Jamshedpur: She came all the way from Kantaboni village in Chakulia block to Jamshedpur, travelling for around 3 hours, just to meet the DC of East Singhbhum district Suraj Kumar. However, she was not allowed to even enter the DC Office premises.
She wanted to plead to DC to help her get admitted into a B.Ed. course.
However, strict gatekeeping filtered her out from accessing government machinery. She was disallowed to meet the DC in the name of corona protocol. She was not even allowed to enter the District Collectorate premises.
Sulata Paul is specially-abled and cannot use her legs. However, fighting all the odds, and despite living in a remote rural area amid utter poverty and misery, she managed to pass M.A.
However, M.A. in a rural area does not bring any employment.
Teaching is what she feels she can do. And for teaching, it is necessary to have B.Ed. degree.
Despite her efforts, she could not secure a seat in any B.Ed. college.
She wanted to meet the Deputy Commissioner to plead with him to help her in securing admission in a suitable B.Ed. college. Or to help her secure a job, if not a seat in B.Ed. course.
She came to meet DC because she felt that being the representative of the government, he might help her.
She hates those who try to help her monetarily. She does not want to beg or be dependent on others. She wants no pity from anyone. She wants to support herself by working.
And she relied on the government to help her stand on her feet.
Despite all odds in her life, she has travelled a lot of distance. Doing M.A. from a Chakulia village is not a mean task.
And she travelled about 80 kms to reach Jamshedpur just to get an opportunity to plead with the DC of her district.
But that was not to be. She was denied entry.
Gatekeeping of government machinery kept her away from the government.
She can’t reach the government now.
And the government can’t see her. She had to go back disappointed.
Corona is a bad virus.
And the government alertness and vigil in gatekeeping from innocent, non-organised, non-political, non-vocal, non-agitating, non-aggressive citizens is strict.
