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PM Modi turns off lights on VIP culture

Posted in Featured, S. Asia

Published on April 21, 2017 with No Comments

Checking ‘VIP culture’

  • No VIP will be able to put red light atop his/her vehicle — not even President, the Prime Minister or chief ministers of states
  • Blue beacons only atop emergency vehicles such as fire engines, ambulances, police vans
  • Neither states nor Centre will have power to grant special permission for use of beacons

The step taken by Punjab government seems to have impressed the Narendra Modi government too. Ending a decades-old VIP tradition, the Union Cabinet has decided to do away with beacon lights for all vehicles starting May 1, including those of the President and the Prime Minister. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari led the way by taking the beacon off his official vehicle after the cabinet meeting. Emergency and relief service vehicles, ambulances, fire brigade, and vehicles belonging to the police and army have been exempted.

Calling the decision “historic”, Gadkari said that beacons on vehicles have been perceived as symbols of VIP culture and have no place in a democratic country. He added that the cabinet decision will help strengthen healthy democratic values.

The minister said that the government took the decision since sirens and beacons on VIP vehicles didn’t sit well with the masses.

“In many states, MLAs use beacon lights and some of them use detachable beacons. Even use of sirens by ministers is not legal and these can be used only by pilot police vehicles,” Gadkari said. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will make necessary provisions in the law based on the cabinet decision. “There is no need for any amendment in the Motor Vehicles Act. We can issue the notification and a notice will be issued for public hearing,” Gadkari said.

As per the cabinet decision, Rule 108 (1) III of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, that allowed vehicles carrying dignitaries specified by the central or the state governments to fix a red beacon light on top of their vehicles, has been abolished by the government.

The original rule stated that use of blue/amber light with flashers shall be determined and notified by the state governments at their discretion. This discretion now stands withdrawn.

 

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