She Is The Winner

As I entered the office, I saw the girl standing under a fir tree next to the gate. She is wearing an old torn ordinary sari and the same off-colored blouse. Disheveled hair, the oil may not fall for a long time. Skinny tired look, seated eyes, and face. Although the color of the skin is not black, it is quite black. No, she is certainly not a madwoman!

  A scrawny child is as thin as a dried jute stick in her lap. The child's complexion is also black like hers. He is the bare body, crying and whining. It is difficult to recognize whether the child is a boy or a girl.

  I don't know the girl came office to whom and why? Many such people come to our office. This office is for the village and the poor. The office of the Block Development Officer.

And it is called the office of the Panchayat Samity also. The BDO of the block is also the EO of Panchayat Samity. The villagers do not understand so many riddles. However, the BDO is easy to pronounce. At the time of bringing petitions to him, he can also be available. He doesn't show so much of a minister-like attitude shown by the Sabhapati (president) of the Panchayat Samity.

 However, the difficulty is Block Development Officers are changed every two years. Never a year goes by a new BDO is in the chair again.

 Previous BDO used to wear glasses, the face was also smiling. How is this new staid Officer, who knows? Within two days, he hung a huge curtain on the door and a new soft fluffy carpet on the floor. It seems to obstruct entering the room and walking on the fresh carpet with dusty slippers. New Sir has also introduced a new rule. After giving the slip to the peon, get permission to enter the chamber.

 It's almost twelve o'clock! The girl was still standing in front of the gate under the fir tree! The baby's cries could not be stopped and she was repeatedly opening her breasts. The hungry child even was rubbing his mouth on her dry breast but was Leaving it.

 Sudipta, a colleague, can't tolerate these. He may be a little too kind than me. He was standing at the door. Seeing the girl standing like that, he went ahead. Asked, hey girl why are you standing here? To whom did you come, what do you need?

 The girl grabbed the child by the right arm and handed him a three-fold white paper. Said, will you write an application for GR for me (Government Relief- one unit of cash one hundred and twenty rupees) sir? The father of this child was hospitalized, had a stomach ulcer, and could not eat anything ! The doctor said the condition is not good, he prescribed medicine, that's why -!

 She also took out untying the knot in the hem of her wearing sari a prescription piece like a grocery store sheet. Sudipta looked at the sheet for a while and asked, how much medicine, how much will it cost, did the doctor say anything?

  'Doctor Babu said it would cost approx. four hundred rupees?’

  ‘Oh .. then come with me’, Sudipta took her to the office room. He wrote an application on the half of foolscap paper given by her and asked, can you sign?

 She shook his head. No, she can't sign.

  Necessarily thump impression.

  The child in the arms, with the application in hand, went ahead so that she would stand in line in front of the chamber of BDO. Today there is a big crowd of students, they are standing in line. That the Joint Entrance Examination Form must be signed by the Block Development Officer!

  But BDO Shahab is very busy today. The minister will come! Their emergency meeting is scheduled on tribal development in the area. Moreover, next month is the Indigenous tribal Culture Festival. The minister will go through some policy guidelines in that regard as well.

  So BDO Shahab is going through the last phase of rubbing with the officials. Piles of piles of file papers on his desk. There is no time to look up.

  on the other hand, the crowd of students is pushing outside, who will enter first? It is not that the fate of one or two students is not being torn apart after a long time. However, that tribal girl has no ability to fight with the crowd. Being compelled to leave the fight, she left and stood under the fir tree again. She lowered the baby from her lap and sat down squatting. She was wiping her right wet lap in baby's urine with the hem of wearing a sari.

  Being released from the mother's lap the baby started crying again with new enthusiasm. The girl i.e. mother couldn't bear it anymore and slapped the child on the cheek. The stunned ignorant child became breathless and cried again with a double scream. Sudipta ran to the girl, why did you hurt the baby? Oh .. as you not being able to meet the BDO sir, now all your anger is on the child?

  Saying this Sudipta came back to the office verandah with big steps. Quickly transferring the chewing tobacco from his hand over his lips Sudipta called out to the office peon. Pointing his finger at the gate and showing the girl he asked in a sobbing voice, that is the girl who has been standing there since then with an application in her hand, can't you get her to meet sir? Do you know the girl's husband is serious, hospitalized? There is no money to buy medicine!

  Sudipta's madness is not unknown to Mohsin. He said in a calm voice, Sudiptada, I took her to the BDO Shahib. Shahib said he was very busy today, so a little later -

  Sudipta said, native officer, that's why shows little too much fruitless activity. When I will give that stupid some lesson then .. Shala! ', Sudipta muttered.

