Kamlesh- An Eye Opener Or Just A Source For A New Meme?

It was only last weekend that I came across a post on my fb wall. I rather felt it too funny when the girl did not look forward to take home an ola or uber after the date but instead she would go home running. The exact words used were: bhaag ke. Dun dun dun. Impressed by which the guy calls out to his mother saying that he has finally found her a daughter-in-law. I immediately shared the post on my wall. A friend of mine left his comment on the post ‘sulochan pee kay’ was rather too ambiguous to me, for I could not see find any connection between the former and the latter. So, I asked him what the comment meant at all. He then asked me if I knew Kamlesh whom I perceived to be another ‘Dihnchak Pooja’. But then he tagged me in a video. Lo and behold, what did I just watch, a heart-breaking kid who is all by himself in a different world altogether.

Yes, it was that sensational video of a 13 YO boy which was a part of the documentary ‘Nashebaaz- The Dying People Of Delhi’, made by Dheeraj Sharma. It was supposed to be an eye opener for every human but due to the folly of few who call themselves to be ‘humourous’ it went viral as a meme, which is ridiculous. I immediately wanted to make up for my mistake by pulling it down my wall, but instead refrained myself hoping that the meme reaches scores of readers, only to make them aware of the drug culture.

These days when I open the fb app, my wall is flooded with memes; most of them awful, ridiculous and unnecessary at the same time. Honestly, I don’t see why the meme culture has gained a status higher than what it deserves. I appreciate humour and love sarcasm, but never at the cost of misguiding people. I can only hope that facebook introduces a feature to filter out memes, like seriously! I don’t know much about Kamlesh, but I’m not deaf, dumb or blind and neither are you. Don’t you agree by now?

According to the documentary, Kamlesh says that he depends on rag-picking for his livelihood, and for what? He spends Rs. 30 on food and Rs. 90 on drugs. A boy, who should rather be going to school, is picking rags. A boy, who should be under the care of his parents is wandering around carefree addicted to drugs which he terms as ‘sulochan’. He who should be eating healthy food and building his mind and body is relying upon drugs. He who should be learning lessons of life is unbelievably fearless, and not for the good. He claims that he doesn’t want to go home nor fears dying. When he stops doing drugs, he pukes blood. He is living more like what you would call ‘a thug life’. Now the question is whether this thug life of Kamlesh and the likes of him will help them or anyone at all?

It is devastating to see children resort to drugs. Worst being, they are not even aware of how hazardous it can prove to be to their own lives. Kamlesh is one boy, how many more do we need to find to take action? Illness when ignored gets out of hands. We’d rather start acting now.

An Ayurvedic professor that I met earlier this month said how human body has the ability to recover on its own, without any medical supervision, to a greater extent. A particular news piece that I read on ‘in shorts’ said that a proper diet alone, generous in fruits, vegetables and cereals reduces the symptoms of depression and other mental disorders.

Well, I’m not deviating from the central idea of this article. I just mean to say that everything comes down to one thing- the state of well-being. Is it too difficult to achieve? Certainly, it is. With poverty, adulteration, over-population, greed, corruption and the latest memes flooding our beautiful planet, what can be expected at the least? Can’t we take some time off and give it a thought? It is scary to even think, isn’t it? But if not us, who will?

For great changes to happen, brilliance is not a primary premise, nor is selfishness. The idea is for us to get united for the good. Of course, it is easier said than done but never impossible and it is never too late to begin. Can't we do what is possible from our sides to stop all things nonsense? Why can't we venture into re-building our planet? If we are not moved by this, nothing else can possibly move us. Starting now, let us all become sensible.

Image credits: Daily Bhaskar, youtube