On 1 May 2017, when the Modi government officially banned the use of red beacons on vehicles for all dignitaries and government officials, it was a decisive step to curb what can be termed the “VIP culture” or the culture of entitlement. It was a monumental shift aimed at changing mindsets. The ban on the red beacon was the culmination of a process that began in December 2013, when the Apex Court, in a landmark judgement, ruled that the red beacon should be used only by constitutional authorities. The Court described its widespread use as a “menace to society” and a “symbol of Raj mentality.”
While the Supreme Court allowed only a very limited list of dignitaries to retain the beacons, in practice, anyone who could flout the law continued to use them. The Modi government, in one swift stroke, abolished the red beacon for all, including the President, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India, and the Chief Ministers. There would be no exceptions. And there were none. So the policy worked, and thankfully, we no longer see the red beacon. But this has not done away with the “lal batti” culture, which continues to flaunt its ugly head in many ways.
Examples are galore, but let me restrict myself to just two. In May 2022, Sanjeev Khirwar, then posted as Principal Secretary (Revenue) in the Delhi government, and his wife, Rinku Dugga, also an IAS officer, were involved in a major controversy over Thyagaraj Stadium in Delhi. They felt the need to walk their dog and chose the stadium as an appropriate place to exercise the feline. They chose the evening to do so, so at 7 p.m. the stadium was closed to athletes training there. This, of course, was a blatant misuse of authority, but more importantly, it pointed to something more obnoxious—the mindset of entitlement. What made this couple presume that merely because they were in a position of authority, they could use the facilities of the state at their whim and fancy? While this case was highlighted and some action was taken, such instances remain commonplace. Some people consider themselves above the law. They continue to remain unaccountable.
Some years ago, while visiting a government office, I was stopped from taking the lift from the fourth floor. The very polite guard standing there was told to keep it ready for a VIP visitor on the same floor who was leaving shortly after attending a meeting. She arrived about five minutes later, escorted by some underling, and only then could we take the lift. Perhaps she was unaware of what had happened, but the people she was visiting knew. And they felt it was their right to do so. The same story repeats at toll booths, where some, who consider themselves God’s entitled children, feel it beneath their dignity to pay the toll, though the amount be small. In some ways, it reveals an inferiority complex, in which people in power or authority feel compelled to flaunt their status.
Tragically, this is not confined to people in government or politics, but extends to all walks of life. The composer A.R. Rahman, despite achieving fame and fortune in India and abroad, made some very disparaging comments in an interview with the BBC Asian Network, aired on January 14, 2026. In the interview, he suggested that he has received fewer assignments in Bollywood over the past eight years, possibly due to communal biases and shifting power dynamics. “Maybe I didn’t get to know all this stuff,” he said, “but the past eight years, maybe, because the power shift has happened… people who are not creative have the power now to decide things, and this might have been a communal thing also… but not in my face.” He went on to add, “It comes to me as Chinese whispers that they booked you, but the music company went ahead and hired their five composers.” Rahman did not expect a backlash, but when it came, he released a video statement saying his comments had been misunderstood and that he never intended to hurt anyone’s sentiments. What he meant was quite clear, and the apology, if it can be called one, is an afterthought, designed to deflect criticism. But again, it shows the culture of entitlement. The idea that his stature itself demands that assignments be given to him, regardless of the quality of work or the price he quotes.
In 2010, when he was awarded the contract to compose the theme song for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, held in Delhi, his composition “Jiyo Utho Badho Jeeto”, set to lyrics by Prasoon Joshi, failed to resonate with the audience. According to reports, he initially quoted a fee of Rs 15 crore, but after negotiations with the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, the deal was finalised at about Rs 5.5 crore. After his composition flopped, he said that the track was tested mainly on younger listeners, not across all age groups, which he felt contributed to the reaction. But it was precisely the younger generation that rejected the song. His sense of entitlement and perceived greatness made it difficult for him to look inwards, so the blame naturally fell on the public, which, in his mind, could not appreciate good music. But it was the same audience that had elevated some of his other works to stardom.
The recent tragic loss of a 27-year-old software engineer, Yuvraj Mehta, on the night of January 16-17, 2026, when his SUV skidded off the road in dense fog and plunged into a deep, waterfilled construction pit in Sector 150, Greater Noida, is yet another example of people in government who are never held accountable. The pit was part of an under-construction site and lacked proper barricades, warning lights and reflectors, making it nearly invisible in the fog. After the crash, Mehta climbed onto the roof of his submerged car and pleaded for help for nearly two hours, but help eluded him.
This issue has hit the headlines and sparked public outrage, and in this case, someone may be held accountable. But such instances are commonplace across the country. Unfilled potholes, exposed electrical wires, non-existent signage in critical areas, and a host of other issues that should be routinely addressed but aren’t, is sadly the norm.
As Bharat rightly strives for greatness, and the target for a Viksit Bharat is set for 1947, a change in mindset is required. The culture of entitlement must go, and people must be held accountable for their actions. That is the first step towards greatness.
Dhruv C. Katoch, who retired from the Indian Army, is Director, India Foundation.
