Flashed across my television screen were images of multiple herds of migrant workers from across the country walking along with their families from cities back to their native villages. These were people who had shifted to cities in search of work and livelihood. But now with the lockdown in place and with all avenues of earning coming to a halt, they had no other option but to revert back to their native places where they still feel a sense of belonging even though it may not have much to offer. And to make their plight and peril even more dramatic, they had to walk on foot hundreds of miles as all sorts of transport had been abruptly suspended. Among the many herds of people walking back to their native villages were even pregnant women and toddlers who had not even learnt to walk confidently yet. And what makes this gory sight even more heart-wrenching and painful is the fact that these people, though poor and marginalized, were hardworking and laborious people who believed in eating by working. Thus even though they are a marginalized and down-trodden lot, they are the real heartbeat and driving force behind all economic activities and transactions from the lowest to the highest. And now, they face a bleak and uncertain future for no fault of theirs.
As they walked the long journey back home on foot under the unrelenting and scorching heat with their earthly belongings on their heads and shoulders and their young ones at their knees and feet struggling to keep pace, media persons with mikes in hand and cameras tried to stop them and get some stories out of them. Though some of them were courteous enough to slow down and mutter some audible voices to the waiting journalists and media people, most were not interested in sharing their stories because they had no time to spare as they had a long and uncertain journey in front of them. They probably also knew that the media people would not be able to do much to lighten their burden or end their misery and plight. As they walked the long journey back home, the frustration, the desperation, the anger, the uncertainties and the tears were all too visible to ignore.
Viewing these images on my television screen while sitting comfortably on my sofa at home made me emotional and provoked deep thinking in me. I had no affinity whatsoever with these people. They do not belong to my race, my religion, my culture or my tribe. But I felt for them and wept with them emotionally because they are also human beings made in the image of the Almighty. I felt for them and could identify with them because they were hardworking people who had gone to the cities in search of work and livelihood so that they could feed themselves and their families and provide a decent life for their children.
Most of these migrant workers would be Hindus and Muslims. There might have been some amongst them from other faiths also but it was clear that majority were non-Christians. But whatever their faith and religion, I would say that the first and real god of these people is ‘Work’. Yes, these people literally worship their ‘work’. They all believe that ‘work is worship’. Working from sunrise till sunset is a way of life and culture for them. To eat without working is unthinkable and unimaginable for them. They went to the cities and hubs for the sole purpose of working and so, if the cities and hubs can no longer offer them work, the cities had become like deserts without water for them. This is the spirit of these migrants which is admirable and praiseworthy.
India is a country with a population of over 137 crores. And out of this, the migrant workers constitute a very gigantic and critical part of its workforce. And without the contribution, inputs and activities of the migrant workers, every sector of the Indian economy is sure to be crippled and handicapped. And so today as this most critical and indispensible part of our workforce faces an insurmountable and unprecedented challenge, fears of reverberations from this phenomenon loom large over our horizon.
And what could be the reverberations or aftershocks that could result out from the plight, peril and frustration of these migrant workers who are now left with no work and no means of livelihood. They are ready to work but there is no work for them. But they still have to eat and they still have a family to feed. And therefore the level of frustration and aggravation would keep building up in the days to come. A person may be gentle, civilized and sociable when there is still food in his stomach. But the truth is that an empty stomach can never reason or see logic and this is where the real danger and hazard lie. And therefore if stomachs are not fed, there is sure to be a backlash and a venting of anger and frustration in one way or the other.
Today, if there is to be a civil war in our country, from where do you think it will erupt? I am sure it will not erupt from our high mansions or majestic buildings where many are living in comfort and luxury. I am also sure that it will not erupt from people who are still getting their salaries uninterrupted. I am also sure that it will not erupt from people who can still buy and hoard essentials and necessities for months or even years. I am also 100% sure that it will not erupt from people who have become accustomed to eating without working.
But today, if there is to be a civil war, it will be started by people who are willing to work but cannot find work. It will erupt from people who are hungry and cannot find food. It will be started by people who are not accustomed to eating without working. If there is to be a civil war today, it will not erupt in our high mansions, majestic buildings or posh colonies where many are still living in comfort and luxury. But it will start in our streets, slums and marginalized colonies where the level of frustration and cynicism is growing day by day.
We have all heard and read about bloody revolutions wherein the rich and well-do-to were attacked and uprooted by the long suppressed and subjugated lot in the society who could no longer bear the brunt of the injustice and deprivation and finally rose in unison to create a new societal order. Today we face a potential similar situation as the government fails to tackle the aftermath of the covid-19 episode that has put millions of manual and daily wage earners out of work and livelihood. Today if a revolution is to happen in our country or society, it will not be between rival political parties or between people believing in different ideologies or between people belonging to different tribes, religions or cultures. But it will be between the haves and the have-nots again as always. India is a country with a population radically segregated on economic lines. The gap between the haves and the have-nots in a country like India has always been a matter of concern. This gap has over the years created a very diverse and contrasting standard of living amongst the populace which has unsurprisingly kept all the different income level people aloof and alienated from each other.
And with the lockdown in place and the subsequent deprivation of the jobs of millions of migrant workers, the gap between the haves and have-nots has only grown wider and will grow even more in the days ahead. And with it the level of frustration, anger and separation also will grow alarmingly and may reach a point of no return.
So today, even those living comfortably at home in luxury are not safe. They may be at home thinking that whatever is happening outside the four walls of their house is none of their business or concern. Those who have enough cash at home and even more savings in the bank are also not safe because the level of anger and frustration in the streets has far superseded the money they have accumulated. So the truth is nobody is safe in these unpredictable times.
Therefore the laying off of the migrant workers and their subsequent displacement from cities and metropolis and the potential reverberations and aftershocks that lie awake in front of our society is a real and impending one. Therefore the jeopardy of the migrant workers should attract the immediate attention and action of the government and the civil society before it becomes a hazard for all of us…….
