I happened to travel in a mumbai local train recently. It was early morning train journey but surprisingly the train was fairly empty as I got in and it remained so till the end. People were minding their own business and thanks to head phones and smart phones. I mean to say, they are busy with watching movies or listening to music or playing some game. I was no exception.
As the train reached a stopping point, you could see a bunch of people getting off loaded and another getting on boarded. This was an interesting sight like old stock getting replenished with new one.
The train was about to reach the destination and suddenly I heard some heated arguments from behind. The discussion was between an old man and a bunch of youngsters. I could hear that the old man was pleading that he has physical disability and I seriously do not know what triggered the argument. Suddenly one youngster made a very shabby comment that he should have taken the disabled compartment. To that the old man said that he was not a handicap but his condition does not make him move around like a normal man. He went on to say that he suffers from thyroid deficiency and as a result his movements are restricted. It was really sad when he said that his condition does not make him qualify for entering the compartment reserved for handicap and physically challenged. The worst was, after the old man got off the train, those youngsters were still commenting that he should go in the compartment reserved for handicap.
I seriously could not understand how could we be so inhuman. His problem today can be our problem tomorrow. What makes us think that ones physical inability can be a subject matter of criticism or point of discussion.
I was very disturbed and with a heavy heart I got off at the destination and walked away.
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