ROUNDTABLE-1: Why Mittoo hates Nitin Gadkari

Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Govt of India at AutoExpo2020

Ramesh Kumar from Greater Noida

"Gadkari Murdabad!" screamed Mittoo.

"What happened? Why are you raising slogans against Nitin Gadkariji? What has he done warranting you to cry hoarse?" demanded Rambo.

Your hearing impaired, Rambo!

Wow! Hearing-impaired? You're calling me deaf subtly? I am okay with that. Beware, papa won't approve of your naarabaaji!

Did you notice papa's mood since yesterday?

Why? What happened? He's okay. Been with him always. Next to him always.

Yesterday evening he was watching Gadkari's address at the AutoExpo and exclaimed: "another data-driven extempore talk."

Of course, I too watched. Papa also commented: "Highway, highway but nothing about highway amenities. By 2023, 12-hour drive from Mumbai to Delhi on the access-controlled expressway."

So ...

Papa was pissed with Gadkari.

About what?

Last night, he received few video clips from Tamilnadu drivers on WhatsApp. He was fretting and fuming after watching it.

What's new. Your papa is hyper!

Your papa! How dare you...? Since when you disowned him, Mr. Ungrateful!

Cool, cool baby! Am not. I do appreciate papa's anguish.

Hmmm.

Past midnight, when we went out for bioleak, I heard him talking to someone - driver, it ought to be.

About what?

About the video clip from Tamilnadu.

What was in it that upset papa?

From the talk, it appears, at the Krishnagiri toll plaza, a truck driver was beaten up by the toll plaza boys because this driver entered the Fastag lane by mistake.

Then?

The upset driver blocked the passage and got hundreds of truck drivers to join him demanding an apology from the rude toll plaza official.

Then?

The police came, a compromise was reached.

What compromise?

The rude toll plaza official fell at the driver's feet seeking an apology for his behavior. Drivers dropped their plans to give a written complaint.

Okay. Then?

All because of this Fastag tamasha

What's wrong with Fastag? It is desirable. This will reduce waiting time at toll plazas. Smoothen the flow of traffic.

Bullshit, Rambo!

Mind your language, Mittoo!

Fastag is a flop. Gadkari himself admitted.

No. He did not say it was a flop. It is taking time to get streamlined. Mittoo beta, yeh hai India! Everything takes time.  Tell me, why you shouted, "Gadkari, Murdabad!"?

Forget about the Krishnagiri toll plaza incident yesterday. Did you see papa using unprintable expletives this morning while reading his Hindustan Times?

I thought he was heartily laughing at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling Rahul Gandhi "tube light" yesterday in Parliament.

Leave that aside. Who cares for that duffer? He was reading aloud the news item to Mama.

What was it about?

What else, but about Fastag?

Fastag?

Papa read, "Toll officials beat farmer to death for using Fastag lane"

Haan?

Papa, papa.. please read again to this Tubelight!

Mittoo, am no Rahul! Stop bullying!

Relax, kiddo... Let me read this for both of you"

Two officials were among three people booked on Thursday (February 6, 2020) for allegedly beating a farmer to death on Monday after he tried to drive off his sugarcane-laden tractor-trolley through an electronic toll collection lane to avoid traffic congestion in the cash lane at Meerut's Western Toll Plaza, police said.

Thanks, Papa! Got it, Rambo?

Oh my God! Still, that does not explain your "Gadkari Murdabad!" sloganeering...

You're truly a Tubelight. Toll plazas come under which ministry?

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

Who's the minister in charge?

Oh... got it... Nitin Gadkari. So you mean to say that he is responsible for this Krishnagiri toll plaza rowdyism and the Meerut ghastly murder?

Of course, you like it or not. National Highways Authority of India or NHAI is part of Gadkari's fiefdom. Therefore, he is responsible for such happenings.

What TN drivers should do?

Heard Papa advising his driver friends in Tamilnadu to write to the National Highways Authority of India giving full details of the Krishnagiri incident and ask them to discipline toll plaza officials not only in Krishnagiri but across India. Also set in motion, some kind of audit and blacklist such bad behaving toll plazas. By the way, a few weeks ago, a lady at the Krishnagiri toll plaza did something similar to another truck driver and got away lightly.

Okay. I understand why you were upset with Gadkari. No doubt, he is a big talker. But doer also. He is doing a good amount of work. Perhaps you were not aware that after watching Gadkari Live telecast on his Twitter handle, papa posted some good comments about him.

You mean to say, papa is okay with the minister?

Haha... Nothing of that sort. The Minister has got his plate full. So many things to handle. Unlike papa who is focused on driver welfare. 

Understandable... Tell me, this Krishnagiri is the same place where papa was born some 60 odd years ago?

Spot on.

Rambo, tell me what's the future of Fastag?

Mittoo, Fastag will be a success. Many toll plaza owners were looting the state exchequer by siphoning off toll collection clandestinely. This electronic toll collection will definitely put an end to these nefarious activities. So that the money will directly come into government coffers. Then, that money can be used for some concrete purpose.

Rambo, you mean the building of "concrete" roads?

Haha.. You're a Tubelight now... The concrete here means solid and useful.

Chalo. It is time for me to watch House of Cards Season 4 on Netflix with papa!

What about me?

You can rehearse something better... say, like, "Gadkari, Zindabad!"

Rambooooooo!

Note: Rambo, six-year-old Lhaso Apso, converses with Mittoo, six-year-old parrot.  They will return soon.