Poonam My Cobbler Friend De Monte Street

Poonam my cobbler friend

 

He sits at the corner of De Monte Street beyond where he sits is the Bandra Jain Mandir road and further ahead Haji Nura lane with Marwari jeweller shops and predominantly Muslim area.

 

I know Poonam as I stayed for many years at De Monte Street..

Poonam is a very quiet guy from the Dalit community of Shee Babasaheb Ambedkar.

He does his work on this roadside kiosk and leaves by 8 pm.

 

I love shooting cobblers and their skilled hands.. They can repair shoes suitcases bags and umbrellas.

 

I have in all these years never seen a Dalit leader meeting these cobblers who are their trusted vote bank.

 

The Dalits leader too starts from scratch but once he enters politics he becomes a very rich man.

 

While the Dalit cobbler still sits in the same corner for years.. There is no change in his life or status.

 

This is the tragedy of our Democracy..

But is there any option and people are scared of constitutional dictatorship within the ambit of Democracy.

 

I am apolitical but I vote..

I have of late voted for Congress Free Bandra.

 

Our former Bandra leaders were not much for middle class or educated Muslims they had a soft corner for the slum dwellers and their agents saw that they got the votes.

 

But Modiji changed the entire voting pattern of Bandra.

 

But those that want change in their lives the Dalits and the Muslim Christian Maratha others.. It seems a very long wait as of now.

 

Jai Maharashtra.

Done