Aastha’s aspirations

The symbolism, of course, was lost on the government. They were happy that the event got the predictable headlines and prime time. All the hype made them forget that one more birth was no reason to celebrate. The government should have hung its head in shame and spent the day reassessing its population policy.

If they had sense, they would have realised that the billionth condom sale should have called for a celebration. So should have the millionth sterilisation. Or even the thousandth condom-vending machine that actually worked. Not to mention the millionth woman saved after a delivery, who would be otherwise dying of complications related to pregnancy and delivery every five minutes.

But if the Indian government had things in perspective, the billionth Indian would have been born a few years later and given a nation bursting at the seams much-needed breathing room. Just think of it. Less people hanging out of an STA bus, and fewer running after it. Fewer people mobbing the ration-wallah for their share of mice-infested wheat. Fewer students worrying about getting a job after graduation. And yes, fewer men rioting at the liquor shop after work.

Then, there was the matter of choosing a girl child as the billionth baby. The government had to be politically correct, it had no choice. Again, in their excitement, they forgot that the girl would be put through more trauma after delivery than she was during labour, but they should be forgiven for this oversight.

Perhaps it was all for the best. After all, the peering multitude should prepare Aastha for what life has in store for her. It’s just a matter of a few years and the peers will turn to leers, and just like countless other girls, Aastha will be fending off roadside Romeos as she steps out to go to school or work.

Aastha is lucky, for she may get an education, with the gift cheque of Rs 2 lakh. Many of the other 42,000 children also born on the same day as her especially the girls may not.

She may grow up and have a baby, and may even be lucky enough to survive the delivery, like her mother. Currently, for every 1,000 live births, four women die: that’s 168 maternal deaths every day, most of which are avoidable. Aastha may also have a girl, and hopefully she would be happy about it. Just like her mother. After all, Anjana Arora tasted fame and some riches all because she had a girl.

Hopefully, though, the next two decades will make things better for women. Then it would not take another population milestone for all people to look forward to a baby girl.