#014 WHAT IS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SKY AND LAND?

Here is a joke, courtesy "All India Radio."

B1 = A school boy. B2 = His classmate who happens to be a minister's son.

B1: What is the difference between a drought and a flood?

B2: Same as the difference between a sky and the land.

B1: How is it? Explain.

B2: My father visits affected places by car to promise relief to people, when there is a drought. He surveys affected places by helicopter when there is a flood.

MY COMMENT
Indian politicians know only helicopters, special planes and cars (when unavoidable).
Messrs. Y. Rajasekhara Reddy (former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh), Madhav Rao Sindhia (former Central Minister), G.M.C. Balayogi (Former Lok Sabha Speaker) were some of the politicians who died using the choppers.

The State of Andhra Pradesh, recently experienced, one of the worst floods of a Century. Organisations and people poured funds to aid the victims. At least, half of it would have gone the drain.

The politicians have a pretext to use helicopters and special planes:-- the flood relief operations will be disturbed, as officials spend their time attending on the VIPs. This does not mean that they will not visit places they want, to please the businessmen and industrialists who are their supporters. A kidney patient died, as he was denied admission to the emergency ward of a multi speciality hospital, obstructed by the PM's security personnel.

The preference will be for helicopters, other things remaining equal. For example, the Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chauhan and the Central Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel used special planes to visit the Godman Satya Sai Baba. Using special planes is also a special way of serving the poor people.