Woes of a Taxi Driver (2)

My cab driver was livid. “Madam a person who earns Rs 50,000/- a  month and a person who earns Rs 5000/- a month pays the same rate for essentials like vegetables, dal , sugar. Where is the justice?”  I was being shaken from inside. I felt uneasy when I thought how comfortably I would  be paying his fare – my one way fare probably was his day’s profit after meeting all expenses. I did not have any answer ? He was my fellow citizen .He struggled throughout the day driving through potholed roads , stuck in gruelling heat and humidity  for hours in traffic jams , all his energy being exhausted  with the sweat  which bathed him everyday. He was driving the car on contractual  basis .Everyday he paid a fixed amount to the owner .All other expenses were met  by him .Fuel was expensive and rates were revised frequently . Huge amount of precious fuel was wasted because of unending traffic jams. Yet the government held on to old  fares . The union leaders were all bought by party leaders so they did nothing.

“I am unable to provide a decent life to  my family in spite of my hard labour.  In the eyes of the rulers we are like cattle . The city has no parking facilities for cab drivers . We have to wander on the streets even if there are no passengers available . Yesterday I was able to halt for lunch around 5 pm. Most of the days when I find a place to eat there is no parking available or when I find a parking space there is no eatery available. This happens almost everyday. I sometimes doubt whether we at all belong to the human class.”

The festival season was approaching and I could see the frustration in his eyes. It was shopping time and people required funds. There was no festival  bonus for them. They did not have savings to turn to. They could only ferry shoppers to and fro and add to their shopping pleasure .

The city is sporting new street lights .As we drive past the patterned lamp posts my driver laments “ Why spend crores on such flimsy things ? Bengal lives in the villages. Why can’t the money be diverted to rural and agricultural development ? Why force villagers to abandon  their land and homes to die in this merciless, ugly  city ?” As I looked at the changing skyline of the city my heart ached .  But I knew this was a momentary feeling which would be easily forgotten in the cool comfort of secure surroundings. People like me carefully stayed away from such harsh realities of life . They were a threat to our gated existence.