This writer tells harsh reality of pandemic through his poems

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 12

‘Rail di patri, patri tureya, jawa main mazdoor ho, kut khavan, chori ghar javaan, mera ki kasoor ho’.

This is a line from a poem penned by Amolak Singh, president of the Punjab Lok Sabhyacharak Manch. Through this poem, he has tried to highlight the current scenario of the nation under the lockdown due to novel coronavirus outbreak.

If you are aware and watch everything closely what is happening in the life, then no lockdown can isolate you. But if you are not awake and close your eyes to everything, then you automatically become isolated even when there is no lockdown. If we see clearly, we will realise that we have got to see a wider range of the world, things happening around us and changes in the environment. All this prompted me to write. — Amolak Singh

The poem tells the pathetic condition of the workers at this hour of crisis. Amolak Singh, who is also the convener of the cultural wing, Desh Bhagat Yadgar Committee, has written several other poems during the lockdown.

“If you are aware and watch everything closely what is happening in the life, then no lockdown can isolate you. But if you are not awake and close your eyes to everything, then you automatically become isolated even when there is no lockdown,” he feels.

“If we see clearly, we will realise that we have got to see a wider range of the world, things happening around us and changes in the environment. All this prompted me to write,” he said, adding that it was very important to remain active even during such times.

He gave the example of Shaheed Bhagat Singh. “Minutes before his hanging, the great freedom fighter was reading a book on Lenin. And when he was called by jail officials, Shaheed Bhagat Singh replied that a minute was still left. Ek inquilabi, dooje inqlabi nal gall kr reha’ (one revolutionary is talking to another),” he said.

The writer said this was the time when one could think, and make strategies to improve in the future. “Since we are into field work and organise big events and rallies, I have also been doing retrospection and thinking about merits and demerits and also planning on how to improve ourselves,” he said.

Talking about his routine, Amolak Singh said he had increased his working hours in the lockdown. “I stay up late to work and write and review certain things. I don’t understand how people say that they don’t know how to pass their time amid the lockdown,” he said.