAIMER : All the characters appearing in this blog are for real and there has been no exaggerations either for the comic effect or whatsoever.

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So this was one lonely night.Time was around 9.30 pm.Location :Somewhere in Jayanagar 4th 'T' block.Dont ask me what i had gone to do there,but this true story starts from here.Standing in the bus stand waiting for the bus to majestic i was seeing if there were any other co-bus-waiters with whom i can spend the waiting time talking to.

Suddenly a young man who looked like the typical Kannada film mass hero- you know a slim,bearded,tanned and macchu(long sword) weilding hero spewing dialogues like "When God is silent he is violent",came there.

So as he came and stood next to me,with a look on the face that was slightly scary(come to think of it,even if he had stood there with a blank expression,i would still have been scared),i became more conscious.Correcting my shirt and pant i stood more firm hoping he wasn't the person i was dreading.

10 minutes passed by,and yet there was no sign of the bus.He came bit more nearer.At that exact time,my mobile rang,i was afraid to even remove it outside,what if he had come to steal it away!!.I had bought a new mobile barely a week back,i dint want it to be stolen so fast that too in broad streetlight.I dint pick up the call.He came more nearer.

I was catching my shirt collar now.After all idu nanna sheeladdu savaal agittu.(it was matter of my modesty).

Then he suddenly asked

"Majestic ge bus illi barat alva(the bus to Majestic comes here right?)",i nodded to affirm that.

Our wait ended,as a blue coloured bus came soon.Majestic was the last stop.I got a window seat,and the mass hero(Lets call the mass hero as Manja) came and sat next to me.He took out his N91 and i was instantly embarrassed to not have taken out my mobile which was several thousands lesser than that.

As usual i put on my headphones and was listening to a song.Just then Manja started speaking in a loud tone.

I was not interested as to what he was speaking and increased the volume in my mobile.Then in the next stop Manja's friend (lets name him shivu) entered the bus and the two were like a house on fire.Due to the ruckus they created,i could no longer hear to the songs.

Shivu : "Yen illi?" ( What you doing here?)

Manja : "Illa T block alli evening college seriddini"  (I have joined evening college in T block)

Shivu : "Shivaji nagar inda illi tanka bartya sisya" (You travel so far from shivaji nagar?)

Manja : "College bere yavdu sikilla sisya" ( i dint get any other college disciple)

Then Shivu asked "Mathe Maga neenna dove yen madthale"(Dude what does your bird do?)

Now this sentence excited me into attention.I wanted to hear what Manja says,what was his love story all about etc.So i switched off the song in my mobile,kept my headphones on and eavesdroppped on their conversation.And why eavesdrop,because i knew i would get another reason to mock the whole concept of immature love once again.

Manja : "Yaav doveo?Poojana,Rekhana?" (Which bird man?Pooja or Rekha?")

Shivu : "JP Nagar alli idavlappa" (The one who stays in J.P.Nagar)

Manja : "Poojana?? yen naditha illa guru,Fathers day dina avar dyaddy avlathra mathu thakondnaante,nanna meet agbardu andnante (Pooja? nothing is going on with her man,Her Dyaddy took oath from her on Father's Day that she  wont meet me again)

Shivu : "Avan Ammun, avinge yen hidthittu roga" (His bloody mother,what disease had he got?)

Shivu was clearly angry that his dear friend's bird was flying away.

Shivu : Avru Brahmins alva maga, thika ganchali jasthi avrige ,eega yenante avaldu?" ( They are Brahmins right,they have lot of cockyness in the butt,so what will she do now?)

Manja : "Yen illa sisya,matter kayyi ache hogide,aval ajji,phone maddre receive madolla,nangu mind thirgbitre gothalla" ( Nothing disciple,matter has gone out of hand,her bloody grandmother,doesnt receive call when i phone her also,and when my mind turns,you know right?)

Shivu : "So eega Rekha steady na?avlu JP Nagar alva?" (So are u steady with Rekha now?Doesnt she also live in JP Nagar?)

Manja : "Hoon maga,avloo JP ne,adre Pooja first love maga,nenpu maryokke agtha illa"

(Pooja is my first love man,i cant forget her)

Just then Manja receives a call.By the looks of it,it seems to be from second dove aka bird Rekha.

And now Manja's tone has suddenly transformed into Mungaru Male Ganesh's.Very softly

Manja : "Hi Honey,darling ninde nenpu madkontha ide,Shivu nu sikhidda,mathadtha idvi,so yen darling matteru?"

(Hi Honey,Darling i was remembering you only,I met Shivu also,so darling whats the matter?)

The girl on the other hand had told him something,it seemed as  though she was telling that she was having problems in her home.

Manja was not able to hear her voice properly,so he switched on the loudspeaker.

