ShekharKapur, the popular actor, director, and producer in Bollywood, tweeted a photograph of a migrant worker on Twitter describing their state. The picture was undoubtedly heart-wrenching, but the caption made one think, "Isn't the oppressive state of migrants our fault? And, how easily the blame is shifted on a deadly virus?
Which one of us have not seen images like these everyday in Mumbai. On our way to work by road or by train. Everyday. And did we not realise they were migrant labourers? We are all complicit #Covid_19 pic.twitter.com/XB6xnf7Rfx
— Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) May 20, 2020
ShekharKapur questions the complicity of humans
While the photograph went viral on Twitter, he gave a reply to the Tweets that the photograph was taken a decade back when he was researching for his movie project, "Paani."
In the current times, where nations are under lockdown, inter-state borders are closed, and migrants are out of work; their lives have become hell. They can neither move back to their hometown or village as there is no means to travel, and living as a migrant in deplorable conditions is next to impossible.
The Central government is criticized for the same, and Coronavirus has become the villain in this scenario. But, the photograph shared by ShekharKapur gives a reality check. If the situation of migrants was the same a decade back where they were living in such inhuman conditions, how can a microbe be held responsible?
Aren't we all complicit to their plight? And, haven't we been aloof for decades now? Now is the time to ponder these questions and take practical steps to help them live a human life with basic amenities, if not a comfortable. It's time for the government to take some real steps to improve migrants' situation, and until they do, we should do our bit to support them at least during a crisis.
