CRY INDIANS CRY

Kajal Chaterjee

It's the "story" (hard fact) of a 18-year-old boy of a village of Murshidabad district, West Bengal, India. In this age, when many of his privileged counterparts complete their higher secondary exams, dream of a prospective career in various fields, appear in the competitive examinations and enjoy their best by engaging in various sorts of entertainment and fun without getting perturbed revolving money (which is readily available according to the pockets of the parents); this boy had to remain engaged as an assistant in a hardware shop to douse the flames of hunger of the poor household!

 

Durga pujo arrives as usual according to the calendar with man-made artificially induced fanfare and consumerism! The boy was also a human being with emotion; so he also desired to buy few new clothes for himself and family members! No, for the poor families, purchase of new clothes during Pujo is not a matter of fashion or luxury; rather once-in-a-year affair! But given such stark poverty, where is money! So what to do apart from approaching the village money lender!

 

The boy took a "soft" loan of Rs. 5000/-(many college students of high-end families burn more than this amount daily in night clubs and restaurants) in the condition of paying Rs.500/- as monthly interest("very nominal", only 120%) with the principal to be repaid in lump(not in instalments)! The boy continued to pay the interest amounts for the next 7 months through hard labour! Yes, for a loan of Rs. 5000/-, he had to already part with Rs. 3500/- as interest only!

 

The first disaster arrived when he lost the job in the hardware shop! Hardly any money to feed the mouths, from where would he pay the monthly interest amount!

 

The poor boy defaulted with the instalments for just 2 consecutive months! The money lender and his goons start threatening! The economic plight of the boy suffering job loss is a matter of least concern for them!

 

And on that fateful day the threatening brigade invaded his dwelling, slapped punched and kicked the boy and returned ; only after delivering a dire warning that if the pending instalments do not get paid, his limbs would be broken next!

 

Physically assaulted;  psychologically devasted not only due to the insults heaped upon, but also for the threat of more ordeal in immediate future - - - the helpless boy, in his most vulnerable mental state, prefers to "kiss" the knot of the rope around his throat!

 

The life story of the boy ends. Now he is in the "land of permanent joy" where no hunger no poverty no threats will haunt him ever!

 

But those privileged "proud Indians" who are living in this country! Don't their heads hang in shame, don't their hearts shatter to pieces on hearing these "stories" - - - nothing but hard facts which plague billions of poorest of poor in this country day in and day out! Still the chest of the privileged fortunate "nationalists" get puffed up with zealous assertion of "the whole world looking at us with awe"! Glittering structures and statues, emitting foul odour of VULGAR BRUTE MEGALOMANIA, would continue to enthrall their mind space and vocal chords!

 

Wait for a minute and just visualise that the Murshidabad boy was "my child"! Yes, we can't select our families where we will take birth! So by accident of destiny, my own child could have been in the place of the Murshidabad boy! Close your eyes and try to appreciate the mental turmoil and humiliation which the boy had to go through or in the midst of which my child could have landed in! Still feeling much "proud" for all things catering to the gallery! Just awaken your conscience and contemplate whether their lies any scope of getting delighted over inconsequential extravaganza advertised as "national glory"! 

 

And would the the "nationalists", going gaga over the "huge achievements" of the nation, kindly answer the following questions! If the country has turned so "elite" and "forward"; how can billions of own citizens still languish in the darkness of poverty and hunger, compelling our children to forsake studies and enter the labour market to get ruthlessly exploited (both economically and physically)! Why do they get forced to entangle in debt trap just to procure minimum basic necessities of food attire shelter and medicines! How can private money lenders boldly operate in broad daylight, putting the likes of Shylock to shame as far as ruthlessness and reaping maximum benefit at the expense of the poor are concerned! Why don't the nationalised banks extend their hand to the poor folks through offer of loans on humanitarian lines! How could the goons dare to take up the law in their own hands and beat up the boy! Has law and order been reduced to absolute "joke" "farce" or "comedy"! Surely this is the reason why despite receiving threats of more severe beating, our boy preferred to hang by the rope to go to that unseen far distant land of "eternal pleasure" instead of knocking the doors of the administration or judiciary with the desire to live with/for his poor family members! 

 

CRY INDIANS CRY  - - - PROVIDED AN IOTA OF HEART (HRIDOY) STILL RESIDES BENEATH THE BLOOD-PUMPING MACHINE!