Labor Day 2019

Yesterday was Labor Day 2019 and we remember Modi washing the feet of sweepers and trash pickers, recently. They are supposed to be revered because they pick up our trash on all 7 days of the week. On Labor Day, at least, don’t they deserve a holiday? The 2 categories of people we take advantage of are the farmers and the laborers, like trash pickers. On Labor Day 2019, we saw that our area trash picker was working. What kind of Labor Day are we talking about?

Labor Day 2019

Our building trash picker (pic. attached) rang our doorbell in the morning and said that they would be cleaning the stairs in the afternoon at 2 PM. Our trash is usually left outside just outside the door near the wall on our side. This is because the trash picker can pick up the trash without calling us. Also, customarily, we do not touch it after bathing for hygiene purpose. We opened the door and saw that there were 2 of them. Before we asked them about their ringing the bell, they requested for some water to wash the stairs.

Immediately we thought, “Why did our building’s managing committee have to increase the trash pickers’ workload, of all the days, today?” On second thoughts, the building managing committee has been treating a senior citizen couple and their daughter inhumanely. How could we expect any humanity for laborers from them?

The building residents made the trash pickers wash the terrace as well on this day. Usually, the committee does not get the terrace cleaned. The managing committee found this day convenient to make them slog double that they do normally. Coming from the terrace, the water was very dirty. The man of the neighboring flat has the habit of peeing in front of our door.

Given the situation, the building residents make issues about our flat. We are just 3 of us at home. Since my parents are old, they have to keep different stuff near at hand so that the stuff is easy to pick up. This is an issue our building people have against us. We have not invited them to our home. They open our door in our absence and steal different things. They ‘worship God’ by describing the different parts of our home in the evening. This is their pooja! I wonder, which religion supports this kind of pooja.

We gave them 6 full buckets of water, helping them and reducing their hard work. Mom gave them Rs.5 for tea. She also told them, Modi washed the feet of some trash pickers. We cannot do it because we are Brahmins. But, we can appreciate your work via our website.”

We salute all the laborers, who worked on Labor Day 2019.