Sir,

This refers to “The Clean Picture” — a feature article on Dhobis (washermen) in your Weekend Star Supplement (Jan. 25). These days we are so much enchanted by the slogan ‘We the People’ that we do not see the real, hard-working, honest people toiling day and night in order to make two ends meet and serve their patrons. Above all they have a certain pride in what they do.

Though we cannot do without their services, we have not cared to provide them modern facilities. The conditions in which they work are deplorable but I think here in Mysuru they must be much better than hundreds of other cities and towns of India. There is a crying need to upgrade their skills, provide them modern civic and health facilities and education so that they are able to diversify and enlarge their life opportunities with dignity.

There are a variety of other traditional service providers and artisans too whose conditions are no better. They too have been overlooked in the development process. Is it owing to the fact that they have not taken the agitation path? Or in terms of vote-bank politics they need not be considered ‘We the People’? Let it be.

Indeed, SOM has done very well by focusing on people who have been overlooked.

– P.K. Misra, J.P. Nagar, 27.1.2020

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