Yes we can...!!

hii folks,

18th December 2009, is one date which will remain memorable throughout my life, not exactly a pleasant moment though but for an entirely different reason altogether. That was the day when I saw the real India. I am able to write this blog, because I am in a position to write so. Didn't understand? You will understand when you see bonded labour writhing in pain while separating out raw cotton from dried cotton flowers, when you see farmers eating onions with thick bajre ki rotis, all this while ensuring good food for you and me. Believe me I had a hard time having bajre ki rotis during my field visit to a small village somewhere in rural Gujarat. You will understand when you see women stamping dung with their naked legs, when you see that children there chase stray dogs and cats instead of playing "Age of the empires" [read video games].

I saw desperation, but more than that I saw hope. Thats what made my field trip somewhat a pleasant than a ghastly experience. We saw how self help groups there run by women help each other by providing loans and insurance to the needy families. I understood why people say often that "Manav seva is Madhav seva". I was forced to question myselves" What am I doing for my country?". Living in the comfort of our homes we often don't realise that we have more than we require. On that trip, we actually saw how people were living happily in huts without TV, Computer, Refrigerator etc etc.. I was left wondering whether what these people do for entertainment!! Well I would like to give illustrations which I hope stimulate you to think of Nation and Family before yourself.

1. In a town here in Gujarat with about a lakh people living there are no domestic toilets. And there's only one public toilet which stinks. Quoting one of my able classmate here who said during his field trip presentation,"I want you to use all your 5 senses and imagine the stink out there in that *******" Manual scavengers here make a living by cleaning out the shit with their bare hands.

2. The Gujarat government doesn't hold Panchayat elections in villages out here. Instead a system of "Samras" is followed where Behen's [women] are elected to the Panchayat on mass consensus. But what we saw goes otherwise. Officially women are elected, but it's the Man who holds and runs the Panchayat. And these men either are the minions of BJP or Congress. So no development happens and the measly annual grant of Three lakhs released by the Government to the panchayat for development finally ends up in the accounts of the BJP/Congress or for smuggling illicit liquor.

3. Industrial sewage is dumped in the canals which end up in the Sabarmati affecting villages downstream.

4. In the Little Rann of Kutch, bonded salt workers toil hard to produce Salt and end up having severely frosted legs and hands which are later amputated to prevent infection. Try rubbing salt on your hands and legs and live a whole day without cleaning the hands or legs. You will realise that Salt is toxic to the skin!!

5. People who suffered in Godhra Riots still live on somebody else's mercy. Muslims there are referred to as "Refugees" by the so called Hindu Samaj sevaks!! One sex worker there describes how she ended up in a brothel because her own family refused to accept her. Her mistake was she was at the wrong place at the wrong time, so ended up being raped even while she was pregnant. The final result, dumping the still born foetus in the Trash.

But while I have been too frank in describing the reality of Apna Bharat Mahaan, there's still hope and there are saviours too. Miss Sonal, an M.Com graduate is the General Secretary of a women Self-help group which has in the last 15 years uplifted many families from the brink of extreme poverty to prosperity. I was in awe of her commitment and dedication to serve the society. Women members of that group now have in them what they didn't have previously- Self-belief and the Will. Each of them is a leader now and travels to cities alone, which previously was considered taboo in such areas. Each of them can boldly speak up to the the Revenue Mandal Officer and confront him for his inaction and callousness. What more does India require than this??

I realised there's no point making big promises which you can't fulfill. Do small things which meaningfully contributes to the society. I realise that my writing skills are my biggest asset, though still there's a lot of scope for improvement. And I intend to use this skill to make a difference. What do you want to do? If you have never thought about this, then think and act because its better late than never.

PS: I am proud to be the photographer who captured that pic above. "The older generation which is content and happy with the small things it has and the next generation that is eagerly looking forward to a bright future for itself"

regards,

taureansandy