On this cold snow day, I enjoyed watching the snowflakes falling slowly dancing lightly oh lightly, until reaching the ground. As the snowfall was heavy, it started accumulating on the sidewalks and on the road. When the black tar roads turned white, I heard the plough trucks go by on the main road clearing the snow. There was a clear black path, in contrast to the dense white sides.
The weatherman in the radio station NEWS 11:30 was taking about a lot of accumulation that was expected today. The traffic reporter was mentioning the umpteen accidents on the road and how treacherous the roads were today. He was asking people to stay indoors, unless they had to absolutely get on the road. Many were complaining about how the local municipalities were not cleaning the roads. And I was laughing – having my origin in India I was wondering what would these complainers do if they were in India, where a minor thundershower can cause major floods and power outages. How come these people are expecting so much from their municipalities.
This made me think of this week’s topic of comparing Canada and India and my thoughts drifted to strikes.
I clearly remember the transit union (coast mountain company) strike way back in the early 2000’s. This strike went on for a few weeks. That was the time when I didn’t have a car and was totally dependent on the public transit. Thinking about that strike now, I don’t think I was hassled in any way, as a layman, the common public. In the autumn of one year there was the city cleaners strike. There were dry fallen leaves everywhere – on the sidewalk and on the roads. Though many were complaining, I saw beauty in the fall colours. I should say, the main roads were still cleared of any debris. One year, the garbage collectors union had their strike, but still the garbage was collected, albeit in long intervals. There was a nurses union strike, the postal strike, telephone operations union strike, teachers union strike and even paramedics (911 service) strike.
We can see that, all these are the essential services to ensure that the city / town is running smoothly. In all these strikes, there was thing in common – the layman was not really affected. Though the frequency of the service was reduced, the general public was not completely hindered and things did not stop. There were no big commotions; it was always peaceful. There was always negotiations happening at the table between the union workers and the government; people worked hard, sometimes burning the midnight oil, to strike a deal.
One might say that these are bigger services and therefore it is ensured that the public is not hindered. Let us come to the many rallies and protest marches that happen throughout the year. All rallies are peaceful – the organizers of these rallies are always considering the general public and ensures that there are no incidents. Tamils in Vancouver would certainly remember the peaceful protest that was conducted in 2017 to show our support for Jallikattu. The only time I remember a riot happening in Vancouver was when the Canucks lost the Stanley Cup finals – the finals held in downtown Vancouver. The most amazing part of that riot was, everyone that was involved was eventually caught and judgement served.
Can we think of a peaceful protest / strike in India? If there is a “Bandh” how many public vehicles are burnt? How many shops are looted? How many people are injured? Do the crazy mob stop with just looting materials and vandalizing properties? How many women are raped? How many children affected – bandh being the reason for all.
I was in Bangalore airport recently on a Bharath Bandh day. I overheard the conversation between two ladies and the security at the airport. The ladies were in transit in the airport and wanted to leave the airport and go to the city as they had a layover of about 7 hours. The security guy, very casually mentioned that they were actually safer inside the airport than outside. What a pathetic situation!
I also remember the time when a man’s head was axed in Hyderabad in one of these Bandhs, long time ago. What wa the reason – just that he was there at the wrong place at the wrong time; a collateral damage. Is justice served in these barbaric instances? I would say no – these are hot news items for a day or two and then relegated to the back seat. The public also forgets and moves on; the bandh is done and dusted.
In India, if we have a problem, can we go to the police without fear? I doubt it. There are so many dreadful stories, that one does not like to enter a police station. In Canada, the police is truly there there protect the public, as their friend. You can approach a police for help anytime – no matter your colour, religion or ethnicity.
Snapping back to reality and the beautiful snowflakes, I felt a sense of true freedom and liberation when I realized that I was living in a country where everyone was treated equal; everyone was accountable for their actions; and humanity was at the zenith.
I was reminded of Rabindranath Tagore’s poem “Where the Mind is without fear”, for Canada, my adopted motherland, has truly awakened into that heaven of freedom.
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake!
Picture Credit: <a href=’http://clipground.com’>http://clipground.com</a>