As I began to punch in my thoughts for the day - on a topic that I'd already decided - my cellphone went hooting. Was there an urgency about its tone? And when I saw the number, it seemed to be a call from abroad. Probably, a friend who wanted to catch up or was asking for assistance.
But the caller was none other than Rajan - a lad in his mid 20s - hailing from a poor family of Tirunelveli in Tamilnadu. He was in Singapore - doing hard manual labour in one of its construction sites - thanks to a 'fly-by-night' job recruitment agency back home which had swindled a sum of Rs.2 lakhs, promising him a job that would be paying him Rs.25,000/- per month. On arrival, he was crestfallen when told that he'd be working as a labourer in a construction company for a measly pay packet of Rs.5,000/- per month! He'd got his first pay earlier in the day and was making a desperate call to me citing his predicament. I was helpless, sad and angry with the young man.
Why did he take such a decision, in the first place, without keeping me or the people that matter in his life in the loop?
I'd seen the lad about a couple of years back, in the company of Thangamani - a volunteer, from the area, in my grandfather's foundation. Thangamani, then, had apprised me of Rajan's background and sought my help to get him decently employed. I'd explained to him certain avenues - he'd not cleared his class X. He'd tried a few but must have got disillusioned as the results were not encouraging and about six months back, had stopped making his usual weekend calls to me. From Thangamani I'd come to understand that he was going about his daily chores, at his friend's grocery shop's counter and was waiting for his break. Rajan is a hard worker and a simpleton to the core.
He needs to be retrieved from his wretchedness. How it's gonna be accomplished..... I don't even have the foggiest idea!
Tailpiece.
For starters, I need to catch hold of that 'job recruitment agency' which has put Rajan in this predicament and get them to bring him back. As the first step, I've roped in the services of a local political leader of Tirunelveli for necessary action.
PS.
Rajan's story had to be the day's story too!
But the caller was none other than Rajan - a lad in his mid 20s - hailing from a poor family of Tirunelveli in Tamilnadu. He was in Singapore - doing hard manual labour in one of its construction sites - thanks to a 'fly-by-night' job recruitment agency back home which had swindled a sum of Rs.2 lakhs, promising him a job that would be paying him Rs.25,000/- per month. On arrival, he was crestfallen when told that he'd be working as a labourer in a construction company for a measly pay packet of Rs.5,000/- per month! He'd got his first pay earlier in the day and was making a desperate call to me citing his predicament. I was helpless, sad and angry with the young man.
Why did he take such a decision, in the first place, without keeping me or the people that matter in his life in the loop?
I'd seen the lad about a couple of years back, in the company of Thangamani - a volunteer, from the area, in my grandfather's foundation. Thangamani, then, had apprised me of Rajan's background and sought my help to get him decently employed. I'd explained to him certain avenues - he'd not cleared his class X. He'd tried a few but must have got disillusioned as the results were not encouraging and about six months back, had stopped making his usual weekend calls to me. From Thangamani I'd come to understand that he was going about his daily chores, at his friend's grocery shop's counter and was waiting for his break. Rajan is a hard worker and a simpleton to the core.
He needs to be retrieved from his wretchedness. How it's gonna be accomplished..... I don't even have the foggiest idea!
Tailpiece.
For starters, I need to catch hold of that 'job recruitment agency' which has put Rajan in this predicament and get them to bring him back. As the first step, I've roped in the services of a local political leader of Tirunelveli for necessary action.
PS.
Rajan's story had to be the day's story too!
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