I was sitting and working in my office. During a discussion, my colleague friend Atul ji said that apart from writing poetry and story, I should also try to do some good in society. There should be some reformation in society. Change in the mindset of people is the need of the hour. To this, I responded, “Change is the law of nature. It keeps on happening. If I change myself, that’s enough.”
Atul ji replied that everyone is talking, writing and reading about change, but very few people are able to make the effort towards change. They merely talk. I said, “Brother, why are you trying to satisfy your ego by talking about social reformation again and again?”
Atul ji said, “I am talking about helping someone, improving someone’s condition. I am talking about this change. Where did the question of appeasement of ego come from? I said, “Brother, you bring changes in society in your own way I am trying to bring the change by writing in my own way.”
After all, not all men are equal. Pausing for a few moments, I asked, “Well, please explain to me what kind of change you are talking about?”
Atul ji said that this morning, he was coming by car and needed refilling of petrol. There was a petrol pump nearby so he stopped to get his car tank filled. There was a long queue. Certainly, he noticed that a 10-12-year-old boy had started cleaning the windshield of his car with a dirty cloth. Due to corona times, Arul ji said, he got annoyed at the child and drove him away.
I also said that he did the right thing. During the times of coronavirus, one should stay away from them. Atul ji continued with his story, “Listen, brother. The beggar boy stooped and then started to clean another person’s car. Almost all the caravans were mistreating him.”
Meanwhile, his turn to get his tank full had come. He filled up petrol in the car and started driving. Suddenly, he observed that the 10-12-year-old boy was sitting on the roadside, disappointed, with a 7-8-year-old girl.
Atul ji said that he could not bear seeing the disappointment of the two kids. His heart filled with pity for them and he started going towards them. That boy started going away from the fear of being scolded. Somehow, Atul ji reached out to him and inquired about them. It was revealed that both his mother and father are mentally challenged. The kid then had to look after the family by begging and doing pity work.
Atul ji said that he gave Rs 50 to each of them.
After narrating his story, he asked, “Is it not the responsibility of the government to do something for such poor ones? If the government does nothing, then does it not become our responsibility to do something that will do good for these poor ones?”
I was speechless. Atul ji took a deep breath and said, “After all beggars are not alike.”