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Riders Cry Fowl as Delhi Metro Turns Into Veg-Only Zone

The Delhi Metro. Source: delhimetro.net

The Delhi Metro. Source: delhimetro.net

On the eve of Independence Day, just as I reached the Civil Lines Metro Station from my office on Rajpur Road around 5.30 pm, I encountered a curious sight. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) guards at the frisking point were refusing to let through the person standing ahead of me in the queue, because he was carrying raw eggs (in a polythene bag). When the passenger argued, he was asked to take permission from senior CISF officials who were standing near the exit gate.

After he left, I went through frisking, and then proceeded towards the underground platform for catching the next train. But I was bothered by the biased attitude of the guards, and wanted to challenge it. I realised that a document in my laptop would help me do it, and this gave me some confidence.

I went back up the stairs towards the two CISF seniors outside the exit gate, since I had observed that they had refused to allow the person carrying raw eggs to enter. I approached them and asked whether carrying eggs in the Metro was not allowed. One of them responded that if I were carrying such items, then I should come out through the exit gate. When I told him that I wasn’t but was asking about the rules, he asked me not to bother as I was quite educated and knew the rules.

I then took my laptop out and showed both of them the document I had: it was the reply (dated 31 July 2015) by Sharat Sharma, Director (Operations), DMRCL, to my query submitted under the Right to Information Act on food items that are allowed in the Metro.

I insisted on reading the contents to one of the CISF seniors, as the other refused to look at it (though he made occasional comments): “DMRC rules do not restrict carriage of non-vegetarian food items, eatables in Delhi Metro train whether raw or cooked if they are packed properly. There is no specific list of food items allowed inside Delhi metro is available with DMRC … There are no specific stations, where travelling with packed raw non-vegetarian is banned … CISF staff is authorised to comply the instruction. (sic)

Initially, the CISF men were taken aback. When I insisted that they did not know the rules themselves, they claimed that the rules were different earlier and they did not know about the new rules. One of them even promised to try and get more information about the latest rules.

I said that as a regular officer-goer, I had never witnessed such restrictions at the Civil Lines Metro station before. However, when I said I wanted to make a complaint about them stopping the passenger for carrying eggs, and wanted to know whom to approach,  they refused to answer.

I told them that I will be writing about the incident in the papers, and emphasised that they should not harass people because of their own food preferences. In response, they said I was free to to eat whatever I feel like at home. As I left, I found the CISF jawans laughing at my silly intervention.

My first tryst with DMRC

I myself had faced a similar situation earlier, when I was stopped at the gates of the INA Market metro station for carrying packed raw meat. When seen against the backdrop of recent events like the beef ban in Maharashtra and the Madhya Pradesh government refusing to allow eggs in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, it prompted me to file an RTI application.

In my application, dated June 9, 2015, I had asked the public information officer (PIO) of DMRC to clarify four issues: 1) A list of all the food items (cooked and uncooked) that are allowed in the Delhi Metro; 2) whether it was illegal for passengers to carry packed raw mutton, chicken or fish (in small quantity for household consumption; 3) Whether there are specific Metro stations where such items are banned; and 4) Whether the CISF personnel posted at Delhi Metro stations stop passenger for carrying these items.

I received a bland reply (dated June 29, 2015) from one PIO named Vikas Kumar, which simply stated: Details of information sought is not available in any material form”. I filed an appeal with help from Swapna Jha of Common Cause, an organisation working on civic rights, and this time I got a detailed reply from the First Appellate Authority of DMRC, which became a handy document in my encounter with the CISF personnel.

What can DMRC do?

According to the DMRC’s website, both the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Government of India have equal stake in the company. However, the CISF comes under the ambit of the Ministry of Home Affairs. It may be possible that there is lack of coordination between the DMRC and the CISF regarding items that can be allowed inside the Metro, including eatables. However, it cannot be ruled out that the CISF guards on their own are preventing  passengers from carrying non-veg food items.

Since DMRC recently conducted a customer satisfaction survey, I hope they take note of this issue and take necessary steps to ensure passengers are not harassed unnecessarily. After all, the Delhi Metro is the lifeline of the NCR. The last thing it should have is a red line for passengers.

Shambhu Ghatak, a researcher on development issues, works with the Inclusive Media for Changeproject based at the Centre for Study of Developing Societies, Delhi.

Replies sorted oldest to newest

alena06 posted:

This thread by our resident Hindu hating fullahman needs to be deleted, the heading is misleading.   You are a nasty, deranged old fullah.  Go screw your self!!

Eh eh, alena06, I've never seen you this distraught. OMG, someone has taken alena06 outside the boundaries of her normal anger.

But Pointy, that title is provocative, and not in a good way. Hindu ISIS?? Come on Pointy....even you don't believe in something this oxymoronic. You're doing exactly what others to not do to Muslims around the globe - paint them with a broad brush. The encounter on the Delhi Metro has nothing to do with religious practices. And a few Hindu right wing Nationalists do not a Hindu religion make. You should acknowledge this.

