Sujata Sardar, 27 (Yoga instructor, Kasba): We had learnt a poem by Kazi Nazrul Islam in school. It goes 'Mora eki brinte duti kusum Hindu Mussalman'. But now we are divided as Hindus and Muslims, man is killing man... there is so much anger around. This is personally very disturbing to me, to think that in our country a human being’s life is worth nothing. Look at all the reports of rape, and the new thing seems to be — rape and burn. Then again, food has become so expensive. In winter, we are supposed to get all vegetables at a reasonable price. But now even potatoes and onions are beyond reach. What hurts most is they are all grown in our country, in plenty. Paromita Kar

Jaya Makhal, 58 (Dhaba owner near Ruby): I, who, do not have any education, what can I say? Bharat barsha is our mother. My mother should be able to live in peace, we her children should be able to live peacefully. Hindu-Mussalman are bhai-bhai — we, the people, don’t want any disruption. Netaji, who sacrificed his life for us, had never imagined there would be forces that would rob our nation. We are unable to bring everyone together, to achieve unity. What Gandhiji had foreseen for us, have we been able to achieve that? Swami Vivekananda had imagined a beautiful desh for us, where progress is for each and every individual. Paromita Kar

Nageswar Das, 40 (Cobbler, Chandni Chowk): My desh is a village near Jhajha in Bihar’s Jamui district. But I live here. I visit the village for work, for emergencies. Bharat kya hai maloom nahi… Bharat is India. Prasun Chaudhuri

Bikram Thakur, 25 (Sells flowers near Howrah Bridge): For me, country means where I am safe and secure. Since this Prime Minister has come into power, my country is doing well. Nowadays, when I hear about people in this country picking up muddas and fighting with each other, I do not like it. That is not my idea of my country. These things are wrong and they should not happen. As long as a person is Indian, jaat-paat should not matter. Dil se Indian hona chahiye. Manasi Shah

Deben Jana, 65 (Bookseller, Dalhousie): Bharat means my country. I am a free citizen and this is my place. But with the current situation, it seems we have not used our freedom in the way we should have. We have political leaders who use their powers to become richer and richer and use us only as votebank. I would just keep to selling books. This is my life, my world. Moumita Chaudhuri

Amal Sardar, 42 (Rickshaw puller near Kalikapur): My country is now in such a situation where political groups are creating divisions between man and man. There are such groups that always tell us to go for this political meeting or that rally. Or else you will not be able to pull your rickshaw, they threaten. Only yesterday I was watching the news on TV; there was this gentleman who used to be the governor of Kerala, and he was saying this NRC business should have been done 30 years ago. He also said that Gandhiji had said people can come from other nations to work here, but not become citizens of our country. Based on that I feel what is happening is right. But if I don’t want to consider this aspect, then we are all equal, we have no divisions — and that too is fine by me. Paromita Kar

Hakim Shaw, 46 (Makes gunny bags, Howrah): For me, the word desh signifies Bihar. I have not been home for a while now. There is no guarantee when I shall get to go again. If there is some message from home, then I can ask for leave to go. My opinion about the country does not matter. Nobody has ever asked us this either. And I do not think it even matters to anybody what we think. You people will have a say about the country… we are way beneath everybody to have an opinion about the country. Manasi Shah

Abdul Salam, 65 (Sells rings and bracelets, Dalhousie Crossing): Bharat amar mati. I was born and brought up in this country. This is where I live and earn my living. I vote. This is my place on this earth. This is where I shall die one day. Moumita Chaudhuri

Kamala Devi, 75 (Jaribooti seller, Raj Bhawan): What do I say about desh? I have no property, no piece of land to call my own, no wealth attached to my name. My world begins and ends with this small business. If I don’t put up my shop, I will not get a morsel of food. Look at the price of onions. What do I know about the country? I only know about my shop. And I don’t care about anything else. Everyone has to leave for the other world. My time is nearing. It will be time for others too. Rich or poor, all will have to go. What will one do with a country? Moumita Chaudhuri