Many people came to pay their homage to him.
Most of them stood near his body for a couple of minutes, spoke a few words of condolence to his relatives standing or sitting near his body and left.
A few employees from his company were standing on the corridor, near the entrance of his house.
Some of them were talking among themselves, in whispering tones.
"I had been working under him for twenty years. Never once did he listen to my problems. If I began to say something, he would immediately put me off, saying, 'Do what I asked you to. Don't talk to me about your problems.' Even if a person was on the verge of dying, he would tell him mercilessly, "Complete the assignment I gave you and then you can die!' I have not come across another person as hard-hearted as he is."
"I worked as a typist under him. He complained to the top management that I was slow in my work and got me transferred to a branch at another town. I begged him pleading, 'Sir, please get me posted to some other department in this office.' He didn't relent. He told me mercilessly, 'Only if you suffer, you will improve yourself.' Some of his colleagues pointed out to him that since I was a housewife, transferring me to another place would cause hardship to me and my family. He told them, 'Well, women seek equality. Why should I show consideration to her, based on her gender?' Because of the transfer, I had to be away from my family and live alone in a new place. Both my children were below five years. I couldn't afford to quit my job either. I suffered for six months, before the head office reviewed my case on compassionate grounds and brought me back here. I have often wondered how a person could be so merciless!"
"I was his personal assistant. I have personally witnessed him punishing employees. How many employees had their increment cut, for a small lapse in their functioning! How many people were shunted out to different places on punishment transfer! Being his personal assistant, I was the one who typed out the orders. I felt bad about typing such letters, carrying cruel punishments, but he had no compassion! I have seen many employees coming to him and begging him to annul or mitigate the punishments. Some would beg him, pleading, "Sir! Please condone my mistake once and give me another chance. If you cut my increment, it will be recorded in my file and affect my career.' But he won't show even a little mercy. God seems to have made his heart in stone!"
Several people shared their bitter experiences in the above lines.
A person, sitting near them and listening to their outpourings, told the person sitting beside him, in a low voice, "What is this? A man has died. Even his body has not been removed. It is okay, if people don't say anything good about him. Should they speak ill of him, with his body still lying here?"
"I had been to his office a few times. I have seen him acting without any compassion towards his subordinate employees. When he was alive, these people had been tolerating him, since they had had no other option. Hearing about his death, they have come to pay homage to him, out of courtesy and humanitarian feelings. But, how can we expect them to have respect for him?" said the other person.
uNmai nilaikkup poRai.
Verse 571
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