Amid the lockdown due to Covid-19 outbreak stranded labourers who are returning to Madhya Pradesh from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan are receiving selfless service of corona warriors.
Walking hundreds of kilometres on foot, these labourers are forced to return to their hometown as they do not have food to eat, nor any money.
The moment they enter Madhya Pradesh border, they receive hospitality and warmth. Badi Bijasan Mata Temple Committee located 16 kilometres away from Sendhwa is handling the chaos at the state border.
The temple trust is not just providing for their breakfast or some snacks but is also offering them safe drinking water and two meals per day.
Temple trust members Mohan Joshi and Neeraj Kanungo said that the temple was closed after the honourable Prime Minister announced national lockdown. The temple committee is providing for the meals and water for around 7,000-8,000 labourers. Keeping in mind social distancing, they are seated at a safe distance from each other and given food and snacks.
Around 30 labourers reached the temple recently, who had been marching from Dadar, Mumbai, were walking towards their hometown in Uttar Pradesh. One of them, Rujina Khan, who is also the mother of a 10 month old, said that she faced a lot of problems while commuting back, but the temple committee helped them. They halted at the border for about two days, and never did the temple committee hesitated to provide us food.
The Vaishya Mahasammelan of Vaishya Seva Samiti has picked up the tab for providing ration to destitute families. Committee member Rajesh Garg said that they have provided ration items to about 1,578 families. The ration kits include wheat flour, pulses, rice, sugar, edible oil, tea leaves and spices. The committee is also giving food packets to about 800-1,000 persons per day.
Sendhwa’s Manav Seva Samiti has worn a different hat and has taken up the responsibility of performing last rites of unidentified, unclaimed corpses. Committee member Nilesh Jain said that the committee is also providing for fodder and water to the stray animals. They have performed the last rites of five individuals, including two from Maharashtra, two form Uttar Pradesh and one is yet to be identified.
Seva Bharati, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Khatu Shyam Seva Samiti are also doing selfless service in different ways. Seva Bharati is distributing an ayurvedic decoction to the locals, to boost immunity. RSS is also busy distributing food packets to labourers, destitute families and the homeless. The Khatu Shyam Seva Samiti is also providing food packets to the needy. Jain Shwetambar Group is distributing ration kits to the poverty-stricken people.
No just these organisations, but even individuals are helping each other in any way they can. The fact that people have prioritised selfless service over anything is what makes India strong.
