Honesty has nothing to do with financial stability

We have heard since our schooldays that truth is stranger than fiction. I experienced the reality of this quote some time back. I was in a hurry to reach my office one morning when my car showed some problem. As I was not having enough time to call a mechanic, I preferred to hire a cycle rickshaw for reaching office in time.

I always try to study people, from various walk of life and put the reality of their life in pen and paper which I enjoy. I noticed that the rickshaw puller did not have anything on his body which we could call cloth /dress. He had one torn lungi on his waist and a gamchha(towel) on his shoulder. On inquiry I came to know that a cunning man, whom most of us call clever(?) had taken the rickshaw by availing of a Bank loan under the poverty alleviation programme of the Government in the name of the rickshaw puller and was charging Rs.25 per day to allow him to pull the rickshaw. Since the man was not educated he did not know what foul game are playing played under such programmes of the Government and how the HAVES are deriving all benefits that is meant for the HAVENOTS. I felt that I was also a party to this sin as I was also working in a Bank. To console my aggrieved heart I told him to stop pulling that particular rickshaw from that day onwards. I told him that I would arrange a loan for him and what ever money he was paying now daily to that nasty man, he should deposit in his loan account.

I was taken aback to see that the man started weeping. I asked him the reason. He told that none on this earth had ever thought of his welfare. The tears are out of the joy that someone who is totally ignorant about him was thinking about him. He further expressed his inability to avail of the loan. I was curious to know the reason. He told that the Pandit of the local mandir had said " give whatever you have to others but never take anything from anyone because the ATMA does not get PEACE with a burden especially when it is related to money". He again explained if he dies in an accident which is very common now on our roads, his ATMA will never rest in peace if he fails to repay the Bank loan. My head bowed down on listening to the reply of the poor(?) rickshaw puller. When multi millionaires in this country in connivance with bank people are playing all tricks in finding ways for not repaying bank's loan, is not this rickshaw puller an exemplary character for the society? Why after all should we tell that poor man are not honest?

Out of compassion I paid him Rs.15/ when I reached my office. The gentleman, yes definitely he should be termed a gentleman, politely gave me back Rs.5/- and told that the reasonable charge is Rs.10/ only. Is it not unfair on our part to look down upon such great characters only because they are not equivalent to our status in terms of money and other material pleasures?