Tuesday, May 24, 2005

PCC Continued:

Went to see Mr. R to find out why my file wasn’t sent to passport office.

V (Viji): "You promised me that you will send my file within a week to passport office".
R: "Yes. I told. But, Mr. C is not happy; looks like you have not given him anything".
V: "I gave him perfumes and cigarettes too".
R: " He just needs money".
[This question whether this greedy man(R) took everything or C really refused them is still a mystery to me.] Mr. C came inside the room.

V: "How much should I give?"
R: "You decide that madam".
[I opened my handbag and took out some Rupee notes and they panicked]

R: “not like this, not like this...”
R said to C: "As she is a lady, she might not have had these kinds of experiences before". (Of course I didn’t have)
R gave a file to me and said: "Keep the money inside the file and bring it back" (I did so).

After a week also file didn’t move. Went again to meet Mr. R, the man in-charge of letting people inside (security officer) really had something against me. Every time he tries to stop me (but finally fails).

R said that he had sent the file to the dispatch section people and he cant help further. Hmm.Hmm.

Due to pressure from the Belgium Branch, HR person from our company “Mr. M” accompanied me to the Commissioner’s office. He bragged that “he and the Commissioner were real good friends, most of the people in Hyderabad knew him, he was a popular (country level) Tennis champion 20 years ago, cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin is his relative, he was the first one to own a imported bike in Hyderabad those days and also about his trips to other countries to play tennis by ferry (as flights were not used much those days).

While Mr. M was parking his car, I tried to get inside the office; as usual my friend didn’t let me in. Then Mr. M came in, he didn’t let both of us go inside (we kept waiting outside, like school kids who were punished). We stood there nearly for 25mins. I started wondering what Mr. M is up to (does he really know anyone here etc, etc)

Three officers in uniform (everyone were getting up and saluting them) were passing by. At the sight of Mr. M, they came running towards him “Sir, Aaapp…Aaapp…why are u standing here sir, you should have just called us, etc.,” and scolded my friend who didn’t let us in. He then saluted Mr. M as well(i learnt how to be very patient from Mr. M)obviously our work was done that day. They asked me to visit them again in the afternoon to collect the dispatch number.


In the afternoon, Mr. M abandoned me (as that was just the matter of collecting the dispatch number), so I went alone. This man out of frustration started shouting at me "Madam, what do u think? Do you think I will be scared and let you go inside if you bring big personalities? Even if Vajpayee (that time Prime minister) comes along with you, I will not be afraid”. I just smiled at him and went inside.

After two days, Mr. M met the passport officer in passport office and within 2-3 hours finally I got my PCC on hand. I really laugh out loud when I think about my PCC experience
.