Kari
alena06 posted:

This thread by our resident Hindu hating fullahman needs to be deleted, the heading is misleading.   You are a nasty, deranged old fullah.  Go screw your self!!

This Hindu hating fullah needs to look at Hinduism as a peaceful religion. He should look at Islam..marauding armies of Muslims trying to kill anyone(mostly their own) who does not believe in their warped beliefs.

FM
Cobra posted:

I request that this thread be closed immediately. This is a scornful disrespect for all Hindus. 

Likewise the thread on PNC supporters will be well fed alluding to Prisoners = Blacks = PNC.

Kari
Kari posted:
Cobra posted:

I request that this thread be closed immediately. This is a scornful disrespect for all Hindus. 

Likewise the thread on PNC supporters will be well fed alluding to Prisoners = Blacks = PNC.

Kari, you're insulting Hindus all over again by equating the rotten PNC with a peaceful religion. Are you guys going starkly mad?

FM
alena06 posted:

This thread by our resident Hindu hating fullahman needs to be deleted, the heading is misleading.   You are a nasty, deranged old fullah.  Go screw your self!!

He is just eager to try and drag CIVILIZED People down to his BARBARIC and UNCIVILIZED Camel riding IDIOTS!!!

Nehru

Raw eggs, fruits and food items in cans, kits and packages should be banned. They can be used as disguised bombs. If people are hungry. Then there should be food services available on the train.

Prashad
Nehru posted:
alena06 posted:

This thread by our resident Hindu hating fullahman needs to be deleted, the heading is misleading.   You are a nasty, deranged old fullah.  Go screw your self!!

He is just eager to try and drag CIVILIZED People down to his BARBARIC and UNCIVILIZED Camel riding IDIOTS!!!

UNCIVILIZED Camel riding IDIOTS.........and when white people call you a dot-head, curry-smelling brown skin, you wonder why!

Kari
Nehru posted:
alena06 posted:

This thread by our resident Hindu hating fullahman needs to be deleted, the heading is misleading.   You are a nasty, deranged old fullah.  Go screw your self!!

He is just eager to try and drag CIVILIZED People down to his BARBARIC and UNCIVILIZED Camel riding IDIOTS!!!

CIVILIZED YOU SAY

 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/...duCopAY5lYlN4LL.html

Pointblank
Kari posted:
alena06 posted:

This thread by our resident Hindu hating fullahman needs to be deleted, the heading is misleading.   You are a nasty, deranged old fullah.  Go screw your self!!

Eh eh, alena06, I've never seen you this distraught. OMG, someone has taken alena06 outside the boundaries of her normal anger.

But Pointy, that title is provocative, and not in a good way. Hindu ISIS?? Come on Pointy....even you don't believe in something this oxymoronic. You're doing exactly what others to not do to Muslims around the globe - paint them with a broad brush. The encounter on the Delhi Metro has nothing to do with religious practices. And a few Hindu right wing Nationalists do not a Hindu religion make. You should acknowledge this.

I once met a Nepal hindu nationalist. He was such a hindu fanatic that he refused to speak to Indian Hindus because he claimed that they are living  a secular life and live with Muslims and Christians. He said to me "you look Indian if you are Indian then I cannot speak to you because it would be against my religious beliefs" I have no doubt that hindu fool would not hesitate to plant a bomb to further his religious beliefs.

Prashad
Cobra posted:

I request that this thread be closed immediately. This is a scornful disrespect for all Hindus. 

Had I prior knowledge, I would have advised Pointy against starting this topic.

However, I find it amusing that you are asking for the topic to be closed given how you troll those hate mongering internet sites for stories to denigrate Muslims.

Hypocrite!!! going once, going twice, Sold to the slivering snake!!!

FM

Radical Hindus is a reaction to terrorist Islam.  Muslims need to reflect on their terroristic behavior and the reaction it illicits from almost every other civilization.   Radical Islam is the scourge of the world today, not radical anything else!

FM
ba$eman posted:

Radical Hindus is a reaction to terrorist Islam.  Muslims need to reflect on their terroristic behavior and the reaction it illicits from almost every other civilization.   Radical Islam is the scourge of the world today, not radical anything else!

Bannah, radical every-religion has been around since religion. It doesn't take one to beget the other.

Kari

Pointy throw a bait and look how many he catch.

All the haters bit!

This exactly how Indians behave in India. One person will make an inflammatory  remark and a riot will erupt.

And that  apply for both Muslims and Hindus

 

 

Chief
Chief posted:

Pointy throw a bait and look how many he catch.

All the haters bit!

This exactly how Indians behave in India. One person will make an inflammatory  remark and a riot will erupt.

And that  apply for both Muslims and Hindus

 

 

True dat chief, you notice Iman PutageRasta stayed out?

cain
Last edited by cain

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