When social activist Daya Bai was insulted and dumped out in the night in the middle of nowhere, it was clear that the callous KSRTC bus crew went by her appearance.
The public backlash and departmental action taught them a bitter lesson to never judge people by their appearance.
For, Daya Bai who chose to work amidst the tribals of north India had made a conscious effort not to standout and had adopted their way of dressing and food habits long back.
That humility shone through when she turned up at Ernakulam Press Club to accept the award instituted by the M.K. Ayyappan Master Foundation.
“I am a small person with some small dreams living among small people doing small deeds. And during the course of this life some things happened,” Ms. Daya Bai said.
But her voice assumed grit while expressing the disillusionment with the state of affairs.
Invoking the preamble of Indian constitution, a constant mantra on her lips, Ms. Daya Bai wondered how there emerged marginalised people usurped of everything even 66 years after every citizen in this country was given a dream, a promise of justice, equality, and liberty.
“India stands divided. People of India have everything unlike the people of Bharat. I stand for the people of Bharat,” she said. She was shocked by the behaviour of the privileged towards the marginalized sections who were discriminated against and mocked at for their attire, food and culture and thus left them with a sense of inferiority.
“Social activists are known to have enemies. I don’t know whether I have enemies. But there was stiff opposition all through,” she said.
