LABOUR UNREST

One day a mannequin

walked away which

was placed infront of a shop.

To the surprise and fun

of the onlookers

it was walking down the path

speedily and the owner on watching it 

ordered one of his employees

to nab him from behind

and give him a few slaps

and command him to

return to where

he came back.

The mannequin responded

by dealing hard blows on the employees back

and on his face till he bled  

which were unbearable

to the employee

and he ran away for life.

Those  who watched the employee

running to the shop

weeping with excruciating pain

the mannequin continued to

walk ahead.

Following in the first

mannequin’s foot-steps

mannequins one after another

walked along the side-walks

and on inquiring tactically why

were they leaving 

from the shop sides.

They did cool down

and listed a number of complaints.

That they were standing

in front of the shop

from morning to evening 

suffering the blazing Sun 

that they were not

provided with at least

one or two glasses

of pure drinking water

that they were not

served at least a square meal each day 

that with the approach of monsoon

they were forced to

stand under the torrential rains shivering

and they were not paid monthly salary due to them

having said all

these each mannequin one

after another sped

ahead in protest

since their

patience had reached its nadir…

In these days of global

labour unrest

even the mannequins strike

work in protest against

their employers…