My Delhi Visit. Sheila Dixit. And Challenges Ahead For AAP.

I was in Delhi last week for personal reasons. In the course of the work, I also happened to visit the e-sub registrar's office at Nangloi. It was basically regarding transfer of my late father's Delhi flat into brother's name. The transfer was completed in a day and we all were mighty impressed. That was the time I realized that the former Chief Minister Sheila Dixit had reasons to be sour over her defeat.
(Of course, she cannot blame me for not voting for her party as I am not a citizen of Delhi!) However methinks, she lost because of the sad Nirbhaya happening and her inappropriate outburst at that moment. This was also followed by unreasonable price rise of things like onions.
Whatever, Aam Aadmi Party has to work very hard to make a place in the hearts of the Delhi-ites. Comparisons will always be drawn. And so the party, apart from fighting corruption will have to bring improvement in the old projects too. According to my brother, it was not long ago that work simply dragged on for days at the sub-registrar's office. And now look at the airport like seating arrangement, efficient announcement system, speedy work and courteous ways of the junior & senior employees.

Republic Day and My Father

To me Republic Day means going with my father and mother to Rajpath at 4 o'clock in the morning, year after year! This apart, also going for Beating the Retreat Ceremony on 29th January. And so the March Past, the salute, the tableau, the sound of bugles, all come to my mind vividly on this day. May be that's why I don't enjoy it so much on TV. I remember my brother coming for the Beating the Retreat Ceremony. Later, when he joined college he started participating in the NCC parade and went on to receive 'B' and 'C' certificates.  The fond memories will remain with me till the end I guess. Now a days I search for reasons as to why my father took us to see the parade. Could be because he had seen India getting Freedom in 1947 and then  becoming a Republic in 1950. Or may be that he wanted me and my brother to love the country in which we were born. I don't think my father will be able to throw much light on this. Several times in life we do things as directed by our sub-conscious mind.
I spoke to my 82 year old father today. He had a nasty fall last week at home and suffered stitches on his forehead. He has been advised by all to use stick while walking. But his voice was as enthusiastic as ever when he spoke to me on the phone. It is difficult for me, as a daughter, to believe that his B.P shot up because of which he just went blank. I have seen him in the worst moments staying calm and search for possible solutions while I much younger, panicked and brought the heavens down.
In the wake of this, I saw Republic Day in a different light today when I got up. As though it symbolized Positiveness and Optimism. To some extent, I am saddened by Kashmir's Lal Chowk issue. I wish the leadership there had seen it coming. It's like what happens in any home. When you don't solve a problem, others get a chance to interfere. May be, it would have been best to immediately extend formal invitation to BJP leaders so as to eliminate any kind of  trouble. That way, the unwanted guests would have been taken by surprise.

Good Parenting, First. Law and Order will follow.

Too many things have happened in the last one month!

• A 12 yr old girl raped by her own first cousin and his friends for 2 years in Mumbai. Her fault (if, any) was that her parents had divorced and remarried.

• An MBA girl from Nagpur raped in Pune.

• And just when my mind was beginning to come out of that strange numbness, there was the Maoists attack in Dantewada, Chattisgarh in which several jawans were killed.

• Today also the local Indore newspaper carried the news of suicide of a 10th class girl. The girl who resided in our area, was upset about not doing well in one of the papers.

• And then of course, reports of drunken driving resulting in accident and death.

Let's call it enough! The best would be to start giving time to our children soon after they are born. Apart from feeding them well and looking after their physical growth, let's start telling them good stories. And when they begin to read, let's give them small simple books containing stories of heroism, honesty and brother-sister relationship.

I know it is easier said than done. There is a lot of pressure on women to work. Further, all her life, she has to prove herself a good daughter-in-law, good wife, good neighbour, good socialite, etc. etc. But maybe, the time has come to chalk out our own priorities. The rest will definitely fall in place. I think, we mothers need to get tough there. And why mothers alone! Fathers should also understand their responsibilities.

I think my generation has proved to be a total failure there!