Forbidden

Cable Television was already introduced, but it was still the luxury of limited wealthy section of the society and the remaining people were pretty much satisfied with our very own Doordarshan. During our schooldays, we noticed those huge dish antenna's in some wealthy colonies and even at the terrace of some fat cats of our town. I think I was in my 7th or 8th standard, when cable connection came to a colony very near to our house. Well, it was a good business opportunity for some of the unemployed youths of our locality. We were pretty much excited with that, but the cable guys were not ready to extend their business to our territory. They said that there were very few houses  in our area and they had to pull a huge cable. The installation cost would be much more and also it would have been very difficult for them to maintain. But most of the people didn’t want to miss that opportunity, especially grownup kids like us, the house wives and particularly few young uncles. Ultimately it was being decided that the cable connection would come to our region and everyone supposed to share the installation cost.

But there was a slight problem, we had a lawyer neighbor and he was not at all interested for the cable connection. He used to say "Watching TV is HARAM", but he already had a TV at his house and his entire family enjoyed Chitrahaar and the Sunday evening movies on Doordarshan. 

When the cable guys tried to pressurize him he said "Bro, first of all I shouldn't have kept TV at my house, but unfortunately my wife and kids can’t live without it. Now you guys asking me to take cable connection? Aur kitna paap karwawoge mujhse? how many more sins you guys would ask me to do?

Later, somehow they were able to convince the lawyer and finally he took the cable connection. After few days, their business progressed and they were blessed with many more new connections. In order to continue their good quality of service, the cable guys needed to put some amplifiers. After some research, they identified that the lawyer’s house was the best place to put an amplifier. The guys discussed that with the lawyer, but he was not at all interested with the idea. He was quite upset that out of so many houses, they targeted his house only. He said that the amplifier would require power and that would have increased his electricity bill. The guys said that it’s just an amplifier and it wouldn’t have consumed more power than a transistor. They tried to convince him that his electricity bill wouldn’t have increased, even by 10-15 rupees per month for that amplifier. 

But the lawyer was adamant and said "Aree Bhai, watching TV is HARAM and on top of that, I already took cable connection. I am doing a big sin by watching cable TV and now you guys want me to put an amplifier at my house. That would only mean, indirectly I would be spreading this sin far and wide. I’m already a Paapi and you guys are determined to make me Maha Paapi."

The cable guys had a hard time for few more days and later they came up with a proposal. They asked the lawyer "Please allow us to put an amplifier at your residence and we would give you a discount of Rs 25 on your cable bill for every month."

Even though the lawyer initially hesitated, but ultimately he agreed on that.