The face of a revolution

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. With this one logo Mumbai based graphic artist has given a voice to thousands of protesters all over the nation about the reservation issue. Certain communities and castes are being given seats in all educational institutes, job opportunities in government offices. This policy hits the students badly who can not get in to universities because they do not belong to the favoured caste, while the seats many a times go empty.
In the past too government has implemented policies with an eye on the vote bank. Favouring certain communities and castes in return for their votes. The current reservation policy which has no logical base has been created with similer aims.

Delhi based Vikrant Nath and Bombay based Hemant Suthar got together to create this logo, to be printed on t-shirts to be worn by protesters and any other sympathetic citizens. Logo is designed by Hemant, and the entire cost of making 1000 t-shirts is born by Vikrant nath.
" The logo is based on the 'No Parking' sign. By replacing P with R, we wanted to convey that there is no free parking for the OBCs and the politician."
- Hemant Suthar.

( Note:- OBC- Other Backward Classes.)

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( After reading countless spam mails, I just had to try my hand at writing one :))

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Happy Mother's day Malini!

Malini entered the office and saw her colleagues suddenly hush their laughter as they greeted her with fake cheerfulness,
"Hello Malini, Good Morning".
She had been expecting something of this sort. She waved to them cheerfully and went to her cubicle. The conversation resumed in whispers, and when they forgot to whisper, very audible to her even across the office.This happened around every Mother's day. For one day she was an out caste. She was not a Mother, nor did she look like ever being one.

For past ten years on every mothers day she had listened to the stories about teenage sons buying their mothers flowers and cheap perfumes or trinkets, daughters cooking messy dinners in an attempt to give mom an evening off, husbands taking whole family for an outing. A celebration of motherhood in which she had no part. She heard these happy stories every year. She had tried to tell them she really didn't feel unhappy on mother's day. It was ok not to have a child. But they looked even more sympathetic, as if she was being very brave. Soon she stopped explaining. Lying low for one day seems to be the easy way out.

Later in the evening, as she was getting ready to leave, Ruby came to her table with a big smile.
" Guess what I am doing tomorrow evening ? My Annette is taking me to a disco! She even bought me a sexy outfit yesterday !" she giggled.
Rubes- kindest soul that she was, was never going to launch a thousand ships, but her face glowed, making her look beautiful.

She picked her bag, waved to her friends and colleagues and stepped out of the office. No one called her to ask her what were her plans for the mother's day.

But she too had plans. Same thing that she did on every mother's day.She walked to a park full of children and selected a bench which had a view of the whole park.

A boisterous game of foot ball was going on. Sturdy legs chasing the ball, arms shooting up, boys tumbling over each other, happy shouts filling the air. Occassionally a few squabbles, fist fights as only energetic boys can have. She found herself relaxing. She smiled happily as she watched the game, munching peanuts.

How old must he be now? Her son? Almost fifteen. Her eyes looked at teenage boys engrossed in their game. Some times she caught a glimpse of curly hair, or sparkle in eyes which brought back memories. Was He here? among these boys? Will she even recognize him if they ever met?

She didn't regret having given him up. What choices did she have? Bringing him up alone? No way she and Shibu could have married. Both artists, dreamy and hopelessly in love. It was magical, it was volatile, it was inevitable. But even then
she knew that two people such as them could not have made a go of their relationship. After graduation Shibu went away to Europe on a scholarship to pursue art, and she went home, pregnant. Shibu never even knew.

She was adamant about not aborting the baby. Shibu's and her baby was bound to be special. It must live. She went to stay with her grandmother. Her parents were upset but Gramps was surprisingly understanding about it, as she listened to Malini talking about Shibu. She had decided to give the baby in adoption.The suitable adoptive parents had been found. The complete secrecy about them bothered her a little, but was assured that it was for the best.They too were waiting for the baby's arrival. Baby was born, hugged once and tears were shed as he had been handed over.

She returned to the city, and carried on with her life. Post grad abroad, a well paying job, a few awards here and there, even a whirlwind courtship and a short lived marriage. Life was running it's course. The baby was a distant memory now.
She never had another child after that. But she was content. Her baby lived. Some might call her an unfeeling mother because she gave him up. But allowing the baby to live was the only gift she could give him.

Since then she celebrated Mother day by seeking out the children and youngsters, mingled with them, imagining her son in that crowd, trying to locate a familier smile, style among those faces. Shibu's dreamy eyes and soft voice, her flashing smile, something that will tell her this was her baby.

It had become quite dark by now. Boys were now gathered at a corner bench, chatting happily. She picked up her bag and left the park with a jaunty step and murmured to herself,
" Happy Mother's Day, Malini".