Prime Ministerial diktat may have ensured the dismantling of red beacons, but securely intact remains the VIP culture of which those lights atop cars were symbolic. And, as often happens when VIPs are at fault, a lowly inspector of police in Punjab takes the rap and gets suspended. The “crime” under focus not being any …
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August 20, 2017A day after being booked for flouting the law on the use of red beacons, controversial Shahi Imam of Kolkata’s Tipu Sultan Masjid, Mualana Noor-ur Rehman Barkati on Saturday removed the beacon from his vehicle. Although, Barkati had two days ago asserting his "right" to use the beacon, on Saturday he said that there was …
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May 13, 2017The spin-off in Shimla would perhaps be better described as “severe inconvenience” rather than “disruption”, yet it sufficed to expose the hollowness of the claim that the much-condemned VIP culture would be eliminated by the official directive prohibiting the use of red beacons on vehicles carrying senior politicians and officials. Since it was a Prime …
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April 28, 2017The theory that “well-begun is half-done”, unfortunately, is unlikely to come into play in respect of the government’s excessively-hyped ban on red beacons on VIP-carrying vehicles. The claim is that a bid is underway to dismantle a sickening, discriminatory culture, when in reality only a symbol is being addressed. Ushering in a “cultural” revolution will …
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April 22, 2017Taking a lead in shunning VIP culture, Governor NN Vohra on Saturday ordered removal of red beacon and siren from all vehicles of the Raj Bhavan in Jammu and Kashmir. A spokesman of the Raj Bhavan said that consequent to Government of India’s decision in the matter, the Governor directed that red lights and sirens …
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April 22, 2017Veteran actress Hema Malini, who attended Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Awards 2017 on Friday, says that she is happy with Indian government's decision to ban red beacons from vehicles. "It's a great move. I am really happy with Indian government's decision of red beacon ban because from my constituency, there are lot of people who make …
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April 22, 2017Himachal Pradesh Governor Acharya Devvrat on Thursday removed the red beacon from his official vehicle. His move came a day after the Narendra Modi government put a countrywide ban on it from May 1. Devvrat directed the removal of the red beacons from his official vehicles along with other vehicles attached with him, an official …
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April 20, 2017Justifying his government's decision to ban red-beacon lights in Punjab, the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said VIP culture has eroded the democratic systems of the country and alienated the common people from their own leaders. Reacting to reports of certain individuals refusing to let go of the red beacon status symbol, the …
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March 21, 2017Days after they became VVIPs, newly appointed Punjab ministers including the chief minister (CM) Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday decided against using the biggest symbol of being a VIP — the red beacon light. In the very first meeting chaired by Captain Amarinder, the council of ministers decided against use of red beacon lights by the …
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March 18, 2017The Punjab cabinet, in its first meeting here on Saturday, decided that the Chief Minister, legislators and top officials will not use a red beacon on their official vehicles. Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal told the media after the meeting that the Chief Minister, ministers and legislators will also not lay foundation stones and …
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March 18, 2017