“I had tested positive for COVID around 15 days back. Once better I was sent back home but my landlord wants me to vacate the house. Where am I supposed to go with a family of six at this hour of global emergency?” cried Meghnath, a 45-year-old lift-man who had tested COVID positive in the month of May. He was quarantined and treated and discharged from the hospital safe and cured. But where the virus has been kind to him and let him off the hook with minor illness, people aren’t. He is feeling the weight of the disease since he is being ostracized and discriminated against. There have been many cases, especially in over crowded cities where the paranoia has taken over all humanity away from people. 

Meghnath further said, “My wife used to work as a domestic help but the fear has taken away her earnings too. No one is calling her back. I was infected, but my employers didn’t even bother to check on me inspite of having worked for the company for five years non-stop. Neither did they give me the salary for last month. And now ever since the news of my COVID condition leaked out, they have asked me not to join back and instead hired somebody else. 

My family and I have been treated as untouchables and criminals. Our grocery man has denied all our requests for selling the essentials to us. My wife has had to walk for half an hour everyday to go to a grocery store away from our house to get the basic supplies. The other children from the area don’t want to play and interact with my kids anymore and call them names and tease them because of me. I’ve exhausted all my savings over the rent and other necessities while I was in recovery and now my landlord is literally on the verge of throwing  us out on the roads. 

Two days back when I requested him to let us stay since we had nowhere else to go, he threatened me and my family initially. I fell on his feet but to no avail. He kept saying that you will spread the virus and if the news gets out, then everyone from my rooms will move out and I will be penniless. 

We are living on the brink of starvation. From three meals a day, we have moved to only eating two every day and that too little less. The kids are hungry and keep wanting more but we can’t afford to feed them a full stomach. I still feel a bit weak and cannot fight anymore with anyone else. Corona has taken up all my strength. But no one is ready to accept that my immunity saved me and that I have been cured completely. Our well-wishers tell us that we should head back to the village now since there is nothing here for us anymore.

But, who is to tell them, this is my gaon, this is where I’ve made my life and family, how do I leave this place and if I do, where shall I go?? Is it my fault that I got infected while I was at work serving others? Is it my fault that I don’t have enough money to make things easy for my family?