Shoe is on the other foot

The "privileged few" are not always lucky. Ask residents of Patna’s Kautilya Nagar and they will tell you so. For, the recent spate of thefts in this colony of ultra-influential people has made them aware that thieves do not care who they target, be it the aam janta who are promised law and security by the legislators or the legislators themselves.

Why this reference to lawmakers? Because, at Kautilya Nagar – a privileged residential colony for the influential – only legislators can purchase land. Already, more than 250 lawmakers have built their houses in the periphery of the colony, named after Kautilya or the great Chanakya, the ultimate Indian teacher, philosopher and royal advisor who authored the unbeatable Arthasastra and was the brain behind the rise of the Maurya dynasty in ancient India. The loyal adviser to King Chandragupta Maurya was known to have lived a simple and austere life, shunning the pomp and pageantry of his high position. According to historical references, India's answer to Machiavelli guided the robust Mauryan Empire from a small cottage on the banks of the Ganga on the fringes of Pataliputra (now Patna).

For today’s Kautilyas – the legislators – humble abodes are a thing of the past. Forgotten is the ancient wisdom that amatyas (ministers) should lead a simple life for the masses to follow. At Kautilya Nagar, the ministers seem to been in a race to outdo one another in their show of opulence, as intricate windows and adapted jharokhas, designer gates, massive carved doors of the best granite available and beautifully landscaped and designed gardens show.

Even in the choice of the vehicles the netas have here, blatant display of luxury, the best money can buy, is quite aparent.

No wonder then that the opulent residents fall prey to thieves and robbers. This is in spite of the posse of guards they employ. As the number of robberies rise – at least 81 such incidents have been recorded in the last one-and-a half years – Kautilya Nagar has lost its peace of mind and sense of security.

Terrorised, ministers, MLAs and other influential people residing here have had to sit on a dharna in front of the Vidhan Sabha, protesting against the lawkeepers’ inaction in this regard.

Perhaps the thieves can be complimented on one aspect that unifies them. They do not differentiate among their victims, they do not seem to have any bias in choosing their targets. Be it a Union or a state leader – all are equal in the eyes of thieves.

If one day (or night) they chose to break into the fort-like residence of former Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, another time they tried to drive away in the vehicle of former Rajasthan governor Kailash Pati Mishra. Even the houses of former MLAs Ishtiyak Ahmed and Hari Har Prasad, veteran Communist leader Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi and former minister Brajkishore Singh have not been spared.

According to Kautilya Nagar resident and former minister Gajendra Prasad Himanshu, “Some houses have been targeted twice (by the thieves) in a month.” Himanshu, who is also the secretary of the colony, is an angry man and alleges police inaction. He seethes: "The police have done nothing. No breakthrough has been registered. Consequently, thieves feel encouraged and are targeting houses here, one by one."

Himanshu’s concerns are justified, as the spate of robberies show. Apart from the incidents mentioned above, thieves tried to steal a high-end vehicle parked in front of his house but did not succeed. In another case, when thieves failed to start the personal vehicle of former Union Minister Raghu Nath Jha, they fled with its wheels – hub, tyre, rim, et al.
“Many legislators here do not have personal vehicles for fear of being robbed,” says BJP worker Parshuram Chatuvedi.

Former MLA Rameshwar Sahani’s house has been burgled not once, but twice, in a month. Interestingly, Sahani’s son Mukesh is a "history sheeter" – police parlance for a repeat offender. As per police records, Mukesh has been booked several times and has done time in jail in connection with cases of theft and loot.

The spate of robberies, loot and theft has reached such an extent that residents are now deserting Kautilya Nagar for a safer place. Former MLA Gauri Shankar Nagdansh claimed he has taken his concerns of lack of security here to officials but all his pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

When asked, Senior Superintendent of police Amrit Raj said: “The local police have been directed to intensify patrolling. Midnight patrolling is on. Very soon, some measures would be taken to provide them proper security. A police picket will also be opened in the locality.”

SN Sahi, in-charge of the Hawai Adda Police Station, added: "The police are doing their duty. We have formed a special team to check these incidents.”

Intriguingly, even as the Kautilya Nagar residents clamour for security, at a meeting held recently, they have opposed police presence in the colony.

One wonders though, what is it that the residents here have to hide? Perhaps, it’s their lavish lifestyle that makes them defensive, even while seeking security for themselves. On the splendid houses in Kautilya Nagar, former MLA Babloo Dev says, “Almost all the houses and vehicles here are financed by banks.”

Standing beside him, a minister’s PA puts in his two bit – that the name of the colony should be changed from Kautilya Nagar to Charvakya Nagar, as “almost everything here is on loan”. While Kautilya advised against loans, Charvakya, another ancient Indian philosopher, was all for it. "Eat, drink and be merry" even if it is with borrowed money was the ancient sage's motto.

A socialist leader, who did not wish to be named, says: “There seems to be a competition here on who builds a more lavish house than his neighbour. See the house of Subhash Yadav, a former MP and close relative of ex-Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav. It has every modern, state-of-the-art equipment installed.”

The mounting cases of theft at Kautilya Nagar seems to be a Catch 22 situation for all – the residents who want security, but are not sure as to how far they can let the lawkeepers in their parlours, lest they undo the lid from their personal lives; the armies of servants, domestic help and personnel security men here who seem to have failed in their vigil; and of course the police, who seem to either not done enough or are at their wits' end on how to secure all-important residents here without intruding in their lives.

Whatever be the case, one thing is clear: for once, the shoe is definitely on the other foot.