“We are a billion”, one day, they said.
“Celebrations…
Power to the people, the largest democracy”, they said.
Then the figures moved ahead
“We are one billion and something”, they said.

From the start, ‘something’ is doing fine
While one billion still walk the line
And wonder where do they stand?
The ‘power of people’, a mere vote bank
From where draws ‘something’ whenever they like…
Sweat or blood or votes alike.

The billion stand in hungry queues
And watch there homes demolished, in news.
In forests and Bastis all the way.
‘Something’ needs it for a bigger play.
“The nation’s growth depends on it
Be patriotic and don’t resist
We need more factories, flashy malls
We need big buildings, not your Chawls
We need to build the economy
At the cost of your ignominy
O’ billion people, give it your all.
O’ billion people don’t let us fall.”

“Don’t ask from us
We’re a small number
We may own ninety percent
And we may plunder
And live in excess of whatever is there
But you, one billion, must learn to bear
Our burden, hope and tomorrow’s fear.”

“Your food don’t matter, give us the land
For industry to flourish and
We’ll give you jobs
To earn your bread.
Sweat it out and show respect.
Don’t ask where you’ll grow it though
For we don’t care if you can sow.
We reap everything that we find
The trick my friend is to turn blind.”

“We are a billion and ‘something’ today
But, for your hunger we can’t stay
Our work and give you back your land
To grow more food or other chores
That we can buy from superstores.”

“You want to live and grow on land?
You’d do better to understand
We got with us the government
The police and the entire trend.
Sing out loud, hold protests
Or struggle for your need to rest
We got the laws to pin you down
As we bulldoze your homes around
And see our dreams rise from that dust.
Relish it now or else prepare
To rot in jails faraway, somewhere
In a corner of democracy
Perched high on our hypocrisy.”

Parvez Imam

..