The entire state is on strike ironically and we are named after rivers that flow and carve its own path and history that has been testament to its tryst with destiny . I think we all are rebels to a cause , and we take this a bit too seriously . The teachers are on a strike , even begging for food in the next village ( it happened yesterday ) and we have nurses , students who sat for the police constable exam on a strike. The transport staff is on strike , its a godly miracle that how we are functioning . For over a year and half we have been battling with a pandemic and just when things are normal because the elections are around the corner everyone wants a stake.
The state is facing its toughest electorate where we are being polarised on caste and every politician is giving out freebies as if God will fill the famous empty coffers ! Punjab has a famous drug rehabilitation policy and every day addicts are given medicines to wean them off , which is one per day . Bhatinda which is famous for its heavy weights , made the headlines for this where the entire hospital staff that dispensed this medicine to large crowds was on strike and the lone lady doctor was giving out the dose. And ,the drug addicts themselves were in uproar because they could not make do with one pill a day.
How is one supposed to function here, where even the famous Patwaris who can change fortunes overnight are on strike and I have an uncle who is desperately praying for them to resolve their dispute so that he can fly back home before Omnicron closes borders .
We all are dependent upon the gimmickry of the participants and also the interesting twist was when I wanted to start my evening school again so that kids could come and study . It seems they are all so used to studying online that they have two groups , one on strike to not go and study and the other that wants to come . The siblings have divided themselves because one dish to come and the others don’t but the conflict is there ; hence the strike .
My cook had the best idea he wants me to take adult literacy classes for all of the adults in the village . His reasoning being that maybe God understands English and he would need English for his pleas to be heard. It’s a sad day , should I laugh or cry or go on a hartal or a strike so that I could teach and help? We are a state that is so far gone that even God will join ranks to protest .
