Today topic- BEGLA- 135- UNIT- 13- Social Injustice- English in Daily Life- IGNOU Subject
INTRODUCTION
- We can see lots of dissimilarities in our societies based on various reasons.
- In this chapter we will understand how social injustice is caused by harboring prejudices based on caste, colour and gender.
- Social injustice definition says that it is a situation when some unfair practices are being carried in the society.
- Whatever unjust is happening is usually against the law and it might not be something that is considered a moral practice.
- We will read and appreciate some of these issues based on a story by Premchand.
READING COMPREHENSION: "THE THAKUR'S WELL" BY PREMCHAND
- Jokhu brought the lota to his mouth but the water smelled foul.
- He said to Gangi, 'What kind of water is this? It stinks so much I can't drink it! My throat's burning and you give me water that's turned bad.'
- Every evening Gangi filled the water jugs.
- The well was a long way off and it was hard for her to make several trips.
- She'd brought this water yesterday and there's been no bad smell at all then.
- Surely some animal must have fallen into the well and died.
- But she didn't know where else she could get any water.
- No one would let her walk up to the Thakur's well.
- Even while she was far off people would start yelling at her.
- At the other end of the village the shopkeeper had a well but even there they wouldn't let her draw any water.
- For people like herself there wasn't any well in the village.
- Jokhu, who'd been sick for several days, held back his thirst for a little while.
- Then he said, 'I'm so thirsty I can't stand it. Bring me the water, I'll hold my nose and drink a little.'
- Gangi did not give it to him.
- His sickness would get worse from drinking bad water that much she knew.
- But she didn't know that by boiling the water it would be made safe.
- She said, 'How can you drink it? Who knows what kind of beast has died in it? I'll go and get you some water from the well.'
- Surprised, Jokhu stared at her. 'Where can you get more water?'
- 'The Thakur and the shopkeeper both have wells.
- Won't they let me fill just one lota?'
- 'You'll come back with your arms and legs broken, that's all.
- You'd better just sit down and keep quiet.
- The Brahman will give a curse, the Thakur will beat you with a stick
- Do you think people like that are going to let you draw water from their well?'
- The harsh truth was in these words and Gangi could not deny it.
- But she wouldn't let him drink that stinking water.
- At this moment Gangi reached the Thakur's property to get water from his well.
- Gangi sat hidden behind the wall and began to wait for the right moment.
- Everybody in the village drank the water from this well.
- It was closed to nobody, only those unlucky ones like herself could not fill their buckets here.
- Gangi's heart cried out against the restraints and bars of the custom.
- Why was she so low and those others so high?
- Just how were they so high and mighty? It was only a matter of words.
- No, Gangi thought, we don't go around shouting that we're better.
- Whenever she came into the village they looked at her with eyes full of lust, they were on fire with lust, every one of them, but they bragged that they were better than people like her.
- She grabbed her bucket and rope and crept away to hide in the dark shadows of a tree.
- When had these people ever had pity on anybody?
- They beat poor Mahngu so hard that he spat blood for months, and the only reason was that he refused to work labour gang.
- Was this what made such people consider themselves better than everybody else?
- Two women had come to draw water and they were talking.
- One said: "There they were eating and they order us to get more water.
- There's no money for a jug.'
- 'The men folk get jealous if they think they see us sitting around taking it easy.'
- 'That's right, and you'll never see them pick up the pitcher and fetch it themselves.
- They just order us to get it as though we were slaves.'
- When the two of them had filled their buckets and gone away Gangi came out from the shadow of the tree and drew close to the well platform.
- Gangi tiptoes up on to the well platform.
- Never before had she felt such a sense of triumph.
- She looped the rope around the bucket.
- Like some soldier stealing into the enemy's fortress at night she peered cautiously on every side.
- If she were caught now there was not the slightest hope of mercy or leniency.
- Finally, with a prayer to the Gods, she mustered her courage and cast the bucket into the well.
- Slowly, slowly it sank in the water.
- There was not the slightest sound.
- Gangi yanked it back with all her might to the rim of the well.
- No strong-armed athlete could have dragged it up more swiftly.
- She had just stooped to catch it and set it on the wall when suddenly the Thakur's door opened.
- The rope escaped from her hand.
- With a crash the bucket fell into the water, the rope after it, and for a few seconds there were sounds of splashing.
- Yelling 'Who's there? Who's there?' The Thakur came towards the well and Gangi jumped from the platform and ran away as fast as she could.
- When she reached home, Jokhu with the lota at his mouth, was drinking that filthy, stinking water.
WRITING: NEWSPAPER REPORT
Read this newspaper report
Discrimination has no place in democracies
( New Delhi )
- It's a shame that even after 56 years of Independence, women in the country are being discriminated against.
- ( When this report would have been written, it would have been 56 years, now it has been 75-76 years. )
- Article 14 of the Constitution provides that no citizen shall be discriminated against on the basis of caste, sex, religion, etc.
- Laws, which aim at empowering the vulnerable sections of society, must be implemented along the provisions of the Constitution and the Directive Principles of state policy.
- Women in greater numbers must be allowed to participate in the lawmaking process.
- This will help plug the loopholes in various laws relating to property, inheritance and other areas.
What do you notice about this newspaper report? Do you for instance notice that:
- the report is informative and educative
- the information is laid out clearly and authentically
- it expresses facts as well as feelings and emotions
- it deals with a social issue in a relevant context
- the writer has a perspective on the issue which is evidently sincere
- there is evidence of research and apparent expertise on the topic
- the language is clear, precise and objective.
READ MORE- BEGLA- 135- UNIT- 12 ( The Smell Of Food )
