One afternoon, last week: I am irked by their total negligence. Their conversation piques me. I am known, and I am the subject. But before I am discussed, I have to be ignored. This is the visitor’s lounge; here we sit in wait to meet the Minister. However she is not here today. I am waiting, in the solace that I will be addressed soon. My friend Manik* has brought me here. I am here to meet the Personal Secretary of the Minister.
It has been months since we have submitted the application for the registration of the SAFE HAVEN. We have furnished the Safe Haven, as per Government regulations and we have been waiting for the inspection. They have not come yet. We want to speed up the process. Days have changed to weeks, and now, months. I just wanted to see how we can speed up the process.
Suddenly, the casual pleasantries turned to business. The air became thick with a grave sense of officiousness. Faces changed from friendly to defiance and agitation. It was now my turn. Manik* was prepared for this moment; all was but a pretext to this. Manik* introduced me and heaped praises on me; the official was unmoved. Then it was my turn to explain the matter. The official looked at me with a crude apprehension. I explained our heart to save unborn children. The official accepted that it was a novel idea and that he had never heard of such. He then appreciated me for having a passion for the children. The ambience was still pretentious.
“Friend”
He adjusted his leg beneath the other leg in a typical political condescension; looked skewed through the upper chin, sideways hiding the other side of his face; He covered his mouth with his palm, biting just his thumb. Then drew his hands behind his cropped hair, and shot the question.
“Shall I tell you something...? I am speaking as a friend, you see.... This is NOT going to happen in Uttar Pradesh.”
I was least surprised. He had already told me that through his astounded gaze. What I wanted to hear was why not?
“I know the politics of UP. Here they don’t really care about unborn children or women. As of now there are more orphanages and such homes to shut down and I don’t think, amidst all the corruption and outcry, this is going to happen.”
He then asked me: “Friend, don’t you think that through this initiative you are encouraging such relationships and other such activities?”
I smiled.
I stood. I preached to him the value of Life. I had a beautiful opportunity to enlighten an official about what an unborn child is, and what we in India have been doing to them.
What do you do when people tell you that it is not possible; When you know that they are right; When people think that you are foolish; and you know that you are in fact one?
I just Press on....