‘There is job security in this illegal work'

 (Profile)

Gopal Sunar, 23 has been living in Navi Mumbai for the last 12 years now. For an eighth class pass he has tried his hand in various occupations including selling cutlery on the roadside and driving an auto rickshaw. Circumstances didn’t allow him to get a permanent job. But, now Gopal is working for over a year for a small pirated CD/DVD company in Vashi. The owner of the company, Pappu has given him a stall in a market near Sector-29, Vashi.

His work starts at five o’clock in the evening and he gets free by midnight. The company for which he works for doesn’t face any competition especially in Vashi as they have captured the entire area. The one aspect of his work that he likes the most is even if he is unable to make any sales for the day he takes away a fixed salary of Rs. 4000.

He feels that it is an easy work for him since he doesn’t face any difficult challenges in his work life. ‘I don’t have to be scared. If someone from higher authority comes and questions me that why I am selling pirated CDs. I don’t have to explain myself. I just have to call my boss and he takes care of everything’

Customers have never been rude to him. Instead, they come and give him a list of movies they want and Gopal is happy to help them. He remembers once a rude customer tried to take the DVDs without paying for it.  According to Gopal, the customer did that because he was a Maharashtrian and Gopal wasn’t. His argument was if they are allowing him to stay in their city then he should give away free CDs to the residents.

‘I was hurt because this is home for me’, said a visibly upset Gopal. But, the shopkeepers are very helpful and supportive. He never has had any problems with them. Sometimes, when he gets a call from his boss about the raids by the police he packs up the entire stall and keeps it safely in the nearby shops.

Nowadays he doesn’t have to worry about any raids. ‘My owners give money to the police officers every month. I have no reason to worry.’

He is aware of the fact that selling pirated CD/DVDs is a crime. He said, ‘Madam, there is job security in this illegal work. If one day, I get arrested and go to jail my owner will ensure my safety. I know, this is not the right job but if I have money I will want to start this business on my own.’

The very next moment, Gopal contradicts himself by saying, ‘The police will never support me. I am aware of this. Since, I don’t have any back up in the city I will be thrown in jail. I don’t even belong to Maharashtra. I can’t live in tension and fear.’

Though he is happy with his work, he is saddened by the thought of not being in a job which pays well despite being in the city for so many years. He knows that he is paid well for his small job but he is aware that this money will never fulfil his family’s desire which lives in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

‘People in my village aren’t happy with my job. They say that I am a sunar and I should live a life of dignity rather than working on the street. But, they don’t understand my motive.’

His motive is to open a goldsmith shop in his village for his father and brothers. ‘My villagers won’t understand this but my family supports me in all my endeavours. They have faith in me,’ he said with a broad smile.

(Gopal Sunar with his stall and a potential customer)

He is optimistic that one day he will find the suitable job for himself. And when he has earned enough money he would go and live peacefully in his village. Till then, he is content with his present job.