During my return from my Gareeb budgeted Backpacking trip from Rajasthan, I took the Suryanagri Express from Jodhpur. With Rajasthan having an Indo-Pak border, it was shocking to see BSF Jawans travelling near the entrance and filthy toilets in the train trying to adjust to the erratic timing of arrival (4.00 am), catching up on sleep, heavy luggage trunks and pathetically cold weather. All they had on them were their uniforms but none were complaining. A big salute to them. (I almost died of the cold weather in spite of a reserved berth, leather jacket and a woolen blanket).
With bachpan se soft corner for the Military & para-military Jawans, it was an uneasy feeling to see the real heroes of our country travelling near stinking toilets with no reserved berths for resting. If a certain Bollywood hero was to travel by train, half the bogie would make space for him and would even fan them to sleep claiming to be their die-hard fan (chamcha).
Cliched it might sound but if the real heroes can sacrifice their lives for us, I can sacrifice my berth for them. I requested the Ticket Checker (TC) that incase any of the Jawans wants to sleep, they can take my berth and I shall manage. But few minutes later, a random civilian started settling down on my seat. On checking with him he said he was not an army Jawan and the TC had allotted him the seat. Aata Maajhi Satakli!!!
When the TC was brought back to the scene of confusion this is what he had to say:
Me: Mein ne aapko mera seat un army waale ko deneko kaha tha kyunki who log toilets ke yahan pe baithke travel kar rahe hai. Koi civilian ke liye mein apna reserved seat kyun chodun? (I had told you to allot my seat to those army people coz they are sitting near the toilets. Why should I leave my reserved berth for a civilian?)
Brainless TC: Aap hi ne toh kaha tha apna seat allot karne ke liye. Aur kya farak padta hai koi army ke bande ko de ya aur kisiko? Aapko unke bare mein sochne ki zarurat nahi hai. Bahut berths hai unke liye. (You only told me to allot this seat. What difference does it make if the seat is allotted to an army Jawan or anybody else? You don’t have to worry about them. Plenty of berths are available for them)
{Mr. TC is that why they were travelling in such pitiable condition? Coz I could not see any comfortable berth around them to rest on}
On arguing further, he walked towards the Jawans and shouted “arey aap logon mein se koi free hai kya? Chalo udhar. Ek berth hai. Wahan sona hai”. He didn’t fail to make me feel disgusted about him. But it dosent matter. The purpose was achieved and atleast one Jawan had a peaceful sleep.
Sincere request to the Indian Railways that please have a special bogie for the Jawans in all the trains esp. in crucial places where they need to travel frequently to and also educate the brainless Ticket Incharges to be little more kind towards the people who are out there fighting for our safety. I also request the passengers to help the Jawans by providing them at least moral support (if not your seats) rather than complaining that they are blocking your way to Nirvana in the loo.
