In a rare way to protest against rampant corruption, mismanagement and civic apathy, residents of Bihar's Gaya district played a
been (snake charmers' flute) before a buffalo near various government offices.
The protest is inspired by the Hindi proverb:
Bhains ke aage been bajao, bhains pagurae (Play your flute before a buffalo, he only masticates apathetically).
"We have made an effort to show that the concerned officials managing the affairs of Gaya are like the proverbial buffalo that chews cud
ignoring the flute being played before it," said Brijnandan Pathak, convenor of the citizen forum Parbudh Nagrik Manch, which is spearheading this anti-corruption campaign.
Pathak said that lakhs of Gaya residents are facing power shortages. "The roads are in a bad shape and the town is stinking with garbage accumulating all over," he added.
Local residents complain that the power situation has remained dismal for years and they have continued to suffer. Most residents have been forced to opt for lanterns, lamps or battery-operated