Sonu Sood a well known actor who is usually known for playing the role of villain in his films is now being haled as a superhero for all the relief work he is doing voluntarily for migrant workers. The villain from famous movie Dabangg has now turned up into a ‘Messiah’. Yes, Messiah for those migrant workers who are worst affected due to this Covid – 19 induced lockdown. These migrant workers had lost their jobs, all their savings had exhausted and had no food to eat. They were depressed and hopeless so the only option left with them was to walk 1000 Kms to reach their native places. In such a hopeless situation Sonu Sood volunteered to help 1000’s of migrant workers in Mumbai return their homes.
How Sonu helped Migrant Workers?
Sonu started his relief work for the first time in March with his childhood friend Niti Goel. They firstly distributed 500 packets of cooked meals and groceries to migrant workers. Then soon he got to know that migrants were leaving Mumbai. He saw migrants walking on highway, risking their lives to reach their homes. He then decided someone should come forward and do something. In an interview he quoted ‘Migrant workers have helped build our houses, roads and offices. We cannot stand and watch them homeless. These are important people of our country’.
He spoke to a lot of people from ground to top level got all permissions, be it from police or medical department. After all the required paperwork he arranged first batch of10 buses for 350 migrant workers to help them reach their homes in Karnataka. He then helped nearly 160 migrant women workers of Odisha by arranging a chartered flight for them and paying for flight tickets. They had to go Bhubaneshwar from Kochi.
This did not ended here. The whole wave started when people from different states started approaching him in large numbers and they would cry. His cell phone was flooded with calls and messages. He with the help of his team even launched a helpline number so that people could easily contact him. He till now has sent 20000 workers to their hometown in different states in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan by arranging buses, trains and flights. His team each day is also providing food and water to at least 45000 workers. He has even given the rooms of his personal hotel in Mumbai to the doctors who were examining these migrant workers. Really, he in true sense is a Messiah for all of us. Hats off to this man for his honest and pure efforts.
What motivated him help Migrant Workers?
When asked in an interview by various news channels why he helped the workers he only said that it was out of love and he strongly feels about them. He said that he came to Mumbai as a migrant. One day he boarded a train and landed up here. As a migrant he has seen the worst times in his initial days when he had to sleep between two coaches in front of toilets. With very little money and huge dreams in his eyes it was very difficult for him to survive in a city like Mumbai. His own journey and struggle motivated him to help the migrant workers. He said that he will not stop here. ‘He will work till the last migrant reaches home. No one should be rendered homeless’.
His philanthropic work needs to be applauded. More importantly credits should be given to his parents Shakti and Saroj Sood for inspiring him in his humanitarian efforts. We should learn the true meaning of humanity from this person. At our individual level we should do something to help people like cooking an extra meal for someone, giving some clean space to live to our maids or may be watchman. Thus ensuring that noone in our country sleeps hungry or stays homeless.
Remember –
“We can’t help everyone but everyone can help someone” – Ronald Reagan
International Journal of Research (IJR) 