Is Dis-parity?

“ Tanmay, salet jayche, budvaychi nahi shala, chal bhigibhigi tayar ho. ( Tanmay,  you should never bunk school… chal quickly get ready”

These were the words of Ranjana tai, our maid in my early school days. Still remember her, she looked like... Being frank but not a single girl in this world would ever wish to look like her, she was our “Black beauty”.  But one thing, which stood out, was her “smile”, it was contagious. We hardly saw her crying or sobbing like our other maids used to crib and sobb. Devoted and determined to her work, she became our young time buddy. Be it advising, telling stories, cracking joke or even shouting at us, we had Ranjana with us.

Days passed away, age made us “Teen” time busy, and we forgot her. Sometimes I really fell sad that we were so rude that we never realised when our buddy left us for her family reasons.

Restlessness to meet her was creeping me day by day, I found out her address, “ Ambedkar Wadi, lower parel”.

With some packed sweets and saree, I started and as usual got stuck in the Mumbai traffic.

Reason: A big group of “Blue” India was marching towards Indu Mill “Indu mill konachi, Indu Mill Babasahebanchich” (Indu mill just belongs to Babasaheb).

Going little ahead, saw a fleet of Policemens, whispering something, which made me ask them “ Kay saheb kay locha?” ( Sir, What’s the problem?)

“Aho, Balasahebanche Asti jaga, hativtat BMC, ghari java lafda honar” ( BMC will be razing the makeshift funeral place made for Balasaheb)

Oh by now I got the point, Mumbai was witnessing the struggle for justice, fight for rights for “Deceased” stalwarts. We will never fight for “Human Rights” but are always ahead to fight for “DEAD Human Rights”, unfortunately this happens only in India.

Crossing the morchas and slogans I reached my destination, Ambedkar wadi, you can call it as mini Dharavi,

I asked- “Ranjana bai, kuthe rahatat?” (Where is Ranjan bai’s house)

I got a reply- tya tikde, foothpath chya palyad ( Next to the foothpath)

Pehli kholi vhati tichi, haklavun takle tila, are mard mela, samshanat nele pan paisa nay tar jalnar nayy, 1 dis hoti tikde…kay zale nahi , mag dile mayt hospitalat” jaa tikdye basil asel… (She was evacuated from her house, her husband is dead and she didn’t had any money to do his last rites, finally the body was sent to the morgue)

 

I had Goosebumps, I managed to cross the road, with fleets of people around me shouting:

“Indu mill konachi, indu mill babasahebanchi”…

“he jaga konachi, he jaga Thackrye sahebanchi”….

She lived in a typical zopadpatti hut, it was standing at the corner of foothpath, I took a step forward to enter, an old lady was cooking something…hut was full of small frames of many gods, from Babasaheb to a saffron bow and arrow of Shivsena with Balasaheb giving blessings…

Me: “ ranjana tai ?”

She: “Kon ahe”?

Me: “ tai me Tanmay, olakhle ?”

She: Tula kase visrin re, Tanmay, salet jayche, budvaychi nahi shala, chal bhigibhigi tayar ho…atta athavan ali ka mazi

I was not able to control my tears, she made me embarrassed and guilty, 2 decades passed but she remembered me. She told me that she was forced to leave her room due to builder pressure and the agony she went through her husband’s death and still she was smiling the same way she did 20 years back. We both had nice time, discussing the childhood stories.

Me: Chal tai, hi ghe saree and thode paise.

She: Paise nakot re, manuski havay.. (Don’t need money, need humanity)

I didn’t had any answer for her statement. I moved out and she waved me with her beautiful smile. I sat in my car, and suddenly someone tapped the window… and gave me one pedha…

“Sahebancha putla indu mill varach honar, sarkar ni manya kele” ( Statue of Ambedkar , will be built in Indu mill)

I had no words to express what I felt at that moment as at one corner there was lively ranjanatai who don’t have place to live and at the other it was Babasaheb the lifeless statue. With circle of thoughts going on from Babasaheb to balasaheb to Ranjana tai….I went home and switched on the TV, and got the news that BMC wont raze the makeshift funeral place at Shivaji park, it’s a win of Shiv Sainiks..

I just thought, is this a win?? Ranjana tai was forced out of her house and she was not able to perform her husbands last rites and here peaople are forcefully creating the rathis/maharathis.

While surfing the channels, I heard PM talking about Human Parity /Equality..

“We the Indians always aim for Human parity and have set examples for our fellow countries, we the Indians will always strive out that equal treatment will be given to all sections of society be it poor or rich class”

I smiled, so which class did Ranjana bai fall ? ? Is he talking about these Indians, who are fighting for Statues and for creating sacred place for the dead stalwart?

We don’t have any answers…I feel the only difference between Babasaheb & Balasaheb is of “L” and that’s what we need Love towards Humans not statues..and

Mr. PM I have just one question…

“ Is dis- Parity?”