Two days back, a nameless, faceless, housemaid went diving down to her death from the 16th storey of a building in my neighbourhood. And the security guard who saw her body crash down like a piece of unwanted trash, heard the teen girl call out to her mother in her most desperate moment.
The routine happened. The society officer summoned the cops. Who met the maid’s masters. Some quick investigation was done. Rookie journos from the media landed up to earn their daily bread. The dead servant’s relations arrived, cried hysterically, cursed their luckless existence, and went back to their daily chores. And within hours, life was back to normal in the building. The master claims the maid climbed to clean the glass windows, tripped and fell, as simple as that. The cops seem to have accepted this as a fact, and soon the file will be closed.
What no one is asking is the one unanswered question: Why was the maid cleaning the glasses on the 16th storey of an apartment, whose owner had not fitted in grilles as a protection device? And if he hadn’t, why had he not given strict instructions to the maid that no cleaning will be down without adequate supervision? (I don’t think anyone is even considering the possibility that the maid may have actually been instructed to clean the glasses minus the protection… but that’s hard to prove in any case.) So clearly, a large part of the responsibility for the poor girl’s death must lie with the landlord, if for nothing else, then at least for recklessness.
However, this is India, life of a poor citizen counts for nothing. She’s already forgotten, and the building complex is right now busy planning the Independence Day celebrations. During which, members will belt out desh-bakhti songs, cheerfully wish each other, and then partake of the buffet lunch organised for the event.
No, I shall not be there. I never do participate in flat hoisting ceremonies. Not because I don’t respect the nation, but because I don’t respect the fact that we have built a nation where the life of an individual is measured by the price tag attached to her dead body.
Sorry, this is not the India of my dreams.
5 comments:
It's not the India of my dreams either! The only feeling that 15 August and 26 January generate in me is disgust and anger at the unthinking, self-congratulatory activities that are indulged in year after tedious year!
Am glad someone has spoken up for the young girl. Hope this appears in 'Mumbai Mirror' as well!
price tags are attached to us throughout our life. Men and women both have a price tag. Terminology may be different. Maatha dekh ke tilak lagao is appicable to all.
Sadly, human life (that of poor and downtrodden) is valued the least in our society. Hope and pray, when India becomes an Economic superpower as claimed by the powers that be,(May be during the life time of our children) the most valuable commodity shall be the Life of each and every Indian, however lowly positioned in the social strata.
God bless you for your compassion for the unknown soul.
It's sad that there are very few people who are concerned with the death of a domestic, under shocking circumstances.
I wonder where all the socialites/social workers, TV & Press personnel were?
Guess there is nothing to be got from taking time out for this small issue, no front page review, no page 3 report with photographs. No TRPs etc.
Then again people like Sameera are attacked by hoodlooms for trying to help stranded girls, who have been kicked out from their home.
God help us.
Norman
It's sad that there are very few people who are concerned with the death of a domestic, under shocking circumstances.
I wonder where all the socialites/social workers, TV & Press personnel were?
Guess there is nothing to be got from taking time out for this small issue, no front page review, no page 3 report with photographs. No TRPs etc.
Then again people like Sameera are attacked by hoodlooms for trying to help stranded girls, who have been kicked out from their home.
God help us.
Norman
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