As the world battles against the novel coronavirus, or simply known as COVID-19, many people are realising what is ‘home’ to them. We are living in a society where there are two sections of people: one is enjoying the lockdown during the pandemic period, while the other is stranded in cities or states away from home.
People who are home may also realise that home is also their new work place where no one is there to interrupt them. There’s no time limit, and they are free to do anything. But on the other side, there are people who are stranded in different states or cities. They don’t have enough food, money or a place to stay.
One who stays at home, life is easy for them. Everything they might want is nearby to them. They are enjoying the lockdown, sitting on the sofa and watching television, making new dishes every day, sharing memes on the internet and also commenting on frivolous conversations.
But what about the other section of people that doesn’t know when they’ll be able to go back to their homes? These are labourers, small shopkeepers, farmers who went to cities or other states to find jobs or sell their product. The sudden announcement of the lockdown on 21st March has changed their lives.
Many of those stranded are being forced to stay on the roads, while some of them have been rescued and sent to respective camps. Some of them are stranded in such desperate conditions that food suppliers are also not able to provide food to them. Their families back home are waiting for them. Some of them decided to come on foot, in which a few lost their lives. From one State to other on foot is not easy for anyone.
During this pandemic period, it is very difficult to travel from one place to other without maintaining social distance. But in this case, it is not their fault. In a difficult situation like this, everyone wants to stay with their families. So, they are just trying to reach to their families as soon as possible.
For people like us, who are staying at their homes, it is easy to blame them. We blame them for doing such ‘stupid’ things when the country is suffering from a dangerous virus. But before saying anything, we should think once about their situation and put ourselves in their shoes so that we can understand their problem.
We are staying at our homes; we have the money to buy food, we can even order anything we need sitting at home. But what about those who are stranded without a single penny or morsel of food? They are wandering here and there in search of food and other essentials.
Governments should organise transport facilities for these stranded migrant labourers, so that they can reach their home as soon as possible. It is easy for us to eat pizzas and burgers inside our homes, and comment on such people. But on the other hand, those stranded are wandering for their two-time rice and daal. Some organisations have started supplying food and other essentials for workers.
So, if we cannot help them during the pandemic, then we don’t have the right to say or comment on their condition. They need our support, not our stupid comments.