"If your Punjab has been saved, it has been saved thanks to the NRIs"
In a video which she posted on Facebook and other platforms, Harjeet Kaur Badrukhan from Punjab in India very eloquently and specifically raises a hypocritical trend which is spreading among Punjabis during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She targets those Punjabis who are posting messages and videos on Facebook, TikTok and other social media spreading hate towards Non-Resident Indians who are returning back to India amid the Coronavirus pandemic.
Many of the NRIs from Punjab have gone abroad to countries in Europe, North America and Australia, from where they have worked doing all kinds of jobs from non-skilled to skilled but still made a point of providing for their families back home.
NRI financial support has hugely helped fund education, medication and infrastructure projects in Punjab. This prompted an Harjeet to post her video on social media as a wake-up call to those making fun of this dedicated community of Punjabis abroad.
The video in Punjabi, Harjeet’s mother tongue, conveys a powerful message to those who are making a mockery of NRIs, the very same people who have helped support Punjab by tirelessly working abroad and sending money back to villages, schools and hospitals.
She says these ‘veladh’ (idle) people who seem to have nothing productive to do need to be ‘ashamed of themselves’ for making fun of those same people who they would not hesitate to get a handout from if offered.
Harjeet says these Punjabis on TikTok and Facebook just need a new subject every day to make fun of and now deplorably they have turned on the NRI community of Punjab.
In the video she highlights the negativity being promoted against NRIs by Punjabis saying:
“They (people posting videos) say that the NRIs who have returned to India have spread the COVID-19 disease.
“They claim NRIs should not be allowed to come to Punjab. They should be stopped.
“When an NRI arrives at the airport, no one wants to fo to collect them or when an NRI arrives in a village, the villagers commence a hatred towards them, not wanting them to stay in the village.
“There is that much negativity towards NRIs on Facebook, Insta or TikTok that our Punjab’s educated men and women and youth do not seem to understand what they should be making fun of and what not.”
Harjeet then provides a stark and frank reminder of who these NRI Punjabis are and their tremendous contribution to the state, saying:
“These NRIs are those very same people who are taking care of our Punjab.
“The same people who every day in countries abroad work hard daily and send money back to your Punjab.
“If your Punjab has been saved, it has been saved thanks to the NRIs”
She then provides an insight into what NRIs from Punjab contribute to the state, saying:
“How many people’s daily bread survives on the money they send back? How many people do they ensure medication is made available? How many of them have set-up camps to help in your villages?
“And how many of them organise tournaments and festivals in your villages?
“Look at how many poor girls they help marry and girls who they help get educated?”
“These all are the NRIs.”
Harjeet then turns on the stupidity, ignorance and lack of respect of those who are now are posting anti-NRI messages on social media, saying:
“Do you think you are doing a wonderful thing?
“People in other countries are making advances. Women are building their careers and getting to the top.
“But in Punjab some veladh youth who are doing these callus and deplorable things.
“You should be totally ashamed of yourselves. NRI’s are Punjab’s Heroes.
“Today we respect them and in the future, we shall always respect them.
She then humbly requests those people on social media to take action and remove the content they have posted, saying:
“I plead to you. Whether you accept my plea or not is on your heads.
“Please remove the videos off Facebook of those of you who have mocked NRIs, delete their videos.
“It’s very hurtful, that you have no idea how many years after these NRIs are visiting India.
“And all you can do is mock them? You’ve fallen this low? You need to get your mentality examined.”
Harjeet then highlights the popularity of TikTok in Punjab and how users do not seem to know what they should upload or not.
She says that amidst a crisis of COVID-19 where people are losing their loved ones and lying admitted in hospitals, all that these Punjabis seem to be bothered about is mocking NRIs.
She concludes by reiterating her request to those people who have uploaded the anti-NRI videos to delete them and to stop making any more like them. She says:
“Stop doing things that hurt people’s sentiments. NRIs have contributed significantly to Punjab, therefore, stop mocking them.
“Please stop this and do something constructive with your time.”
Harjeet makes her point as a candid reminder to those who when in need of help always turn to NRI Punjabis for support. Therefore, let’s hope her message gets through to those Punjabis who think NRIs are now an easy target for mockery during these challenging times.
Watch Harjeet Kaur Badrukhan’s Facebook Post
https://www.facebook.com/HarjeetkaurBadrukhan/videos/144465583647556/
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