Mumbai’s Pandu’s.

During my many visits to Mumbai, I have come across several instances where the Mumbai police (called as Pandus or Hawaldhars with their lathis) have been on the receiving side from all set of people from hawkers,to the small shop owners, to the bus drivers, to the cab drivers, to the star hotel owners and from lower class people to the rich class and finally the politicians. The lower class considers the pandu as their non-working partners as they have to share anything which they earn the urban middle class and rich class considers them as illegal hafta’s agents on Mumbai road waiting to catch any car which jumps a signal or speed away.

Our Pandu’s are treated so shabbily by our own citizens for no mistakes of their’s. The hawker shares his profit and the rich pays the Pandu not because the Pandu wanted it but these people want to get rid of the things which they have done which is wrong as per the law of our country. The same rich later castigates the Pandu by comparing them to the super cop in US and Europe with their high flying latest gadgets chasing local thugs or drug addicts or mentally unstable guys which they see on “World’s Amazing videos”

Things have changed after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks where our very own Pandu’s with their lathi’s and decade old revolvers countered the terrorists with the most sophisticated arms and ammunititions right from the CST railway stations to the Cama hospitals to the roads of Mumbai to our Taj and Oberoi hotels. Had it not been the act of the few pandu’s at CST station who ran right in front of terrorist who were firing indiscrimately to pick their’s lathi’s and their revolver and fire back which saved another 100 people at CST, the same holds for our another Pandu gave his life by blocking the terrorist firing at others by holding the AK 47 to his stomach so that nobody else is hurt before the terrorist was overpowered by other Pandu’s, the same holds for the four pandu’s who with pistol and a gun each and two lathis entered the Taj hotel with the staff of the hotel to block the terrorist from moving to any other floors and convinces their inspector on their walky talky that they will give their life but will not allow the terrorist to move anywhere else till the NSG arrives.

The nation paid rich tributes to Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte & Vijay Salaskar but what about our local pandu’s who with their very own lathi’s gave their life’s, who considered the safety and security of Mumbai and Mumbaikar’s before themselves and their families. The government, the media and we the citizens should identify all our Pandu’s who gave their life’s or injured so that we the people of India and India remains safe and a peaceful place. The government should see to that the families of our very own Pandu’s who gave their life should be taken care of and benefits should be provided to them. The last thing we as citizens can do to our Pandu’s is to take a pledge that we shall thank our Pandu’s whenever we come across them anywhere else in India.
Jai Hind