Bangalore: If the entire parliament was yelling their guts out and were at variance on the issue of FDI which made the parliament witness a logjam, the Parliament privileges committee thought it was wise that they work when everyone else dint. So they diligently come up with a report on Wednesday that the status of the MPs has to be upgraded and MP cars should enjoy the red light beacons on their cars.

The report said, "Due courtesies and regard are not being shown to MPs by Government officers. A large number of complaints received by the Lok Sabha Secretariat from members of the Lok Sabha regarding protocol violations is a testimony of this malice." The report also demanded the Highway Ministry to send a notification under Central Motor Vehicles Act to permit the use of red lights on vehicles of MPs. If the permission is given then they will about 800 MPs who will enjoy the red beacon cars. If the red beacon cars are given would that not be a red menace in the city? It will not only be a menace by a threat as well. Since the red beacon light is to indicate someone who is very important and is recognized by the government, few cops dare to stop and check the vehicles.

This becomes a danger when criminals and maybe even terrorists could use the red light to camouflage. Also some of the people though they are high profile are not allowed to use this amenity but being immune to any scrutiny, politicians, bureaucrats and others flout the rules with impunity. While the traffic police says it's trying to rein in the violators, the fact that only 91 prosecutions for illegally using red beacons happened till March 3 this year - and none was booked in the corresponding period last year - speaks volumes. Traffic cops claim that owners of such vehicles, when prosecuted, use their clout to get away reports Indrani Basu for TOI.