How My Water Supply Was Disconnected Since April 5,2002

Kanti Rajan,
109, Mount Santoshi Apartments,
Mayuri Marg, Begumpet 500 016.

Tel: 776 15 79. April 5, 2002

The Commissioner of Police,
Hyderabad A.P.

Sub: Collusion of Inspector, Begumpet Police Station with criminal vigilante behaviour of so-called Mount Santoshi Apartments Owners Association.

Sir,

I am a former teacher of the Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet, who after 20 years of impeccable service, founded a pioneering Early Childhood Education Centre which is rendering sterling service to young parents of the twin cities, since the past six years.(Re:Appendices)

My father is one of the first actuaries that India produced and he retired as an Executive Director of the Life Insurance Corporation. He is also a holder of the Tamra Patra since was arrested during our country”s freedom struggle. I am proud to state I come from a family has rendered excellent service to society in areas as varied as classical Indian music, to Himalayan mountaineering.

I have lived in apartments for a large portion of my life in Bombay, where several Bharat Ratnas and other eminent personalities have visited our home and where we were also neighbours and friends to the illustrious Mangeshkars, especially our beloved Lataji.

My son Shri Divakar S Natarajan, is an eminent film maker whose documentary “Hyderabad. August 1948” has been nationally acknowledged as succeeding in creating a feeling of “revulsion against waste caused by violence and irrationality”. His film is credited with having revivified the national memory of the heroism of Shoebullah Khan and other brave Muslims who risked their lives and reputations to stand up to the mob hysteria and pathological conformism of those times in order to lead people on a constructive path.

Shri Divakar’s work and his effective contribution for the cause of cyclone relief has also been warmly acknowledged by our Hon’ble Chief Minister.

Several other eminent personalities, including former Home Minister Shri Indrajit Gupta and Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao have also testified to Shri Divakar’s decade long,individual, non political satyagraha against corruption.(Re: Appendices)


Sir, I have had to provide you with the above lengthy introduction, not with a view to gain any special consideration – the criminality of our neighbours’ vigilante action is clearly evidenced by their own “notice” - in reality, a threat and defamation - but to provide a compelling context to the utter irrationality, violence and the ultimate self-destructive nature of their actions – this seen in the larger context of a great, traumatized nation, struggling to fulfill its potential.


This larger context is necessary, for in the unabating, irrational, unprovoked venality and hatred of a few of our “well educated” neighbours, their raging power lust even in as trivial and personal a matter as the running of a apartment maintenance society, in the dumb acquiescence of others, in their practiced penchant for using the law without any respect for its tenets and in the aggressive collusion of officers of the law in this mob criminality, I see in microcosm, the pathologies of, what I would call the “old ways” that have horrified, shamed, stunted and leeched our self perception and self confidence from the times of Partition to now in burning Gujarat.

My family and I have always conducted ourselves in the “new way”. We have invested our creative energies, and unfortunately suffered some pain, loss and humiliation, because of our limitless faith in the tenets and values of a democracy – respect for the dignity and autonomy of the individual, checks and balances, rule of law and due process. Because despite all the dismal and horrifying evidence, we believe, this is the only way , the only discipline, through we will achieve and develop our full human potential as citizens and emerge as a great and productive nation.

The Case.

Around 12.30pm yesterday,fourth April, my grand daughter, who is very busy studying for her crucial 12th standars examinations and a few Common Entrance Tests, heards the sound of somebody hammering against the kitchen wall. She found the Shri G Anandam ,President of the society in the company of Shri Chawla another resident , directing a plumber to break our water line. She alerted my son, who warned them of the criminality of their assault and requested them to take recourse to the proper judicial process to make their case. Since, they did not stop, my son appealed to the plumber, asking him , “If somebody pays you money to hit somebody, will you do it ?”

The plumber realized he seriousness of the situation and stopped. But he was being hectored and threatened by the others. My son now called the Begumpet police station , but was advised to wait till 4pm, since there was nobody at the station. Apparently most of the men had been called for bandobust for the visiting Indonesian President.

Undeterred my son called your office, and was given a polite hearing, immediately thereafter a jeep load of policemen, headed by the sub inspector, came to the house, conducting themselves with exquisite and inspiring courtesy, they surveyed the damage read the incriminating notice, agreed that there was no justification for anybody to take the law into their own hands and finally advised my son to give a written complaint at the police station, which my son agreed to do.

Seeing the police arriving in strength, both Shri Anandam and Shri Chawla made themselves scarce. My son decided not to press the issue at that point.

However, in the evening my son noticed that the water supply to the flat that commences at 5.30 pm was not commencing.

At this time he called the Inspector at the Begumpet police station, who rudely told him to “co operate “ with the Association, he mentioned that he had received a complaint from the Association three days earlier, and advised my son to pay up the spurious “dues” allegedly owed by me.

My son now called the ACP , Begumpet and was given a polite hearing. The ACP asked him to speak to the Inspector after a delay of a few minutes.

However, my son was not optimistic of a better response, given the earlier definite and prejudiced reaction of the inspector, and so called your office for help. Given the urgency of the situation , he was advised to meet the ACP personally. However, the ACPs tone had changed. The ACP was rude and provocative, confirmed that the Inspector had received a prior notice of intended criminal activity from the Association. He too advised my son to “cooperate”. He refused to give my son a proper hearing.

He also threatened that if we did not heed the ACPs advice, we would no longer be able to live in our apartment. I must mention that this is my own flat purchased from my own savings and income.

Also till the time of writing this complaint, 10.30 am of 5th April, there is no water supply to our flat.


Background.


Sir, I am deeply saddened, this so called “notice’ issued by the Association, is the first irrefutable evidence their ten year long campaign of hatred against me and my family.

This is because in my own interest as a flat owner and also in accordance to my beliefs, I have attempted to take an active part in the Association and have strenuously objected to the uncouth ways of some of its members. I have also sought to to discuss, some of the several malfeasances of the Association.

Since my participation was proving counterproductive, I have had no option but to dissociate myself from its activities however, I continued to pay the maintenance fees. Since even this was raised to an exorbitant amount, I stopped doing so. I had no choice.

In the meanwhile , a coterie has formed, that has sought to, ostracize us and has used every opportunity to vilify , defame and humiliate us. Some of the members have even threatened my son’s life.

However, since we have had little irrefutable evidence, and it was our word against some other ethically confused neighbours, we have had no choice but to put up with this humiliation.

Inferences:

* The Association’s contempt and lack of confidence in the due process of the law is clearly evidenced by its circular and its threatened action. Lacking any legal sanction , the Association’s action can only be characterized as uncivil,’mob’ action.

* By his own admission, the Inspector, Begumpet police station , had received notice of the Association’s intentions. It is unclear why the Inspector took cognizance of a civil matter.

* Even afterwards he did not make any attempt to ascertain my side of the matter. He even appears to have accepted the spurious claim of Rs 26,150/- made by the Association and has urged my son to pay up or face the consequences.

* Unfortunately, the ACP also, contradicted himself and merely mirrored his subordinate’ s illegal position and threatened my son .


Sir, given the dismal and horrifying news that appears in the press day after day, and given our own active and constructive lives , I am constrained to view the incidents narrated above with the utmost gravity.

As such I urge you to take forceful action under the law, so as to nip any unfortunate consequences in the bud.

Immediately, I would like my water supply restored, and Association educated about following the due process of the law.

Sincerely,

Kanti Rajan, MA B Ed.