The Struggle of Working Class!

 

The initial days of the lockdown were hard for us but the hardest for the migrant labourers. The sudden announcement of lockdown with just 4 hr prior notice left lakhs of such migrant workers homeless and jobless. They were vulnerable and had no option but to migrate back to their homes. No Bus, No Train, they decided to walk on foot hundreds or even thousands of kilometres, they decided to smuggle themselves through the cement trucks, they paid exorbitant prices to reach their home draining all their savings, yet they were retreated back by police. All these images were there on national television as well as in newspapers. And the govt. as well as the privilege and most insensitive middle class were blaming them for their hopeless act and called them as carriers of the virus. Now they were not just homeless, jobless but also the carriers of the virus. Thus making them more vulnerable to social boycott.

We the privilege ones were sitting on our comfortable sofas, watching TV and blaming them for disturbing law and order, spreading coronavirus and making pandemic even worse. It was easier for us to say that they should stay where they are as govt. will provide every facility. It was easier for us to say what was hygienic and what not as we were busy sanitising everything, washing hands and locked up in safe houses. We were enlightened to spread awareness.

While that poor person unaware of such facts and knowledge was busy finding ways to escape back home. They were beaten, forced to sleep on the road and railway tracks, they were sprayed with harmful chemicals and they were left alone to die of hunger and dehydration when they were so close to their destination. They were portrayed as the biggest threat for the country in the times of pandemic.

But now what?

Are we all following the norms which we used to in the initial days of lockdown? Do we care about this virus? 

When the extended lockdowns one after the another started affecting the middle class, those people who were criticising the migrant workers now were finding ways to resume work, were pressurising govt. through their unions to open up everything as it was hitting their earning hard and govt. did that! As now despite daily cases crossing one lakh mark, the corona is no more a threat.

And the richest of all classes remain unaffected of everything, as no disaster can harm them. They have big money, big savings, best facilities and most important connections. For them lockdown has been a vacation time posting their cooking and workout videos on social media, depicting how idle they are to do household chores. Moreover, they remain unaffected as they have diversified sources of income, in some or another way they will manage to earn handsome money.

Is it the first time?

Definitely not! Russian Revolution was a big event that changed the scenario. This event made questioning normal, this event made rationality supreme, made dignity the fundamentals of humanity. The working class and peasant worked day and night to fight for their existence. Young comrades used to work the entire day in factories, inhospitable conditions, faced humiliation and were paid less. They utilised their remaining time to read and spread what they read. Developed rationality, spread works of literature and got arrested for just spreading knowledge, they were tortured and sent to Siberia for exile. They aimed for a classless society. Shed blood for it, killed their rulers so that they could have a dignified life. This is what humiliation can trigger! The Revolutions!

 That was a big event indeed but does it created a classless society? In the homeplace of socialism and communist itself, workers are suffering even now, their rulers are autocratic even now. Workers are suffering in capitalist as well as in mixed economies. Even more vulnerable are migrant workers as they face social isolation triggered by regional and racial identities within the country as well as across the globe. They are not respected anywhere. 

Are they crucial?

Yes of course! Our economic foundation lays on the shoulder of the working-class, entire industrial sector is dependent on them, but they are paid less and work hard. They are in construction, manufacturing and household. From our transportation to buying vegetables we are dependent on them.

What govt. is doing?

Announcing marginal packages, complicated schemes, offering credit instead of direct cash transfers. And to worsen things up govt. has been relaxing labour laws to boost the economy and making the exploitation and inhumane treatment even easier.

Neither COVID19 is far from over nor the worker's crisis, their plight shall continue until major structural reforms are introduced and that seems impossible in near future. As everyone knows irrespective of conditions and circumstances they will work day and night. The conditions could have been much better if our PM had started any jan andolan for them, also if our rich and powerful personalities could have raised their voices high for them, as it is the #migrantlivesmatter in OUR country than #blacklives and if we the middle class could have been more sensitive towards them.

" Dignified life should be seen as a right, not as a charity." 

~SAMIKSHA