A Tale of two India

       

     This is the story of two Indian women, one is a diplomat and the other is a domestic help. The former was arrested in USA on the complaint of the later for being under paid. I do not agree with the treatment of US towards this Diplomat, as always US is aggressive and adamant in her approach. US was defensive when someone called David shot two Pakistani’s at point blank few months back citing his diplomatic status, but this is exclusively for her citizens. I do agree that US justice system is comparatively fair, but only for her citizens, for others it can be a menace.

       Anyways, In India, it is still the semi-feudal attitude that guide an average Indian. The diplomat’s arrest was evoked quick reactions and response, but the domestic help remained unheard. I do not want to go into the details of this case, but our attitude as a civilized society is astonishing. The Diplomat represent an elite India having the means and ways to be heard, and the domestic help represent an India that is marginalized and unheard.

    Our casteist and semi feudal society do not consider manuel labour a dignified work and most of the time it is the lower caste people who do the ‘dirty works’ of upper and middle class India. We looked down on our maids,drivers and other labourers. We have thousands of cases where maids and workers are underpaid ill treated  and in a worst inhuman manner. Often they do not even be treated as a fellow human being, it is misfortune that force them to take up this jobs. We do not have a law to protect them, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are the only two states that have a law in place to protect the right of domestic help. As a Keralite, I know manuel labourers are decently paid and least exploited. But rest of India is lagging behind.

     Why we as a society fail our unfortunate children who do not have the means to have an education or a dignified life? Why we lack empathy as a society? I do not have an answer, perhaps the thriving materialism, lack of values in our whole system, and so many other trappings of modernity. Whatever it is I feel compassion is an essential quality of a human being, without that we are like a walking machine, so hollow and lifeless. Let us be more compassionate and considerate as a society.