Five Microtales

1.        Development

            Chamar, Lohar, Mehtar and many others stood at a distance, along with their families, and watched their huts being pulled down by a bulldozer. They were asked to leave the place where they had been living for decades.

“The government has taken over this land for development works,” an officer said.

Chamar, Lohar, Mehtar and the others spread their bedsheets under a flyover over which flew opulent vehicles of development.

 

2.        Impersonation

            The old woman went to the Women’s Welfare office. She wanted to register herself for the Prime Minister’s monthly welfare scheme for the old and unemployable women.

She placed her thumb on the scanner for Aadhar authentication.

“Not matching,” the officer said.

She was arrested for trying to impersonate.

Sitting on the cold prison floor, she looked at her wizened hands. There were no lines left on her palms, they were worn out by six decades of labour.

 

3.        Holy Cow

            Akbar Khan was taking his cow home. He had bought it from a neighbouring village. It would give him enough milk to educate his little daughter. He dreamt of his daughter going to school in her uniform, carrying a new bag full of knowledge.

A group of men carrying a lathis approached him and beat him to death. “The cow is holy,” they said as Akbar breathed his last.

 4.        The Police

            The young woman wearing a bedraggled and ragged sari went to the police station.

“I’ve been raped by many men,” she sobbed. She wanted to file a complaint.

The policemen looked at each other and smirked. They took her to a dark room. It was so dark that she couldn’t see anything; she could only feel male organs all over her body.

 5.        Doing Nothing

The challenge was easy. You have to do nothing. Absolutely nothing. You will be left with nothing in a closed room. No phone, no books, no games, no communication with anyone… For thirty days and nights. Ready?

Only one man accepted the challenge. He was a government officer.