I am a self professed & well proved Patriot, Nature Lover and Automobile Enthusiast amongst many other things.
Yesterday, on my way back home from work, in a span of 1 km, not less than 5 Audi Q7, 3 BMW 5 series, 2 BMW 3 series, 1 Audi A4, 7 Mercedes C class, 4 Mercedes E class, 1 Mercedes S class, 2 Toyota Prado, 2 Land Rovers were amongst the "Cars/SUVs" that I spotted on either sides of the road.
Normally, any car lover would be drooling by now, but I was stuck in the middle of traffic. Worth noting it took me 8 minutes to cross that 1 km stretch. Which prompted my mind to think:
Where is the space for all these HUGE cars ?
Where is the PETROL to run all these guzzling beasts?
Where is the MONEY for so many Individuals to be able to afford such cars?
In retrospect, I was thinking, just half a decade ago, it was quite a sight to even spot a Mercedes cruise past as it was really a symbol of the pure Rich & Wealthy. But now, suddenly, akin to a war, EVERY Automobile manufacturer worth its name has set up shop in India. Why India suddenly? Oh its growing they say!!! Growing? How? Where? Why?
Dig a little deeper than the slum covered Mumbai, or the unemployment laden areas and you find the core India.
Brush up a few headlines:
"Farmers committing suicides"
Why? inspite of all the incentives, tax waivers? No good crop due to bad rains, bad soil?
Huh? What happened? Our country was a land of agriculture!
Just yesterday I saw an ad on TV about a new range of Tractors being launched by a prestigious firm!
Whats happening?
And then I googled up some stuff & realized that A SEIZEABLE bumber of farmers having been selling of their LANDS, Huge vast pieces of beautiful land for commercial development. Obviously, these farmers have gained unheard , unseen amounts of money in these deals.
What are they doing with all this towering pile of money?
Investing or Spending. Simple. Right?
So where do they spend it?
Acquiring everything that has been considered the Hallmark of the Rich & Famous.
Be it a funky hairstyle, or branded clothes, luxury goods like these automobiles & motorbikes.
But what happened to the Farms of the Country? Gone.
What happens to the environment of the Country? Further Gone.
What happens to the rising cost of food because of increase in imports of food grains and other products (noticed the IMPORTED fruits you eat everyday? from China to Australia to New Zealand to Hungary!)
Well, that was 1 side of the story.
Now... lets focus on the Birghter side!
Wow! India is growing! We have all those things we used to just hear off or see on TV/Newspapers in "foreign" lands. The state of the art technology, the latest cellphones.
The best cars money can buy!
Drool over the latest Maserati, the sleekest Porche.
Oh what a hunk of an SUV !
Torque & Power thats capable of pulling a ton of load.
Acceleration that will set them going before you say go.
Comforts that make you feel in a palace.
And Fuel that will be empty before you reach home. Obviously, with fuel efficiency figures of 3,4,5,6,7,8 kmpl you have to have a HUGE fuel tank & an even bigger Pocket. as well as a HUGE hollow in your head to be messing with our Environment like this.
Now, I am myself a major Hummer fan. Believe me. But I always say, what is the point of that Beast in the city. Why, oh pray why, will you buy a 4x4 offroader, SUV to drive from home to work & back ! WHY !!??!?!
What are you going to do with all that power & top speed of 200+ kmph? Sit in your garage & dream that you are ascending a mountain?
Then I realized, oh but ofcourse, it can pull a ton of weight, go through any terrain!
How stupid I was to think that these foreign companies have just come to plunder my Mother India and her wealth.
No, no, Not at all. They have great feeligns & thoughts for Indians.
They dont want the Indian farmer to suffer 1 bit.
Thats why these SUV's.
They want our farmers to use their SUVs to plough their fields, in the comfort of an Air Conditioned, Leather seats, plush interiors, 4 DIN music system.
Obviously their SUV will definitely manage to give an average better than the tractor.
What a genius of a plan.
So now Imagine... a fair, tall, healthy, handsome looking guy. Walks up in a buttoned up shirt, with a purple Satya Paul tie, dapper grey pin striped Reid & Taylor suit, hand stitched shoes, steps out of his plush Home in they city, drives to his farm (not farm house) and starts ploughing in the very same car he came in , the Audi Q7.
and proudly says : Hi, I am a farmer.
Well, if you are smiling right now, then it isn't funny. Because the truth mentioned above is worse than this piece of fiction.