  I looked at Sudipta in fear, didn't he do another awkward incident like that day? I got up from the chair and went to him, don't heat your head unnecessarily, Sudipta. Whenever it is time definitely BDO sir will call her. The minister is coming so maybe he is a little busy today.

  Sudipta is not a boy to keep a cool head. Shouted, why? Are the ministers the living god of Kaliyug (present time)? He will come so there is no value in the time of the poor?

  I am not the one to give up. I said I do not understand why you warm up so quickly in all matters? This is your own loss, the loss of the member of your household also!

  ‘Yes, there is loss, there is unrest !’ Sudipta seemed to agree with me.

  And the more he accepts, the more I am relieved.

  Mohsin called the girl and made her stand in line again. The long line has become a little shorter by then, but still seven or eight people!

  The naughty child was still crying. His mother could not stop him. The whole BDO office was approached by her crying.

  BDO sir came out of his own chamber in annoyance, what happened? Why so many cries here?

 Then he looked at the girl and said with a stab, that's when I told you to come a little later! Is it an office or the house for the postpartum confinement?

  The girl bowed her head in shame. She came out of the office and stood under the fir tree again. She started beating the child with a ruthless hand, almost knocking him off his lap.

  BDO Shahab called Mohsin and said a little angrily, don't you understand me, Mohsin? I told you then, no one else will meet me today! If really someone has an emergency, ask them to come after four in the afternoon! 

  Sudipta's eyes were just waiting for the fire to ignite. I still can't forget the incident of suddenly becoming violent by him that day! It was almost like a fight with the previous Officer!

  There is endless work on the staff of the BDO office. On top of that, the election work is in full swing throughout the year. There is no holiday of Pujofestival and holiday of Saturday-Sunday, you have to come to the office and work. This is like a kind of physical and mental harassment in the name of election urgency.

  Sudipta harshly disobeyed one day. He said in an arrogant voice that he would not come to work on holidays. Pig rearing is much better than nonsense election work. Bundle of arguments created in a word or two. The non-Bengali officer uttered an inaudible insult in their native language. Sudipta also recited vulgar threw two or three blows.

  The officer stumbled over his table. He got pain in his head and neck, and black spots formed on the jaw. There was no big disaster, so this is safe!

  Then the water may have rolled far, but not rolled! Maybe it's because Sudipta accepted the guilt that he is more radiant. In fact, Sudipta who calls religion opium has changed after starting the frequent visit to Shayamananda Brahmachari, a saint. And it is me who took him to Shayamananda Brahmachari!

  Yet the fear did not go from me even today, what if he ever became as horrible as before?

  I tapped his hand. What I mean is that he probably understood and went back to his chair. Yet in the meanwhile he muttered in a strange tone, the girl was standing in front of the office from that morning with a hungry child in her lap. The dying husband is admitted to the hospital, there is no money to buy medicine! Couldn't the stupid doctor get the medicine? And shit BDO? Everyone should be shot!

  I swallowed and said, we also have the end of the month, otherwise we would have given.

  He seemed to be more blown away by my words. He slapped the table and said, why should we give? Why she will not get even exists a government system? What is the government for? ..... To tear pubic hair?

  Realizing that his throat was going up again, he lowered it a little and said again, Tell me how much we will give even if we give, ten, twenty, thirty, surely not more? But she needs at least five hundred rupees? So if she got two units of cash (two hundred and forty rupees) in GR, she could have collected the rest from here and there.

  At that time the sound of a huge siren outside. The minister's convoy flew into the open space in front of the office with a whirlwind of dust in the air.

  Officials also came with the minister. Different cars for everyone, as if the car exhibition is sitting. There is no more space in the courtyard. The empty space under the fir tree was also taken over by the motorists. The girl had to leave the office premises after being threatened by the police.

  As soon as the minister got out of the car, the local leaders and bureaucrats started rushing to show loyalty. It was as if the competition had begun who is how much skillful in groveling. The king's slavery was a feeling even among the people who came from far and wide. The policemen were moving like dolls with keys. The minister entered the meeting hall with his councilors. It lasted for two hours. The main goal of the government is now tribal development. It costs a lot of money, the state government will pay for it. It doesn't matter whether it is aided by the central govt or not, the state will continue its tribal development within its limited capacity.

  At the end of the meeting playing the retreat of the siren the minister returned to the capital. The tension that was so tense for so long is now very stagnant. It is a feeling of happiness to do a government job in the face of the wide smiles of high-paid bureaucrats. A packet of sweets in someone's hand. Someone was throwing half-eaten packets out the window. And the screams of the fighting of the dogs that came to take possession of the remnants were coming from outside.

