In front of the imposing five star hotel on the busy Avanashi Road, a group of some fifty people were shouting slogans, vociferously, demanding to reduce rates. The man who was making more noise than the others seemed to be their leader. He was dressed in white and he had a swagger mixed with a slight dose of stupidity. He called himself the President of Hotel Customers of Rural India and declared that they could not afford to pay Rs.10,000 as rent for a single day for a single room. I approached him, unable to understand his logic.
“Mr. President” I said, “What is your objection to five star hotels charging high?”
“How can poor people afford such high rates?” he said.
“Nobody invited them to stay in five star hotels.”
“In the govt dormitories, the daily rate is Rs.100/- per head. These hotelwallahs are actually highway robbers. Think of the average citizens.”
“Listen to me. Who asked them to go to a five star hotel and complain that the rates are high.”
“You miss the point” he said. “The govt has fixed the rates for all hotels. But the management of this hotel refuses to implement them.”
“Go to a hotel you can afford.” I said, knowing that the govt had not fixed rates for hotels, five star or zero star.
“There are no facilities there. We demand this hotel reduces its tariff and make it affordable to us.”
“They can’t provide good facilities if the rates are low.”
“This management has built several five star hotels and they are wallowing in money. How did they do it? They fleece the customers.”
“Answer me, Mr. President, if the rates are exorbitant here and if you cannot afford them, go to a hotel that suits you.”
“You know this Hotel has betrayed the people?”
“My God! In what way?”
“They have taken huge loans from nationalized banks but have failed to repay.”
“The banks have to worry about it. How does it affect you?”
“The bank’s money is poor people’s savings. This Hotel built with poor people’s savings caters to the rich.”
“You are impossible.”
“We will organize a hartal in front of the Hotel tomorrow. We will make them obey govt rules.”
“Are they flouting govt rules?”
“Their tariff is 500 times more than the govt run hotels.”
“They are five star. They are meant for the filthy rich who can afford them.”
“You think we don’t deserve to enjoy its comforts?”
“You can, provided you agree to their tariff.”
“I say their rates are high.”
“Then don’t go near them.”
“Last week my friend Kuppan came to the city with 500 rupees in his pocket and wanted to stay here. They turned him out. He had fits sleeping under a tree in front of the hotel.”
“My God!”
“Another boy who had lost his father recently came looking for a job and they did not allow him to stay here because he had only 500 rupees. How can you remain cool when your own people are insulted day in and day out.”
I was about to break down when somebody from inside called him. “I will be back soon” he said and went in.
A neighbor who has been listening to us intervened.
“You waste your time arguing with him. He has his own political compulsions.”
“How could one be so stupid?”
“He has been called in by the Manager. Money will change hands and he will come out to ask his political buddies to disperse.”
“How can he convince them after all this rhetoric?”
“He will assure the crowd that the management has agreed to reduce the tariff as soon as the MD arrives from Bombay.”
“There is no MD in Bombay and he will never arrive, right?”
“Of course. Nobody will keep tabs on MD’s arrival and departure. His volunteers have several other demonstrations to hold. They are well paid. The President has earned his day’s wages and he will go back home with a silk saree for his wife.”
“I never knew democracy has taken such deep roots in our soil”.
“Mr. President” I said, “What is your objection to five star hotels charging high?”
“How can poor people afford such high rates?” he said.
“Nobody invited them to stay in five star hotels.”
“In the govt dormitories, the daily rate is Rs.100/- per head. These hotelwallahs are actually highway robbers. Think of the average citizens.”
“Listen to me. Who asked them to go to a five star hotel and complain that the rates are high.”
“You miss the point” he said. “The govt has fixed the rates for all hotels. But the management of this hotel refuses to implement them.”
“Go to a hotel you can afford.” I said, knowing that the govt had not fixed rates for hotels, five star or zero star.
“There are no facilities there. We demand this hotel reduces its tariff and make it affordable to us.”
“They can’t provide good facilities if the rates are low.”
“This management has built several five star hotels and they are wallowing in money. How did they do it? They fleece the customers.”
“Answer me, Mr. President, if the rates are exorbitant here and if you cannot afford them, go to a hotel that suits you.”
“You know this Hotel has betrayed the people?”
“My God! In what way?”
“They have taken huge loans from nationalized banks but have failed to repay.”
“The banks have to worry about it. How does it affect you?”
“The bank’s money is poor people’s savings. This Hotel built with poor people’s savings caters to the rich.”
“You are impossible.”
“We will organize a hartal in front of the Hotel tomorrow. We will make them obey govt rules.”
“Are they flouting govt rules?”
“Their tariff is 500 times more than the govt run hotels.”
“They are five star. They are meant for the filthy rich who can afford them.”
“You think we don’t deserve to enjoy its comforts?”
“You can, provided you agree to their tariff.”
“I say their rates are high.”
“Then don’t go near them.”
“Last week my friend Kuppan came to the city with 500 rupees in his pocket and wanted to stay here. They turned him out. He had fits sleeping under a tree in front of the hotel.”
“My God!”
“Another boy who had lost his father recently came looking for a job and they did not allow him to stay here because he had only 500 rupees. How can you remain cool when your own people are insulted day in and day out.”
I was about to break down when somebody from inside called him. “I will be back soon” he said and went in.
A neighbor who has been listening to us intervened.
“You waste your time arguing with him. He has his own political compulsions.”
“How could one be so stupid?”
“He has been called in by the Manager. Money will change hands and he will come out to ask his political buddies to disperse.”
“How can he convince them after all this rhetoric?”
“He will assure the crowd that the management has agreed to reduce the tariff as soon as the MD arrives from Bombay.”
“There is no MD in Bombay and he will never arrive, right?”
“Of course. Nobody will keep tabs on MD’s arrival and departure. His volunteers have several other demonstrations to hold. They are well paid. The President has earned his day’s wages and he will go back home with a silk saree for his wife.”
“I never knew democracy has taken such deep roots in our soil”.