M A I L B A G

The fortunate daughter of marvellous parents

In her affectionate letter addressed to the abandoned girl, Aarti Johanna Lindberg, through The Tribune 
(May 31), Dr Yvonne Bazliel of Shimla, has aptly advised her not to proceed with her quest of “looking for her biological family roots” which either do not exist now or these are so clueless and shrouded in mystery that it is impossible to unravel the same.

Although the urge of Aarti to find out her biological family roots is perfectly normal and natural as per the human nature, it would be futile on her part to continue clinging on to what is impossible to trace and to lay hands on. Apparently, her mother under certain dire circumstances was compelled to abandon her in the Sita Ram temple at Chandigarh and due to her compulsions she never came at any time later to identify her relationship with the abandoned child. It is, therefore, difficult to trace her and verify the reality.

The best course now left for Aarti, as advised by Dr Bazliel, is “to consider the circumstances of her birth as inconsequential and concentrate on being Aarti Johanna Lindberg, the fortunate daughter of marvellous parents and a citizen of Sweden”.

Undoubtedly, her foster Swedish parents are excellent people who have brought her up with all the loving care and affection and helped her to grow into a sweet, decent and a graceful girl. As a matter of filial obligation for their magnanimity and the good they have done to her, she must recognise them, and none else, to be her own dear parents. This will provide them immense joy and happiness. Besides, it will help her to her own amicable adjustment in life.

O.P. CHHABRA, SAS Nagar

II

Dr Yvonne Bazliel’s letter reveals the stark truth about the Indian social and moral values. It was not just a letter addressed to Aarti alone, rather a message for all parents and children of the Indian society.

Dr Bazliel deserves to be appreciated as it was commendable how convincingly she dealt with the complex and unsaid human relations through their uncensored humane wisdom.

Her reasoning and power to relate to her personal experiences makes the letter so easy to relate to. The letter was very inspiring and one can only wish that if Aarti has read this open letter she tried to reason with herself and do whatever is right.

Such letters enriched with experience are eye-openers and might serve as portions that can heal many untended wounds.

RESHAM SHARMA, Amritsar

III

Dr Yvonne Bazliel has very wisely advised Aarti Johanna Lindberg to forget her biological parents. The parents who leave their child in the way Aarti was abandoned are worse than maggots. They are not worth even a stray thought. Having betrayed their relations, they opted for sin and then by jettisoning their child, they further committed a mortal sin.

There cannot be a worse enemy of Aarti than the two demons in human form who caused her birth and then left her to the mercy of elements.

Aarti or, for that matter, any human being, can only hate the Satanic couple. One hopes that with the passage of time, Aarti will realise the monstrosity of her “roots” and throw their idea out of her mind once and for all.

The real roots are not those that sprout but those that nourish and sustain. By looking for her roots, Aarti is doing a great injustice to her foster parents who, in fact, are divine human beings. She should not spare even an iota of her thoughts for the ogres who are only technically her parents.

CHAMAN LAL KORPAL, Amritsar

IV

Dr Bazliel’s open letter to Aarti is clearly biased. Every word of her narration about her own adopted daughter is a fair indication of her biased attitude. Poor Aarti's desire to trace and meet her real mother is quite natural. Asking one to forget his or her Indian roots, after being adopted by or getting married to a foreigner, is not right.

Further, regrettably, Dr Bazliel’s sweeping remarks, “In some states of India, particularly in Punjab and Chandigarh, for centuries it has been the practice to destroy girl babies at the time of birth”, though not totally untrue, are highly exaggerated, unfair and hurtful. Being of foreign origin, she could have been more discreet in her comments about India.

I hope and pray that Aarti and her wonderful foster parents are not discouraged and distracted in their mission by the unsolicited advice offered by the doctor. Good luck!

Wg-Cdr C.L. SEHGAL (retd), Jalandhar

Oh, this ad is so vulgar! The television advertisement of a softdrink company featuring Saif, Fardeen, Kareena Kapoor and Preity Zinta is offensive as it flouts the Indian culture with impunity. The catch-line Pepsi ke liye hum besharam hain seems to be conveying it all, that for a few bucks ad film makers offer them, these film stars can go to any extreme of indecency and vulgarity. And the latest one in the series of the ad campaign that carries such an obscene expression as chaddi utarna is too much even for the normal Indian audience to bear. Advertisements have always adhered to the culture of society they are meant for, keeping all the demographic and psychographic features in mind. They uphold the culture of society and our Indian culture has never allowed something so vulgar and flimsy. Even the main catch phrase Yeh dil maange more doesn’t in any way uphold Indian values. Indian culture has always preached us tyaag (sacrifice) and santushti (complacency), and these foreign brands try to de-condition our psyche of such strongly held moral values. After liberalisation and globalisation, efforts are on to increase the inflow of foreign direct investment in India. This has led to a materialistic Western mindset in the country which, in its turn, has polluted the younger generation. What a pity! DIVYA AGGARWAL, Amritsar

Reschedule PCS exam

The PCS Main examination will be held on October 4, 2003, a full five months after the declaration of preliminary results despite earlier claims of speedy completion of the whole examination process. However, the dates will clash with the Union Public Service Commission's Civil Services Main examination which is scheduled to start from October 17, 2003. As a result, candidates taking both examinations will have to choose only one.

I request the Punjab Public Service Commission to reschedule the PCS Main examination to help candidates appear in both examinations.

ASHOK KUMAR, Chandigarh

Relief for teachers

‘Justice delayed is justice denied’ — this slogan sounds good. But what is the actual position in our courts? Look at the monumental backlog of undecided cases in the courts. Yet one can’t dare even to suggest, for the fear of contempt of court, that courts should do away with the colonial legacy of vacations. However, where will school teachers go? The government hardly takes steps to help and rescue them from the inexplicable contemptuous social wrath.

It is good that regular school teachers have finally been relieved of duties during their well earned summer vacation. But this step was taken after teachers resorted to agitation.

School teachers, unlike babus, don’t get every Saturday off. And they get five times less earned leave than what babus ‘earn’. Plus, from census to election duties to participation in social campaigns like pulse-polio programme, the axe always falls on school teachers alone. And hence the vacation for teachers.

Then why rob them of their due and turn them into hostile, disgruntled persons from whom we expect the deliverance of “quality education”?

BALVINDER, Chandigarh