When Shyam Babu came to Gurgaon eight years ago, he had big dreams in his mind for his son after he enrolled him in a school here with a hope that he will not become a labourer like him when he grows up.
Babu's dreams came crashing down after he had to leave the city due to the fear of starvation amid the coronavirus-triggered lockdown.
Struggling to make ends meet in the last two months, Babu has decided to move back home to his village to ensure survival.
As he reminisces about the time he moved to Gurgaon in search of work and ultimately got his son admitted to a school here, his eight-year-old son Neeraj is reluctant to leave and pleads his father that he will stay back and go to school when it reopens.
He fears that there may not be any coming back to Gurgaon and he will have to study in a village school from now.
"I have been in Gurgaon for eight years now. I have worked as a labourer at different construction sites. I always wanted my son to study in a 'bade sheher ka school' (big-city school) since those in villages are not that good.
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"Neeraj got admission in a government school here. His fees and meals were taken care of and we were happy that he will get a good education and will not have to work as a labourer when he grows up," Shyam Babu told PTI.
He said that his son got admission in a government school here. Neeraj's fees and meals were taken care of and they were happy that he will get good education and will not have to work as a labourer when he grows up.
"There is no work now, the room where we were staying, we had to vacate it after April as we could not pay the rent. Pending wages have not been paid too. Have been waiting for our chance to come for train travel. Neeraj wanted to stay back so he can resume school when it reopens but how can we leave him here alone?" he added.
Unhappy about visiting his village suddenly with all their belongings, Neeraj said, "I like the school here. I wish I am able to come back and the situation turns normal soon. If they will let my father build houses, I will get to come here too."
Diwan Raj, who worked with a catering firm here, said, "My son's school here is very good. They also sent sanitiser and masks for the whole family and the teacher explained to us on phone about coronavirus and precautions everyone needs to take. You don't get all this in village schools. Children then struggle when they grow up."
His son, Brij Kumar, who studies in class 8 said, "First, I had no hopes of studying in a city school and then I had no hopes that this will end this way."
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