Bittoo: Bapu.
Bapu: Yes Bittoo?
Bittoo: I was reading a book and came across the proverb ‘charity begins at home’.
Bapu: Yeah, that’s a wonderful and inspiring phrase worthy of inculcating in our lives.
Bittoo: But the proverb is not fully correct Bapu?
Bapu: What makes you think so Bittoo?
Bittoo: Actually, charity seldom begins at home. I also read Sir Thomas Browne, who is stated to be first to put the expression into print in the form we now use, in Religio Medici, 1642: “Charity begins at home, is the voice of the world: yet is every man his greatest enemy.”
Bapu: Hummmmm… Can you substantiate more Bittoo?
Bittoo: Hummmmm… Ah! You see Bapu, police is enforcing compulsory helmet rule, registering cases against violators and collecting fines; majority of violators being the youth.
Bapu: That’s true and good measure towards the safety of bike riders.
Bittoo: But, the children of many police officials and personnel, other government officials and personnel and the politicians rarely honour the helmet rule and often go scot-free. Some of the media persons are also no exception to flouting helmet rule. I think, as parents, they should care for those around them first and foremost. Instead of expecting others to be the first, at least every government employee and their family members should first honour these rules. But, it is very rarely seen.
Therefore, I said charity seldom begins at home Bapu.
Bapu: Hummmmm!
Bittoo: But then, isn’t the police department losing out a substantial amount of revenue by not collecting fines from violations of helmet rule by their own family members Bapu?
Bapu: I don’t know Bittoo.
This is a citizen-centric new column, wherein the author(Bitto) is an ordinary, politically unaffiliated common man of the city who in his/her inimitable approach takes up various issues with the Bapu’s soul! Apparently, the interaction between them portrays ironies of sorts encountered by the common man and others in the city in a lighter vein. The author’s name will not be disclosed to the readers as he/she represents the common man of the society. This column aims at creating awareness and sensitising cross sections of our city on various issues of public concern only but in a lighter vein without holding any contempt against any institution or individual.