BASTARDS

BASTARDS




“What place you are from?”
“Delhi.”
“No; I mean what place you are originally from?”
“Bihar.”
“All of you?”
“Mostly. Some are from Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and Bengal.”
It was a group of five persons. They were doing some research work on the slum dwellers. Particulars were required and they were collecting it. They did not go for the data given in other researches in this field. First hand has its value. They clicked photographs and took names of the persons they interviewed. A curious lot was looking at them in complete awe.
“What is the most common occupation of you people?”
“Usually it is rickshaw. Selling water, tea… you can see many of us on the footpaths with something selling. Too many to tell you. Look, this Ramu sells Kachouri and Chhole and earns good. at least hundred rupees after paying the police men, local don, grocery man and his own expenses.”
“It’s really very good.” They showed a smile in appreciation of whatever that person was saying. One was impatient to ask the next question in the list but he got no chance. He had to wait and he had to listen. Enthusiasm was compelling.
“Usually it is said that some people living in the slums indulge in petty crimes like pocket picking, theft, snatching, etc. slums are a good place for ganza, charas etc. what do you say?”
Dasrath was thinking as one of them clicked him. He looked a bit confused. Expressions came as if he wanted to say many things but something was stopping him. Finally, he began slowly. “Yes some people are in such sort of activities but we do not do anything like that.”
“You got no place at your native places and here you it is given. Is not it ungrateful whatever you do to this place?”
He was silent again. Same things happening again. Somebody was asking another somebody that what was the matter and who were those people. The reply was that they were some sahibs. They had come in a car, which was standing at the end of the slum. They were asking people about their original place and something about their work etc.
The person looked as if he remembered something. The next moment he was off.
“Slums are seen as a big security problem. Municipality says that it is difficult to keep such places clean. Police says that patrolling in such places is impossible and criminals enjoy this thing.”
The expressions on Dasrath’s face were fixed. A humbling smile that accepted all the blames and begged to be forgiven or rather tolerated.
“Do you send your children to schools?”
“We want but can not.”
“Reason?”
“Can not afford a private school and government schools don’t take them.”
“You are not true. In fact you are lying. We just coming from another slum and there some children were going to schools. It is another case that they are not good in studies or manners but at least they are going to schools. Schools take them.”
Something was brimming over. Dasrath stood from his bed. “what did you say? I am lying.” His tone alarmed them. The joined palms and humble voice were gone. They tried to correct his memory by saying that they did not mean that. They simply meant that it was not possible. No stop for him.
“yes we got no place at our native place. It is true today. But it was not always the same. My father never talked of Delhi. Whatever sustained us, we survived. Moreover, people are still living there and surviving. I came here to have something more than mere survival. And look what your Delhi has given us. Living in this river belly, we dream a future. Sometimes it is a flood wiping out our huts and sometimes it is some big temple and sometimes some game. Dreams brought terror and we stopped dreaming. I always remind my children this thing. Some people have raised their families on the footpaths. Some have lost. I do not blame you but you can not blame us either. And what was the other thing…yes cleanliness and law and order. Look I understand them. We are not living here free of cost. We pay the police; and we pay the municipality; and we pay the local don. See what more gratefulness you expect from us.” Suddenly Dasrath moved and took something. “ look, this is the water you drink. Twelve or fifteen, you pay for oe bottle of one liter. we can not drink this nor we are considered human enough to be given water by your so kind government. See what we drink.” Dasrath took a glass of water lying there. “ I know you pretended to drink this but you did not. But we do.” He gulped down that glass and gave the glass to a child standing there. “ we have to because we have no other option. We also want to drink good water and have good food. No, I am not blaming anyone. And, why to? I left my village with a hope. Here that got lost somewhere. A nomadic life never gave any chance of searching it again. We must be grateful to your Delhi for making us so happy.” Suddenly a voice interrupted and everyone became silent. The scholars turned in surprise as that cursing voice was directed towards them. A person was standing on his wooden crutches. Face unshaved from god knows when. “what are these? Came with another notice to vacate this place? Hey, have we become so respected that you came with a notice? Hey, somebody see where is the bulldozer?” Dasrath moved quickly and tried to silent him. it was a quite a scene but he managed it. He told him something in a low tone and he became silent. He went out, murmuring something. “This is Dukhiya. He lost his legs while working for a building contractor. They gave the hospital charges and sent him with a promise of giving him compensation . that compensation is yet to come. He has got a spot near this red-light for begging. He and his wife, both sit there and, the same, after paying the police and the mafia, get enough to keep their ends together. He had to beg for this location and had to pay extra amount. Hope you would not mind his behaviour. You know how shameful it is to be a beggar.” Suddenly he stopped for a moment. “Oh sorry. Forgive me. How could you know how it feels to be a beggar! In fact, I am telling this because I remember how bitterly he wept when he returned after his first day.” Suddenly something overpowered him and his voice almost drowned into something too inside. He was scarcely audible. “ in a way, all of us are beggars. We beg for space, we beg for pity, we beg for every moment we are allowed to stay here; we beg for a minimal human treatment which is never for us, we beg for everything that your government boasts of giving us but we never get; we beg for survival. And we know how humiliating it is. Have you ever faced any such things?”
This was Dasrath’s first question. He looked towards them. They were silent. “ oh, I don’t need any answer for this. I know that you don’t.”
One of them looked in watch and then the faces of his remaining colleagues. “ I think we should leave now. It’s the time.”
“Thanks a lot Mr. Dasrath for your valuable time. We will talk to you later. We will have to leave as its getting late. We had brought something for these children. Can you distribute it among them.” Suddenly a boy snatched the packet from his hand and ran outside. Others ran after him, using all filthy words to stop him. They looked in disgust. Dasrath was looking at those running children and said, “See how they learn to survive. In my village, in childhood days, we used to share even a single mango with all the siblings. But now they are in Delhi and know its ways.”
They thanked him again and left. As most of the people were out to work, they could not have much data collected. And then this wastage. “We could not have stopped him. it could have hurt their self respect and we have to collect some more data from here.” They had come to there car. “Look what these bastards have done.”
These were the hearts drawn as learnt from the popular Bollywood movies and someone had written, “I love you” with something black.

“These bastards scratched my new car.” The girl was fuming.
“You heard that old rascal’s language. Disgusting. And how filthy he looked.”
“I wish just when this sucking part is over.”
“We will have to come here again in one or two days.”
“Can’t we do with this much only? I have clicked many other faces and we can write some names and then it is not difficult to fill the further details.” The car had crossed the bumpy road and it was on the smooth road.
“Stop the car near some restaurant.” One of them opened his bag, took out a bottle and sprayed on everyone. “Oh thanks a lot yaar. We really needed this. So many stinking bodies. It was really too much. I didn’t know this.”
“But still guys, that rascal was speaking good. I wonder.”