3,500 People in Assam's Kamrup Served 'Langar' Daily amid Lockdown

Guwahati, April 9, 2020:

Coming once again to the need of the poor and the needy, the brethren of the Khalsa Centre Northeast have braved the coronavirus pandemic in a bid to quell the hunger of the starving masses of Kamrup, Assam. Every day for the last 14 days, the members have been serving 'langar' to as many as 3,500 people!

For the last 14 days, the members of the Sikh organization have been distributing langar to the masses of the twin districts of Kamrup -- rural and metro. The NGO has so far cooked a delightful concoction of rice, dal, and an assortment of vegetables for upto 3,500 people in a single day! Additionally, the demand for the langar has started increasing, as people have started taking notice of this nutritious meal supply by the Sikh body amid the 21-day lockdown that has kept 1.3 billion Indians indoors.

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While talking to Inside Northeast, P P Singh, one of the seniormost members of the Sikh organization said that the campaign is meant to touch the masses, as starvation looms for hand-to-mouth labourers who are bereft of wages during the lockdown period. "When we came to know that this (the lockdown) was coming, we immediately sprung into action. We knew that the daily-wage labourers would be stuck once the lockdown began, so we contacted the administration on March 27 and then our work began. We have been all over -- even faraway places such as Sonapur and Rani."

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Subsequently, the KCN was given permission to distribute food across both Kamrup Metro and Kamrup Rural. "On the first day, the ADC kept watch as we distributed the food. But later, they came to the conclusion that we are capable ourselves", Singh says.

Singh also informed that as soon as news of the Khalsa Northeast's sumptuous food preparation came to light, the demand for their langar rose significantly. "Initially, we fed as many as 1,000 people. But now there is a rise in the number of people who line up at the distribution. Yesterday, we fed 3,000 people, today we added one more container and expect to feed 500 people more at least. We have also fed railway labourers who are bringing supplies on goods trains at the behest of the authorities. They number around 800."

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Preparation of the langar, Singh reveals, is no easy task. "Our boys wake up at the crack of dawn around 5:30 and cook the food with an array of vegetables, lentils and rice. Our khichdi is cooked with a purpose to nourish, and we don't just use potatoes and rice, we use other vegetables as well."

Singh added that now, people from many sections have also started chiming in with contributions to ensure that the Khalsa centre's distribution keeps going. "After I posted a message on Facebook, we started receiving aid, including from police and army personnel. We are being provided essentials such as LPG gas and vegetable supplies. Even media personnel have chimed in for support with goods and commodities."

However, Singh opines that the battle is far from won. "I have been in Guwahati for 26 years, but I have never seen so many slums in my life. Guwahati is full of slums", he said, adding that the demand for food that is being supplied by the Khalsa centre is actually very high amid the crisis.

Singh believes that the plight of these people can be ameliorated by setting up community kitchens to supply food on a larger scale, a per a plea submitted in the Supreme Court earlier this year. "Government can join hands with us, and we can take a lead in feeding the hungry people. Tomorrow, we can feed 10,000 people, but for that people like us, who are fighting hunger on the ground, must be helped by the Government as well as the multinational companies", he added.

Note: Inside Northeast, in a small way, has contributed to the efforts made by the group, and more people should come forward to help the needy by making small yet meaningful contributions.

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