Gurugram: A seemingly innocuous and well-meaning social media post about the ongoing elections in West Bengal has exposed the grim state of affairs in the state, as far as its economy is concerned.
The post has sparked reactions from all corners.
The first portion of the post says: “Gurugram wishes smooth elections in West Bengal.” The punchline comes next: “We want our maids back safe and soon.”
The post exposes how thousands of women are leaving Bengal to work as domestic helps in cities across the country. Most of them are doing this to sustain their families back in the state where job opportunities have dried up.
A variation of the posts says: “Gurugram/Pune/Hyderabad/Bengaluru wishes smooth and bloodless election in West Bengal (2nd Phase). We want our maids/workers back safe and soon!”
“It’s a harsh truth now. West Bengal became the supplier of waiters, maids, labourers, and gig workers to Noida, Gurugram, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, an
d Surat, from the land of Nobel laureates, economists, philosophers, and scientists. Ask the IITians why the state failed,” a user posted.
“Indian Geopolitics: Elections in West Bengal mean there are NO Maids available in Gurugram. Senior Citizens suffering and how,” another one commented, as reported by Mint.
Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, shared one such post and wrote: “It is a civilisational tragedy that the land of Vivekananda, Netaji and Tagore is today seen in large parts of India merely as a source of household help.”
“Bengal was broken over decades; first by ideological vandalism under the Left, and then by patronage, intimidation and managed decline under Trinamool,” he added.
Author Shefali Vaidya posted: “So as per this, WB exports nothing but cheap labour to the rest of the country? And no Bhadralok Bong has a problem with this? Whatever happened to Bengali pride?”
“My Bengali maid told me sometime in November last year that she would be going on leave to cast her vote. She and many of her friends left for Bengal to cast their vote. She said Bengal needs a change & that is the resolve with which almost all of them have gone to exercise their franchise,” a user remarked.
Another one wrote: “Being a Bengali & resident of WB, I admit it’s true. The poor & unskilled masses looking for honest ways of earning are left with only this option.”