Price Rise And "I"

In India "I" is a very unique alphabet. It stands for the Common Man. It also starts words like India, Independence, Inflation. It also ends the Congress(I). All the words are related in our politico-social scenario.I came to realise this close bond just yesterday . This is a story of how!

When i went to Sunday market yesterday to buy some vegetables, I visualized Inflation in a very unique way.

I took my bike and started for the market, stopping at the petrol pump to refuel my bike. The Petrol price had Increased by Rs 2.50. Anyways, after refueling i went to the market to see the prices of onion and other vegetables rocketing high in evening sky.

I was so upset to see this price rise that I decided to take some action.

I returned straight back home and dialed the number of agriculture minister Sharad Pawar. His secretary picked up the phone.

"Where is the minister?" I asked in a stern voice.

"I am sorry sir. He is in a meeting to resolve the spat between Lalit Modi and BCCI." pat came the answer.

"Hasn't he noticed the price rise in recent weeks?" I persisted.

The P.A. after a long gap says"Sir he is too busy in IPL auctions and parties to be wasting his time on the ever-complaining Garib Jantaa. Don't waste my time too." And he disconnected.

 Infuriated, i decided to call Nitin Gadkari the BJP General Secretory.

He picked up in  a single ring and answered the call himself. I was impressed.

"What are you doing as the main opposition party against  Price rise. Why aren't you pressurizing the government to curb  inflation in prices of goods and vegetables." I asked my question straight-forward.

He replied in a bemused tone "We are dealing things one at a time. Right now we are too busy boycotting the parliament and burning effigies of A. Raja over the Telecom Scandal."

I asked again, "But farmers and BPL families are resorting to suicides due to this price rise. Dont you think this needs to be addressed first."

He kept the phone saying he was on his way to china and when he returned back he surely would address the situation.

I knew this reaction.

I was hapless. Seeing no other way i decided to talk to Dr. Manmohan singh. Being the prime minister of India, he is answerable to the common man like me. I called him. Somebody picked up the phone. "Hello" I said. No answer came. "Hello! Hello!"Mum. 

Suddenly !

I remembered. "Puppets don't talk".

I called the mistress of the puppet thinking that She would solve the problem.

When i told her about my problem, She began to say as if she was delivering a speech in one of her Chunaavi sabhaas. "I"  i.e. the Congress(I) helped India achieve her independence. We have curbed the communalism and landed the "Maut ke Saudagars" behind the bars. I am an idol of renunciation and am above everyone.

I was so fed up with this that i disconnected the phone without saying anything. After spending over Rs. 200  on Telephone bill, I realized that I should have bought the Onion Instead.