I watched this labourer sitting on a feledl tree trunk almost lost in thought. I approached to have conversation with him. Although he spoke initially hesitantly and cautiously, he hastened to tell his story when he knew that I lived in his neighbourhood.
He is a regular loader of timber into trucks to carry them from the garden or forest sites to timber factories. It is after two weeks he got employed today. The timber industry is in a slumber following economic slow down. He supported his family by borrowing from his neighbours and he could no longer do that as repayment looked even more burdensome. He hopes to have work for three days which might be just sufficient for him to tide over this critical period for another two weeks. He choked in between while narrating his story. What shocked me was his question, 'Why did the government spend 85 crores to welcome president Trump in Ahemmedabad when we live starving'! I was speechless. While the extravaganza continued in New Delhi today, many more would go to sleep without their dinner tonight.
I realised that I Am his 'neighbour' at the end of this conversation.
Who is a neighbour in the Good Samaritan story! Not the priest, Levite, but stranger! It is not the Prime Minister or state Chief Ministers who are neighbours to a labourer in distress, but those who see them daily and pass by them!
The wall built in Ahemmedabad of several kilometres from the air port to the city to hide the slums from being seen by president Trump on arrival is the official mindset of our leadership. Hide the less privileged from the main stream. It took some social organisations yesterday to feed those in the slums as they were denied movement outside for two days to provide security for the arriving guests.
So we are the neighbours to others who look sorrowful and feel denied of opportunities!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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