Sunday, May 3, 2020

May the meek inherit something

Why is India spending money showering petals on hospitals but making workers pay for train tickets?
A migrant worker on a special train headed to Agra from Sabarmati Railway Station amid the Corona-19 lockdown.
Sam Panthaky/AFP



https://scroll.in/article/960909/why-is-india-spending-money-showering-petals-on-hospitals-but-making-workers-pay-for-train-tickets
Image by Sam Panthaky/AFP from the article at link above


It is staggering that a State which talks highfalutin ideals cannot do right by its poorest citizens in getting them home under the rigors of the pandemic without squeezing their pockets. What is it about us Indians where we are loathe to regard the less fortunate, those who labor in hard and trying circumstances, or are victims of their birth and other extenuating circumstances.

This article in scroll.in reminded me of brought to mind the mindset of someone from my school, who recently said in an online group; and I paraphrase: that he believes everything should be earned, that nothing is for free or ought to be, to emphatically mean, no free lunch. Its pains them to see any form of institutional welfare, other than of course crumbs in exceedingly dire situations. But they are the beneficiaries of State socialism. No logic to their madness and cruelty. Always falling prey to their brazen elan of hatred fueled with righteous bravado. And, these are serial zealots who prey on the weak but are ostensibly attuned to godliness! Its high time to reflect more on such hypocrisies.

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