August 27, 2004
Delhi WiFi costs more if you're whiteIssues
The Delhi airports just got wireless Internet access today for Rs. 60/hour at the domestic airport. But if you’re (wink, wink) at the international airport, you pay the more princely sum of Rs. 100. It’s a subtle way to soak foreigners, just like the higher tourist fee for foreigners at the Taj Mahal.
What constitutes a foreigner, exactly? What about a Canadian desi who’s an Indian citizen and, just to throw the game off, has an Amrikan accent? Entire genres of literature have been written on these shades of sepia.
And nothing makes consumers see red like discriminatory pricing. It puts off visitors and marks a country as Third World in mentality. In contrast, it’s precisely the U.S.’ tolerant atmosphere that siren-songs the global wunderkind. The number of Americans happily working in India is just starting to increase. For some short-term revenue, you’d mortgage your country’s economic future?
manish on August 27, 2004 06:40 PM in Issues · T·r·a·c·k·b·a·c·k address · Direct link · Email post
Well, I have an incident to share.
Way back in 1994,one of My Grandfather's friend, Dr.David Baker,an Australian by birth, but living in India as a Professor of History at St.Stephens, New Delhi for more than 40 years, and now an Indian Citizen, travelled to my hometown, Rewa in Madhya Pradesh in connection of reserach work for a book he was writing on the history of Baghelkhand. He was staying put at a hotel that was barely 1 kilometer form our place.
One day, when we had gone together to some place and he wanted to return, we called for a rickshaw for him to go back to his hotel which was again about 1.25 Kms away.
This guy, the rickshaw-wallah tells that he would charge 50 bucks for the same. We both were stunned. "How come?"- I asked- "Have you gone nuts? The rate is of 5 bucks and you are asking for 50?"
He says-" Agar aap jaate to utna hi lagta. Lekin in Angarezon ne humein bahut loota hai. Ab hamari baari hai. Main to pachhas he loonga!"
(Were you coming with me, it would be 5 bucks only, but these whites have plundered our country so much. It's our turn now. I will charge him 50 bucks)
Now, Mr Baker knew hindi very well and he was in guffaws. He told the rickshaw puller- "Arre bhai! Mere rand par mat jao. Main bhi tumhare desh ka hi hoon!"
(O Brother! Don't consider my Colour, I too belong to your country only!
The poor guy rickshaw-wallah was amazed. He then agreed for 5 bucks and transported Mr.Baker to his abode.
The news item you've mentioned says Rs 100 at the international airport - nothing to do with skin colour. Therefore, if you were a Canadian desi with an American accent at the international airport you'd pay Rs 100. And if you were a white British man at the domestic airport you'd pay Rs 50.
Unless you're privy to more information I think you're extrapolating a tad!
This is true every where in India. However you are mixing up two things. WI FI charge is more at the International terminal for both from India and foreign tourists. In some places like Hotels etc the charge is diferent for the non indian citizens. It does not depend on skin color.