Vijay Kumar Gaba

 Once upon a time a sparrow couple made their nest in a wheat farm. In few days, lady sparrow laid four eggs. In two weeks eggs were fully hatched and four chicks were born. In the meantime, the wheat stems had started growing tall. In another two weeks, the chicks started to fledge and the wheat kernels began to turn golden. This was the day when parent sparrows first discussed about leaving their nest and move somewhere else.

“The crop will be soon ready for the harvest. Our nest shall be exposed and trampled by the harvesters”, the lady sparrow feared. Her companion however was not worried as yet. “Nothing to worry as yet”, he assured her.

In another three weeks, the farm turned completely golden with wheat completely ripe to harvest. The lady sparrow was terribly worried now. “We must fly out now. The chicks have also grown up now and can easily fly to the woods behind the hill”, she argued with her companion. “Nothing to worry as yet. We have plenty of food here. Let chicks eat god and become strong”, the companion remained nonchalant.

In couple of days, the farmer came to the farm with his wife. He looked at the ripe crop with pride and said, “we shall now call my brothers and begin harvesting the crop from tomorrow”. They soon left the farm. The lady sparrow was terribly frightened now. ‘We must fly out right now”, she coaxed his companion and chicks. “Nothing to worry for now”, the companion quipped playing with the chicks.

After couple of days, the farmer again came to the farm with his wife. “My brothers are all thankless and selfish”, he said annoyingly. I would help them whenever they need, but they have refused to help me in harvesting. I shall now call all my neighbors and begin harvesting from tomorrow. “I beg you please let’s fly out now”, the lady sparrow pleaded with the family. The children had become strong and comfortable in the farm by now. “Not yet”. The companion reiterated. The children agreed.

One week passed, nothing happened. One day the farmer and his wife again came to the farm. He saw that the wheat kernels were beginning to wither now. The golden crop had developed many black spots. “We live in a world full of selfish and thankless people. We cannot count on anyone for help”, he said furiously to his wife. “Let’s buy our own tools and begin harvesting ourselves from tomorrow”, the farmer said resolutely. “Hey guys let’s get ready, it’s time to fly out”, the sparrow told his companion and children, with a sense of urgency. “What happened now” the lady asked. “Farmer has realized that no one helps those who do not help themselves”. He will definitely come tomorrow and begin harvesting, the companion bird explained.

From my exposure to ground realities, I can confidently say, “common people have now realized that government and administration can help them only if they are willing to help themselves”. I believe that the anguish and annoyance of people is fast turning into self-help enterprise. Numerous community enterprise have sprung up everywhere to help those suffering from pandemic. Help has started to pour from every corner of the world. Indubitably, there is cynicism towards apathy of the politicians and administration. However, one can see signs of this cynicism abating slowly or transforming into resolve to fight it out.

For politicians and administrators it may the time to join the fighting enterprise of common people or fly out as soon as possible.