<p class="bodytext">The Karnataka legislature has, once again, demonstrated an ability to elevate a personal inconvenience into a matter of grave public importance. While potholes claim lives, public transport crumbles, and classrooms leak, the House found time to passionately debate the trauma of elected representatives being stopped at toll plazas. The trigger came from Congress legislator S N Subbareddy, who complained that MLAs and MLCs were being “harassed” at toll plazas despite being legally exempt from paying toll charges. The exemption itself is not in dispute. Rule 11 of the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, grants state legislators toll-free passage within their own states upon production of a valid identity card. But the leaders would like to believe that this statutory compliance is an act of malice.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Legislators are entitled to ‘exempted Fastags’, which are recognised by toll plaza readers, allowing vehicles to pass seamlessly without any fee being charged. If the Fastag is inactive or the toll staff suspect that the elected representative is not travelling in the vehicle, they can ask for the identification card issued by the state legislature. These checks are not harassment; they are a response to rampant abuse of exemptions by family members, personal staff, and political freeloaders. For those accustomed to unchecked privilege, accountability feels like an insult. This exposes a deeper malaise – an entrenched VIP racism that treats ordinary citizens as obstacles and equality as an affront. One wonders why a far simpler solution never surfaced in the House. Why not use a regular Fastag and pay like everyone else? The government could easily reimburse the charges or issue annual passes. Even with a standard Fastag, a toll plaza is crossed in mere seconds. But it appears democracy comes under siege when a legislator has to pause for a few seconds behind ordinary motorists.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Predictably, the outrage was palpable across party lines. Opposition leader R Ashoka took the argument further, lamenting the absence of permanently open “VIP lanes” and suggesting that legislators should not be made to wait in line. Speaker U T Khader directed officers to engage with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to address the technical issues. When the NHAI recently reiterated these exemptions, netizens reacted with outrage, questioning why politicians should be treated like kings. But somewhere along the way, legislators seem to have forgotten a basic truth: they are servants of the people, not royalty of a bygone era to demand a fast lane through public life.</p>
<p class="bodytext">The Karnataka legislature has, once again, demonstrated an ability to elevate a personal inconvenience into a matter of grave public importance. While potholes claim lives, public transport crumbles, and classrooms leak, the House found time to passionately debate the trauma of elected representatives being stopped at toll plazas. The trigger came from Congress legislator S N Subbareddy, who complained that MLAs and MLCs were being “harassed” at toll plazas despite being legally exempt from paying toll charges. The exemption itself is not in dispute. Rule 11 of the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, grants state legislators toll-free passage within their own states upon production of a valid identity card. But the leaders would like to believe that this statutory compliance is an act of malice.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Legislators are entitled to ‘exempted Fastags’, which are recognised by toll plaza readers, allowing vehicles to pass seamlessly without any fee being charged. If the Fastag is inactive or the toll staff suspect that the elected representative is not travelling in the vehicle, they can ask for the identification card issued by the state legislature. These checks are not harassment; they are a response to rampant abuse of exemptions by family members, personal staff, and political freeloaders. For those accustomed to unchecked privilege, accountability feels like an insult. This exposes a deeper malaise – an entrenched VIP racism that treats ordinary citizens as obstacles and equality as an affront. One wonders why a far simpler solution never surfaced in the House. Why not use a regular Fastag and pay like everyone else? The government could easily reimburse the charges or issue annual passes. Even with a standard Fastag, a toll plaza is crossed in mere seconds. But it appears democracy comes under siege when a legislator has to pause for a few seconds behind ordinary motorists.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Predictably, the outrage was palpable across party lines. Opposition leader R Ashoka took the argument further, lamenting the absence of permanently open “VIP lanes” and suggesting that legislators should not be made to wait in line. Speaker U T Khader directed officers to engage with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to address the technical issues. When the NHAI recently reiterated these exemptions, netizens reacted with outrage, questioning why politicians should be treated like kings. But somewhere along the way, legislators seem to have forgotten a basic truth: they are servants of the people, not royalty of a bygone era to demand a fast lane through public life.</p>
