They say it is not good to dwell on past incidents and wounds, and that is why I hope you, my readers, will not fault me for what I am about to write.
While the nation has certainly healed from the age-old Nirbhaya incident, one still finds it hard to forget the events that led to protests at different places.
No, I am not here to take sides with the accused, but a recent incident I experienced made me realize the plight of those often harassed sections of the masses.
I am referring to waiters, cleaners, servants, watchmen, bus conductors, and what I consider to be the worst of all, the drivers – drivers in a country like India who often face harsh treatment.
To begin with, let me recall an incident from yesterday at a restaurant where I stood to order a juice. I noticed the waiter was busy and decided to lend a helping hand.
While some in the restaurant understood what they saw and merely smiled in amusement, there was one couple who were unaware of the situation and mistook me for just another waiter.
While I didn’t mind that, what I did mind was the harsh manner in which they directed me as to where to place the order. I merely smiled and did as I was told, but deep down, there was a kind of pain in my heart that made me realize what individuals like these endure in our country, with incidents like this.
And this was just in the case of a waiter, which is sad enough, even in a posh restaurant with air conditioning. I can only imagine how much harder it is for a driver out there on the roads, amidst the heat, honks, traffic, shouts, and not to forget the many dangers and accidents for which they often take the blame.
Drivers have the most sensitive egos, or so someone told me on the day I arrived in Bangalore. Now, as I reflect on their plight, I understand why.
Somewhere deep down, the whole situation makes me ponder. Could it be individuals like myself who are responsible for tragic situations in our country, like the Nirbhaya case, where people with no education act on their frustrations?
Perhaps we Indians can learn from the West, where the poorer masses are treated as equals. In the West, someone entering a cab sits next to the driver and engages in conversation with them as if they are equals. Perhaps this is why the West is safer.
The little humanity we offer to sections of society like these can provide them with the education they need, enabling them to reciprocate this humanity.
Indians, it is time to change. It’s time to stop treating our maids like vacuum cleaners and our drivers like animals. It’s time for a little respect.
It’s time to learn that the respect we give is the respect we get.
