On the ground covering events as a journalist, one comes across a number of ‘Behind the Scence’ anecdotes, amusing, funny and some serious ones. Here’s an amusing BTS experienced the other day!

The occasion was the inauguration of extension of Aqua Line 3 from Kotak BKC to Acharya Atre Chowk, Mumbai’s first underground Metro rail. The VIP duo of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister along with the entire top echelons of Maharashtra’s bureaucrats accompanied them. The inaugural ride included a ride on the train midway till Siddhivinayak station and then a media briefing there by both before dispersal.

As the media following and gathered around the VIP duo who were briefing on various issues and replying queries, the top babus from CMO and other teams grouped in another quiet corner, not many recognising them, merrily chatting up. As their conversations got deeper and louder amid guffaws, a lady police inspector disturbed by their loud laughs and chats, tried to and shush them multiple times, but finding them going on and on finally approached closer to the group and blurted out louder shushes.

We, standing around, tried to tell the cop that the men standing in simple bush shirts were top secretary level and OSD officials, but the cop retorted back at us… CM saheb bolat ahet, tyana kalala pahije. (They should understand, the CM briefing is on). We tried to tell her that they were also from the CM team and it was not appropriate to shush them like this and they were more responsible to understand all this, and also that it all goes against the protocol..But determined as she was, she said…tyanche pan saheb ahet na..tyana kalala pahije. (He is their boss too, they should understand) and walked away. Amusing how a lowly police official ended up rapping the Mantralaya top shots! Ignorance is bliss.