Delhi: The last among unequals envy the ‘better-off’ poor

NEW DELHI: The economically disadvantaged are not equally poor in Delhi’s districts. Those in East and North-East districts have had to sometimes resort to begging to stave off starvation in the lockdown, while in New Delhi, Central and South districts haven’t had to worry too much about their meals since they work for relatively affluent employers.This divide was quite evident among those who had lined up at distribution centres to get the free wheat and rice that Delhi government had arranged for them.
An exasperated Aqib, a resident of Dilshad Garden, was tired of queuing up for rations but not getting anything despite the wait. He wished he had the address of some “big politicians” so he could go there and protest about the non-availability of the food grains on certain days.
Besides having no food for his family, Aqib had another bigger fear. “As a manual scavenger, I have had scary and life-threatening assignments,” he said. “But it is more frightening here — to see the people lined up so close to each other. If poor people like me have to stand like this, corona infection cases will rise.”
Sandhya Devi, 33, a housewife who is seeking a job because her husband does not now make enough money to feed the entire family of five, also grumbled about not only not getting the promised 4kg of wheat and a kilo of rice, but also having to spend money to buy other kitchen essentials. “Does the government feel that by giving us wheat and rice, that’s enough? Can these be eaten uncooked,” she asked. “It is high time the government also realised what is being given to us is not adequate. The free ration was promised to us for May and June, but the ration centres were closed through May and now when finally open, we aren’t getting our share.”
At the distribution centre in New Delhi’s Gole Market, Sonam, 35, wasn't quite so disenchanted. “My husband Ramnivas is an electrician while I am a housewife,” she said. “Though Ramnivas has got no work during the lockdown, we have managed to sustain ourselves with our savings. My father-in-law's employer has given us a house to stay in and so we are not worried about having to pay rent.”
Mamta, 32, too didn’t appear too disturbed. Despite being poor, she calls herself “privileged” to be working in the house of a wealthy family, which has been helping her during the pandemic. Even if she is unable to get the promised ration, she said she and her family wouldn’t die of hunger. Mamta, who had come to the distribution centre with her 12-year-old son, said, “My husband works in the housekeeping department of an agency on contract basis. Due to the lockdown, he had work only on alternate days. While we had to cut down on milk and some other expenses, we did not have problems about our daily meals.”
Saroj, however, was almost tearing her hair out at not getting the rations. She has lined up for three days to no avail. For the umpteenth time, she approached one of the teachers on ration distribution duty and enquired about her turn but was asked to go and wait. “This is the same answer that I have been getting for so many days,” said the 22-year-old. “They always tell me they have run out of stocks. My husband goes to work and I have had to lock up my two children in our room to come here. So, it’s quite frustrating after all this to return home without wheat and rice.”