Today I want to
tell you all a story may not be so special to you, but of course so different from
ours.
This story is of a 12 years old boy in Pudupet
(Chennai).
I met him one
day in a mechanic shed where he went to repair his bike while coming back from
his office. A boy approached him offering the help for his bike.
There was
nothing special seeing a 12-year-old boy working in a mechanic shop. I
explained the problem in Tamil. He gave a difficult expression. And I was there
with a confused look.
“Anna, Hindi
???”
“Hindi??” I was
not much comfortable with Hindi, but tried to manage to converse with him in
broken Hindi.
While the boy
was repairing the problem with bike, I asked him, “neither you know Tamil nor
you look like a Tamilian!”
That boy, “you
are right sir!”
“What is your
name? And since how long you are here in Chennai?”
“Since 2 years
sir... My name is Mohammed Rabbi Husain. Came here when I was 10 years old.” He
replied without even taking his eye away from his work.
“Hmmm... so what
about your parents? Your Home?” I could not resist asking him some more
question.
“My Home?
Family? They are in Assam Sir. Do you know where it is? Northeast of India,
near China. It is too far from here.” He took a deep breath and paused for a
moment, “It take 4-5 days to come from there” One could feels the pain in his
voice.
“So, when you
met your parents last time? Any plan to go home in near future?” This was my
next question.
“Saw them 2
years back while leaving home, and I don’t know when will I meet them”, he was
busy with his work.
“So how you came
here? ...so far from home?” even it was not of my business, I shoted another
question.
“My uncle’s son
lives here since last eight years. Last time when he came to our place, my
parents send me here with him” he paused for a while, “my mother’s earning was
not enough for the family and father is not in condition to work. So I had to
come here to earn as my cousin brother promised to get some work here. I have
to earn and collect money to send home. I have an elder sister to get marry, I
have to help mother to collect her dowry money.”
I was
speechless. It was not as if story of Rabbi Husain was so unique and special.
There were lakhs of Rabbi Husain in different part of India with different
names.
“So what about
your studies? You don’t want?” unwillingly I asked this question that made him
looks more pity.
“I want to get
education sir. I want to learn English and maths and get a job. But neither I
can give fee for a school nor can leave my job.
Job is my need
today and very important for my family, and I know that getting educated is my
need of future, for my life....but I have no idea how to get both. So, trying
to fulfil the need of today.”
These words
really touched my heart.
Such children
are working for daily wage of Rs. 200. Along with that, get scolded and beaten
by the owner. Stay away from home, trying to learn the work but interested to
study but not able to study.
Right now, he cannot
read or write English. It is good that he learns a job and he can have his own
mechanic shed when he will be of 20 to 25 but what about the outside world
knowledge.
There are lakhs of such children, but may be one in
twenty high-class children.
Don’t we have any responsibility for such under
privilege children?
·
Can’t we save money avoiding 2-3 Pizza, McD and CCD
hangout and help one such needy?
·
So many private schools are taking tones of money
from everyone; can’t they adopt 2-3 children and educate them free?
·
Only
spending money in Disc-Bar, Expensive Restaurants and parlour proves that we
are highly educated and modern?
.....as narrated by one of my friend
from Chennai (Mohammad Umar)
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