Sonu Sood has been honoured and acknowledged by private airline company SpiceJet for his commitment to stand up for the migrant workers during the coronavirus-induced lockdown. From arranging their accommodation to facilitating basic utilities for these scores of migrants, he always found a mention for his contribution.
I remember how people returning to Darbhanga from Mumbai in a private bus got highly emotional when they saw Sood by their side. On many occasions, he was personally there to receive the migrants, despaired and disappointed with the attitude of their respective state governments towards them. Imagining normalcy after Covid was a tough task for the migrants, who were forced to fend for themselves as many lost their savings and security — social, economic and political.
Mega cities including Delhi and Mumbai disowned these people with its ignorance and intolerance. The city dwellers did not hesitate to demoralise and discriminate others along the lines of caste, class or community, as was evident after the Tablighi Jamaat episode, which led to a surge in the coronavirus cases in the city. Although the Court orders did rescue the migrants, but it was too late and the damage was already done.
Anyway, Sood, with his philanthropic pull and purpose, looked at this as an opportunity to oblige those pitted against one another due to scarcity of kindness.