Andhra Pradesh

On the wrong route

Every organisation has its own trade lingo and truck drivers association is no exception. But the difference lies in the way things are communicated.

Recently, addressing a press conference, an office-bearer of the truckers’ association was describing the negligent attitude of the government towards truck-owners and drivers. Criticising the government’s decision to allot the Kukatpally parking lot to a private company without taking the drivers into confidence, the office-bearer in his typical lingo said “Ye government purey decisions wrong route may ley rahi hai,” Even before he could realise the blunder he committed, his counterparts broke into laughter.

Being a host for a large audience can sometimes be challenging, especially for those taking to the stage and facing the audience who are mostly students.

It so happened that a compere invited a guest on to the stage during an event and the guest obliged by taking his place on the dais. After all the applause, the compere invited another guest and read the name out aloud, looking for the guest in the au dience, while the one on the dais stood up again.

By mistake she called the first guest’s name again, much to the amusement of the audience who broke out laughing.

The recent meet of the Nagarjuna Finance Limited victims organised by the District Consumer Information Centre brought out poignant instances of lost hopes. While a father lamented that his daughter’s wedding had to be postponed indefinitely for lack of funds, another had to stop his daughter from going for engineering studies.

The one to attract everybody’s attention was an illiterate man who deposited his hard-earned money in the company hoping for higher returns. He came to the meet accompanied by his employer, who explained the case and did all the documentation.

Not many are aware of the spiritual side of Energy Minister Mohd Ali Shabbir. The other day, he sprang a surprise by delivering a ‘sermon’ at a function organised to present the Maulana Azad Award for Education to noted educationist Syed Hamed.

While speaking on the importance attached to education in Islam, Mr. Shabbir said the very first verse revealed to the Prophet was about education. He even recited the relevant verse from the Quran and explained its import. Many in the audience were seen nodding their appreciation while some were surprised at the ‘maulana’ in the Minister.

Although the usually quiet Ameerpet came alive with loud sloganeering and a sizeable protest outside the water works office, not many students of the computer institutes that dot the stretch seemed to be interested in the dharna proceedings. Even as leaders jabbered about the water crisis (an important issue) plaguing different parts of the city, most of them moved about nonchalantly. They weren’t interested and preferred yapping with their friends.

However, once the action began, their curiosity levels rose. As BJP workers jostled with the police and a melee ensued, they tried their mighty best to catch glimpses of the unfolding confrontation. Some climbed nearby buildings while the adventurous sorts wandered near the police vans to watch the proceedings at close quarters. Guess! its only action that appeals to the younger crowd in real life too!

S. SANDEEP KUMAR,

ABHIJIT DEV KUMAR,

SWATHI.V,

J.S. IFTHEKHAR,

YOGENDRA KALAVALAPALLI

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