Rekha : "Maneli neenu valentines day kotthid card annanige siktu,thumba baydro,"

(My elder brother got the card you gave me on valentines day,they scolded me a lot)

Manja : "Yeshte meter avnige,yerdu kodbeka kelu?"

(How much meter(guts) he has,should i thump him a bit?)

Rekha : (giggles) (the highly irritating giggle,felt like thumping Manja a bit for making me suffer that)

              

"bido avnu swalpa mental,mathe yavaga pani puri kodstya,gift kodthini andidde,kotte illa?"

(Forget him,he's a bit mental,so when are buying me pani puri again,you had told that you would bring me a gift also,you still havent)

Manja : (seemingly angry but maintaining his composure) "Kodthini darling,nan chinnu alva ninu?,koddhe irtina?"

(I will give darling,aren't u my baby doll?will i not give you?)

And suddenlly i guess someone in her family came to her room.The call ends and Manja starts hurling abuses

Manja : "Nodya sisya,bari ide aythu ivaldu,pani puri ,dress,nandu hidkondu yelodhokke sari aythu ival ajji"

(Did u see disciple,shes interested only in this,pani puri,dress,knows how to empty my wallets,thats all)

Manja had still not gotten over Pooja,she was his first bird also as a matter of fact.

We reached Majestic,and the mass hero before getting down slightly combed his hair and wore his fake ray ban glasses(in the night !!!!).

I thought  - " what style this guy has,we want to always be this good boy/girl,and look at him- so massy,so casual,and he had two girls to show for all his antics.What the hell had i got for being a good guy?.Look at this fellow.Girls just dig him,man one day i wish i can become like him"

And so saying i got down.I wished that Manja would get his Pooja someday because this was clearly "pure laaave"

Hope u folks also wish the same for the couple.

Curious Case of my Barber

Ok to just give a bit of history-I have been going to the same saloon for the last 15 years now.There are 5 barbers in the saloon and i went to this specific young man(about my age ) as it was easier that way.

He would greet me with a smile everytime i went there and i would feel special(no not any of the gay connotations please).My only job was to go and sit there and he would remember what he had to do with the hair.Also he gives some of the best head massages and all the stress of my fully unused brain would be gone.

The past two times however were different.Since he was busy with some other customer i went to the next person to get my hair cut.(Ok for ease of use lets keep my original barber as X and the new entrant into my "hair-life" to be Y).

Now Y was a better barber than X,he knew what hairstyles matched our age group,face type etc,basically all the barber lingo.X was no match for him.So as i sat there getting my hair done by Y,X was giving me glances.He smiled once and as a courtesy i smiled back. He was concentrating more on how my hair was getting done than his own customer.I again felt special :) . Wow this guy is so loyal to me,he cares so much for me and stuff.

Once the hair was done and it was time for my monthly head massage.X told Y that he would take care of that.Now Y was a  new entrant into the saloon also and wanted to do it himself(I think he too wanted a good Annual appraisal from his boss).So after a brief argument which X won,he came to me and said

"Namdu nimdu gothilla avnige" which literally translates to "He doesnt know mine and yours".

I just smiled thinking that there were two barbers fighting for me.(Again the feeling of being special :) )

So once this over i just thanked the guy and came back to my home feeling nothing odd.

Again month of July and again it was time:
I went on a cloudy morning with slight intermittent drizzle to get my hair done.X was again busy.And so was Y. So i went to Z this time,and this guy was even better.I liked the quality of his work.While Y seemed to have gotten over me,X was clearly still hung up.This time again he was giving me the glances,it was more of being slightly angry.So when Z went to change the blades,X walked along and said

"Namma Hathra madskontane illa eega,marthbittidira ansotte" which literally translates to "You are not getting it done by me,i think you have forgotten me) and gave a sad look.I dint know what to tell.Now i had to mollify the poor guy thiking that i had hurt him in some way.

"Parvagilla head massage neeve madi" - "Its ok you only do the head massage"

He replied back bluntly

"Parvagilla bidi,nimge avre chennagi madthareno" - "Its ok,i think u feel he does it better"

Again for a minute i thought"oh it was better i hadnt hurt him"

and then i was like- this is one possessive bugger.Should i be caring for the feelings of the barber? What if this possessiveness turns dangerous,then i felt i was overreacting.The guys used to doing mine,that too for 3 years,
so i said to him

"Next time inda neeve madi" "- "from next time you only do mine"

He smiled and finally i was able to mollify him.But as i was walking out,

"Man this guy is the worst among the 5 that work there,this brand new Z is so good,why the heck should i compromise on this to just keep one guy happy.So i am still grappling with what to do the next time.

I mean i never felt that he was cheating when he was doing some other customer so why was he feeling overtly possessive when someone else did mine.

So as i decide between keeping this jealous,possessive guy happy and keeping myself happy,i hope to get some ideas from u folks.

Till then chao!!!