Where is our Outrage

Today (17 September 2024) The Hindu Newspaper carried a news story on page 2 that really broke my heart. It’s about the collapse of 4 starving workers from West Bengal at Chennai Central station. Apparently, they had come to Chennai and travelled up to Ponneri in the outskirts, seeking agricultural work, unable to find any, they decided to return to their native village. While waiting at the station, without food for 2 days, they collapsed on the platform no. 4 before the Chennai Corporation officials rescued and admitted them to hospital. While three others are stabilised, the condition of one worker is still critical and on ventilator support. 

Several thoughts raced through my mind on reading this report. The very same newspaper carried full colour advertisements of Luxury cars and Grand Villa properties on the front pages. Obviously, these lavish full page advertisements show that there are people in this city, who could afford such insanely expensive properties and vehicles. Yet, the same city could not afford a single square meal to a hungry soul.

While Chennai has always prided itself with the welcome slogan "வந்தாரை வாழவைக்கும் சென்னை" which roughly translates into: "Chennai, the city that sustains/gives life to those who come" has on this occasion failed in fulfilling its cherished hospitality towards outsiders. Perhaps the hapless men, trusted this adage and believed that Chennai would sustain and give them life when they ventured into the city. However, they soon found out to their utter dismay that let alone jobs – they did not even get food. The report says they went without food for 2 whole days as they had no money to buy food. 

Perhaps and rightly so, they were too proud to beg. Their self esteem and belief in humanity did not push them into that humiliation. They believed, that by sheer will and by straining every single sinew in their body, they could somehow eke out a living. Alas, that was not to be. Completely  defeated and disappointed at not able to find any work -even as a daily wage coolie – they decided to return home even if it is on an empty stomach. Just imagine their plight, in a place like the Central Station -bustling with humanity at any given time, thousands of people would have hurried past these men curled up in a corner with their life slowly ebbing away. 

We need to appreciate the fact that the Chennai Municipal Corporation Officials, rescued them and provided food and shelter at the Government run shelter home and admitted them to hospital. Still, the fact remains, that these migrant labourers -euphemistically referred to as ‘guest workers’ had to go without food for 2 full days. It is a telling commentary about the apathy and callousness that has crept into our lives. 

Of late, there’s been a growing animosity and even anger against migrant labourers -mostly from Bihar and West Bengal. The jury is still out on whether migrant labourers are indeed taking jobs away from locals. But to blatantly leave people to almost die on the platforms, uncared for is a shameful, disgusting act in a civilised society. Handicapped by language barriers and hostility at every corner, they were unable to seek help or directions. Rejected and despised, they had resigned themselves to their fate and were consigned to the margins of this booming, bustling city. 

Few days before, on September 11th, we celebrated the Tamil Poet  Bharatiyar’s 103rd anniversary. The fire-brand Poet is still remembered for his fierce declaration: "தனி ஒருவனுக்கு உனவில்லை எனில் ஜகத்தினை அழித்திடுவோம்" which means that if a Single person does not have means to have food to quell his hunger, we should rise up and destroy this whole world. Yet, today we have collectively failed to quench the hunger of four yearning souls.  They came to Chennai seeking succour and refuge, but we denied them their right to life and almost let them die of hunger. 

Where is our sense of anguish at this injustice? Where did that outrage disappear? Has it been buried deep in the false narratives about prosperity and empty promises by politicians of a bright future?  

Can we seethe with righteous anger and outrage at the apathy that left people like Manik Ghori gasping for breath in our city? Shall we rise up as one and make Bharatiyar's vision into reality, ensuring that no one in our beloved city, state, or country goes hungry, even for a single day?