The remark of a Member of Parliament (MP) that a pilot is nothing but 'glorified driver' has led to an outcry from various quarters including the pilot's organisation.The conduct of the MPs and our leaders is often disgraceful. But hasn't the pilots' organisation gone overboard in its reaction and their plan to file defamation suit. What defamation? Is being a driver, a disgraceful thing?
Doesn't a driver earn his living respectfully. When it comes to politicians we are cynical and love to brand them as uncouth but it is a social problem in this nation that jobs are considered good or bad depending on how fat your pay packet is.
The Kerala MP Abdul Wahab should be taken to task if he did something wrong or flouted any law. But it is utterly unacceptable if somebody feels that a driver's job is not respectable. Hindustaniat believes in equality of every individual and strongly opposed any discrimination on the basis of class.
Pilots like Rajat Rana should also shed their arrogance. Thousands of drivers in India are graduates and numerous pilots have just the basic qualification required for pilot (it is a mere intermediate/XII).Of course, money is needed to get the licence and that makes it a so-called elite job where the sons of the rich often try their luck. The Indian Commercial Pilot Association must ignore the issue as it will be more graceful.