  BDO returned to his chair with a smile on his face. The Minister is happy with his reporting.

 By that time the girl also came and stood in front of the chamber again. The doctor told her to buy medicine at ten o'clock that morning! And now it's afternoon four o'clock! This time she went inside without asking permission. Mohsin was forced to go with her.

  BDO was talking to someone on the landline then. He motioned for the girl to wait.

 But the conversation of the Shahab doesn't end! Five minutes, seven minutes ... ten minutes ! . The hungry child took the little thumb of his hand on his own lips and has become numb in his mother's lap. Baby also sighed as if to raise two hiccups. As soon as peeved Sahib raised his index finger on his lips and threw annoyance in his big eyes, baby's unprepared mother stood like a foolish servant.

  At last, the conversation came to an end. Leaving the receiver, he asked in a serious tone, yes, what's the matter, what is the application?

  Mohsin has to answer, sir, the girl's husband is admitted to medical ...

  That's all, Sir don't have the patience to listen to the rest. He immediately grabbed the application and signed it with a word called 'Allowed'.

  Now it's a term to take that application to the Block Relief Officer. Alas, the Relief Officer is not seen. Hey, isn't he just here? Didn't he leave early to go home to the district town? Hey no no, that's he is coming! Maybe he went to the toilet? Wiping his hands with a handkerchief, he sniffed and sat on the chair. He looked at the application and asked, how many units, one or two?

  Oh shit, Sir, did not write it? Immediately Mohsin ran again to Sir's chamber.

  What is the fate of the unfortunate? Shahab is not in his chair! However, his favorite laptop was still on the open table. Then maybe he went to his quarters. He didn't eat anything all day to conduct the marathon meeting!

  After eating when Shahib returned and sat down in the chair it is just five past five o'clock in the afternoon. When Mohsin entered the chamber again with the girl Sir asked in a surprised tone, what again, just didn't I sign this?

  ‘Relief Shahab said you didn’t write down how many units of GR, that's why ?’...

  ‘Oops! Didn’t I write it down ? ’, With the application in hand again he said, everyone has to be happy, there is no shortage of the poor! - Saying this he wrote 'one' next to 'allowed' with squeaking.

  With that, Mohsin ran to the relief officer again. The officer has sorted it out by then. He said with great annoyance, did not have time, in this last afternoon?

  After saying, that it's not an application, as if he took in his hand a piece of paper smeared with poison, seeing if there was enough relief money in the account, signed like a small rasgulla ( sweet item) of his big name.

  Aged Mohsin got breathless while running from one room to another. Yet the one whose end is good is all good. This time he had to run to the cashier's room. The girl with the baby in her lap behind.

 Though the cashier closed the cash he may not be as reckless as not paying one hundred and twenty rupees. He gave the money to the girl taking the thumb impression of a skeleton hand.

  As if this was the first time the girl saw more than a hundred rupees in front of her eyes. She almost bowed to the cashier and Mohsin with tears of emotion. She was also running towards Sudipta. As soon as Sudipta threatened her, he hurried out of the office and vanished in the turning of the dusk downing road.

  A little later we are also towards each other's respective homes. As per the rules of efflux of time, one night again, another morning. The market again office again. According to the norm of domestic life, I forgot that very poor, insignificant, sick tribal girl.

  After five or six days, she suddenly stood under the fir tree as before. In the same way, the baby is on her lap, wearing a dirty torn sari, looking devastated.

  I said to myself, no matter how much we do for them, they climb on heads whenever get indulgence. And wants a lot without doing any work.

  After a long time, when Sudipta did not come today, in the same way as before she brought me a white paper. As soon as I looked at her with contempt, I almost said, Which of your husbands is admitted to the hospital today, she put one hundred and twenty rupees on the table with the three-fold white paper and said, will you write an application, sir? I will deposit this money in the government house.

  The wonder of the world was in front of my eyes. Frightened, I asked, what do you mean?

  'It was too late that day, sir! I couldn't save my husband anymore, so ...! The money is of no use to me, if someone else needs it ?' It was as if he had shot a poisonous arrow into my ruthless heart. No language of consolation can rise from that ruthless chest. Moreover, I did not have the courage to make belittle this tribal girl without depositing that one hundred and twenty rupees in the government house. Only a handful of billionaires out of one hundred thirty crores of India have as much money deposited in Swiss banks, as much money as the government spends on holding an election, as much money as scandals in government offices ... this one hundred and twenty rupees is much weightier and more valuable than that!

  The question is how and in which a number of challan forms will I deposit this priceless money in the government treasury? The government did not make any such challan (invoice) for me! So, whether this money is deposited in the government treasury or not, this kindness, this begging is no longer needed for this winner!