I hate writing personal stuff on my blog.
But this time I am too outraged to care. Somehow I managed to finish my daily chores at 2:00 AM in the morning (don’t ask how THAT late). And wanted to catch up with news. What I heard was this :
Couple seeks mercy killing for ailing son
Monday, May 29, 2006 (Jamshedpur):
A couple in Jamshedpur has written to President APJ Abdul Kalam asking for help or his permission to let their son die. Ashok and Sushila Kumar have been battling to keep their 12-year-old terminally ill son Vijay alive for the last four months. Vijay, who has been diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia, has been ill since February and is in hospital since March.
“The doctor says he needs a bone marrow transplant but we cannot afford it. We cannot give him the treatment he needs. I did not have an option. That is why I took this decision to write to the President to ask him to ensure treatment or give permission for mercy killing,” said Ashok Kumar, Vijay’s father.
Doctors at CMC Vellore and Tata Motors Hospital, where Vijay is admitted, have prescribed a bone marrow transplant – the cost of which is around Rs 12 lakh, way beyond Ashok’s means.
The TV reporter was also flashing an address in case if anyone wants to help. OK! People don’t watch TV with a notebook and pen. So I missed the address till I retrieve a pen and paper. I had to wait for the next bulletin to repeat the news. This time the newsreader was speaking so fast that my fingers couldn’t put up with the words. And the address on the screen was for such a short time. It was advised to me to get the address at NDTV’s website. I got the news item but not the address. So we dished out the digital camera and in the next bulletin I managed to photographed the address. Which is here for you, if any of you are interested. The draft or cheque should be addressed to the “District Collector.â€? And at the back of the cheque or draft, Vijay Kumar’s name should be written.
Dr. N. M. Kulkarni
District Collector, East Singhbhoomi District
Office of Deputy Commissioner
Bishtupur, Near Blood Bank
Jamshed Pur – 831001
I was engaged in all this till 4:00 AM in the morning knowing that my donation will make a very small difference for the treatment of Vijay. And here I heard this news, next day.
Bachchan to offer gift to Lord Balaji ( worth Rs 7.5 to 9 crore)
He said that he would make a spare set of the existing two sheaths and then sent his jewelers. I have also learned that they are preparing two kavachams, which should be worth Rs 7.5 to 9 crore depending on the number of stones, said A P V N Sharma, Executive Officer, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam.
I am still wondering who needs this money more, Vijay or Lord of the Seven Hills in Tirumala, who can look after this universe.
Hi, somehow I landed up on ur blog while searching in goggle.
I must say it looks so Pro…
U have expressed ur thought and views very neatly in this blog..
I am linking u on my blog so that techie guyz can know watz is happening apart from SDLC in this world.
And thankz for the address, I’ll b making a contribution towards treatment of Vijay.
~Himanshu~
Alka,
Its not a question of who needs it more bu a question of whom Amitabh wants to give it to.
Sorry, I dont think anyone has the right to question what do I do with my own money.
Very nice thought Alka. Pity that people (be it celebrities or common man) think huge offerings to God can bring in peace and not helping the ones in need. Its a shame too. Long live religions and Gods!
It’s a good question. Who is more needy. The one who already have enough or who have not.
But again a question Is helping a needy one really make sense.
All this should happen with in a time phase – Like in case of an operation it should be on urgent basis but by the time people think to help, then send money and all the enough amount get collected…Its too late.
This one is just an example. At times how a person use the money, for the same purpose which s/he really need money.
i agree with alka. what’s the point of giving money to God .. truly thinking. i mean if we think about practical uses of money being “put” somewhere. i do have the right to spend my own money, undoubtedly, but if, the amount is h-u-g-enough to save a life (or lives), then, well, …afterall, it would be God’s work right. even if it is not God’s work, would God appreciate it if i do “donate” so much of money to a temple? .. and that not too in the form of langar where thousands can be fed, but in the form of diamonds? tut-tut!!
Hi Alka,
I think its a person’s own wish where he/she wants to donate – however, I guess it is the reponsibility of the orgnisations to whom the money is donated to ensure that it is spent at the right place.
There is no way that every donor (like AB) will know of the thousands of needy individuals – but the social and religious orgnaisations need to ensure that in a country like India, money they get as donations is spent on social uplift rather than ceremony and pomp.
Mmm!! I’m with you here. Though AB may be doing his charity bit too. We don’t know about that. And if he feels like donating diamonds…well. He can afford to do so.
Personally, I think it is ridiculous. Waste of good money.
As far as my being on dope,and shutting doen my blog,I can’t reply, for that I have to stoop to your level.
and sponsoring a child’s education, how do you know, I have not done anything? .
But since you don’t have any problem being personal, just ask your mother, if you are gravely ill, and she doesn’t have enought money for your treatment, how will she feel about Amitabh’s issue. She will give you an answer, if you still care to listen to her.
=======================
And I am just saying that, I find Mr. Bachchan’s decision lacking in awareness of our country. I am not behaving like some goon that “Do as I say, or face the …….” If something gets published or reported in the media, I too can voice my opinion.
Well, I do agree with the sentiment that its upto the individual to decide how he spends his money, but personally I’m against such treatment to the lord almighty(if there even exists one, which I doubt)!! Did the god ever asked for such a royal treatment? I do wonder at these times that what’s the use of proper & high education that these people get when the mindset is still that of what it was 2 millenia back!! Even if they believe in god, its ok, but then why not get the teachings of gods & saints right, where they say that helping fellow living beings in their need is a much greater deed than trying to bribe the lord!!
And another point, like AB said that he’s thankful to the lord that he survived the illness & got well & out of bed & is expressing his thanks in such a sparkling form, one needs to question why is he giving credit of someone else to the lord? It was the docs & nurses & his family that saw him through & brought him back on his feet, not the lord sitting magnificiently in his court!! And if that was not the case & it was indeed the lord who nursed him back to health, then what the hell was he doing in a hospital for such a long period of time?? He should’ve been in the temple, at lord’s feet & then people would’ve had titanium solid proof that the lord nursed him back to health!!! 🙄
It’s his right. You should not judge other people’s acts of kindness.
Amit, thank you so much for dropping by and being kind enough to leave comments. I liked your post on money.
Jacob, I agree. Any suggestions for the dying child Vijay too? Any ideas? Any help? Does he too have any right to live?
You are welcome. I’ve been a bit dormant on the blog scene off late, neither reading nor blogging, but I do try to pop in now & then when I can!! 🙂
thanks!! 🙂
Amitabh can do whatever he likes with his money. But we reserve the right to puke when we see him spend it like this. Spending 9 crores on a jewellery set for a deity is awfully stupid and (I have to say this) insensitive.
Amitabh Bachchan has every right to decide ho he wants to spend his money.
Alka Divedi has every right to comment that Amitabh would be better off spending it saving lives than on religion.
What about Alka’s right to free speech in making such a comment?
One of my very far relatives have a young daughter who is diagnosed with aplasic anaemia. But as usual money factor has come in their way to tect theior child. In the prcess of helping her I came through this site and astonishingly I found 4 yeas earlier your blog was posted with a similiar backdrop. Nothing in terms of social discrepancies has changed in India, rich men are getting richer and poor are getting poorer.Anyhow nice blog post.