Building a wall over a slice of cake and a cup of coffee

My aunt was born and brought up in Kanpur. Her mother was one of the first female ticket collectors with the Northern Railways. after my aunt's marriage, they settled in Delhi. Two and a ahalf decades later, I came to the national capital to complete my higher studies. My aunt helped me a lot in the new city. During our weekend talks, she told me how Delhi has changed over the years. It has become extremely populated and congested.

Over a slice of cake and a cup of coffee, she would tell me how 'Delhities' are pained when 'outsiders' take their jobs away. She even suggested that a wall be built around the national capital to stop 'outsiders' from pouring i n.....

Umar was born and brought up in kargil. His father was a weaver. Umar did not want to stay in kargil. The conflict had ruined his life. He had lost his friends and relatives in the war of terrorism. He wanted to go somewhere more peaceful. He wanted to go to Delhi. He never expected his father to agree. But his mother consented. He came to Delhi and joined a local university. Between studies and friends, a beautiful girl fell in love with him...

Esther is a usual twenty-two year old girl. She works as an executive with one of the leading BPO's in Gurgaon. She works hard to support herself and her family in Manipur. The AFSPA(1958) turned her world topsy-turvy. Her elder brother was picked up for questioning. He never came home----Esther's aunt was raped....so her father decided to send her to a safer place,Delhi.....

Raghopur is the only constituency of the former chief Minister of Bihar, Rabri Devi. Mahendra Mahto was born and brought up in Bihar,Raghopur. When the world was celebrating the coming of a new yaer, his pregnant aunt and five cousins were burnt to death. The Chief Minister announced a compensation of a sum of two lacs to the next kin of the dead and twenty thousand rupees were promised for the injured. Mahendra was the only known relative. The District Magistrate hand over a cheque of twenty thousand rupees, with a promise to pay him two lacs later. A loan of five thousand was paid off to the local moneylender. The hospital doctor demanded a 'donation',Mahendra gave him two thousand rupees. The head constable wanted some thing for 'chai-pani'. So Mahendra paid him another thousand. After losing eight thousand rupees in one week Mahendra decided to leave Raghopur as soon as possible. His friend Bansi Yadav, who was an auto rickshaw driver in Delhi had told him about its plying roads. Today, Mahendra lives in Delhi, he could never buy an auto-rickshaw, but he does pull a hired cycle-rickshaw there, enabling him to earn three-four thousand rupees a month.

It has been more than three years since I left Dhanbad, my hometown. I returned only thrice. Rest of the time, I have tried to become a 'Delhitie'. I have my plans- I want to work for a Multinational Company. And my children will never be called 'outsiders'. Over a slice of cake and cup of coffee, I wonder whether having built a wall around Delhi would have been worthwhile or not!