Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Aug 5: Even as national media debates non-stop on the racism being practiced by VVIPs, the culture has reveal its ugly face in these islands on a number of occasions.
On Thursday, passengers waiting to board the vehicle ferry at Bambooflat jetty had a bitter experience of VIP racism due to the attitude of senior officials of the UT Administration.
According to reports, half of the vehicle ferry passengers boarded the vessel when others were stopped by the Police to make space for two government vehicles of senior officers.
“A senior officer of Administration was in the car and being no ordinary person, he had to be boarded on priority. His entourage also reaped benefit of the opportunity and boarded the vehicle ferry along with the second car. Around 30 two-wheelers and others passengers being common citizens were left abandoned at the Bambooflat jetty to avail the next ferry,” said a passenger speaking to Andaman Sheekha.
“Passengers on the Bambooflat-Chatham sector have now become used to such VIP racism. Besides, government officials, families, friends and relatives of top government officers are given similar preference by the Police in the vehicle ferries. It’s okay to accord some preference to only topmost and senior officials, but that too should not come at the cost of the common man,” said some others.
When questioned about such act of police team at Bambooflat Jetty, Mr. M A Nausad, SDPO of Bambooflat said that such priority must have been given from Chatham as in Bambooflat region no such priority is given to officers.
“We don’t give priority to anyone accept the high court and sometimes to ambulances. We don’t even give priority to Adhyaksha, they too come in line,” Mr. Nausad added.
