India’s Working Class Is Not Weak — We’re Just Forced Into Silence

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After losing my extra pay before Republic Day, I realized why my 30-day $1 online challenge matters more than ever

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Today I worked a double shift.
Twelve long hours on my feet. No rest. No complaints.
Because Sundays usually mean double pay — the small extra money that helps me breathe a little easier at the end of the month.
But today, the system played a clever trick.
Since tomorrow is January 26th — Republic Day — my company marked today as a “holiday adjustment.”
And just like that…
the extra pay disappeared.
One small line in an HR policy erased twelve hours of my sweat.
That hurt more than the work itself.
In that moment, I realized something painful.
India’s working class is not weak.
We are not lazy.
We are not scared.
We are just trapped.
We stay silent not because we lack courage,
but because we have responsibilities.
Families to feed.
Rent to pay.
Bills waiting every month.
If we fight for a few hundred rupees today,
we might lose our job tomorrow.
So we swallow our anger.
And we keep working.

My $1 Challenge: A Small Step Toward Freedom

On January 7th, I started something quietly.
A 30-Day Challenge.
My goal?
To earn my first $1 online.
Not thousands.
Not lakhs.
Just one dollar.
Today marks 18 days since I began.
For the last 18 days, I’ve been learning, writing, experimenting, failing, and trying again.
No big results yet.
But I haven’t stopped.
Because this $1 is not about money.
It’s about dignity.
It’s about proving to myself that my future doesn’t have to depend only on a company, a shift, or an HR decision.
I want something that no one can “adjust” or cancel.
I want control over my time.
I want freedom.
This $1 is just the first brick.
But every strong building starts with one brick.
And I’m laying mine now.
If you’re also stuck in the same cycle,
don’t wait for the system to change.
Start small.
Start messy.
But start.
Because we are not weak.
We’ve just been silent for too long.