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Society
Struggling to Make
It
A Mother's Dilemma
by
Rajesh Talwar
Thirty five year old Maya Rao
sits on a worn out sofa in a small flat on the eighth floor of a
towering concrete block of council flats in Bethnal Green, the face
gaunt with the stress and anxiety of the past two weeks. A request for
visa moved on behalf of her two children at the British Consulate Office
in Prague has been turned down once again.
Eight months ago, Maya, a young widow with two school going children,
Rishma, 8 and Ravi, 11 was a Lecturer at a College in Delhi, leading a
normal middle class life. 'Life was not easy as a single mother,' she
says, 'with two children to look after, but my parents lived close by
and they were a big support.'
It was then that Juri K entered her life. She met this middle aged,
successful Czech businessman at a Conference for Export Orient
Industries in a Five Star hotel in New Delhi, who was immediately taken
up with Maya's good looks and sharp mind. There followed a whirlwind
courtship, and after only three weeks of persuasion Maya agreed to marry
Juri and follow him with her children to what she anticipated would be a
new life of comfort and conjugal bliss in Prague.
'With my two children, it would have been difficult to find a good
Indian husband,' she says in a quiet, sad voice. 'And for Juri, the
children were not an issue at all. He seemed to like them and both
Rishma and Ravi were quite taken up with him. For my part I couldn't
believe why a good looking, extremely rich Czech businessman would have
any interest in marrying me and being a father to my children, but I
finally fell under his charm.'
When she finally reached Prague after a honeymoon in Nepal, paid for by
her parents, she was shocked to find out that Juri lived in a small poky
little studio flat barely big enough to hold her and her two children.
She also found out that Juri had a number of court proceedings pending
against him charging him with fraud and not paying his debts. Juri had
had to seek refuge in being officially declared to be bankrupt!
'There was no money, even for food and vegetables,' she says, her eyes
widening in distress at the recollection of the shocking disclosure. 'I
had to sell of my jewelry given to me at the time of my wedding for us
to manage for a few weeks and then I took up a job with an International
NGO.'
Maya's job came unstuck when her employers found out that she had a PhD
in Public Finance. 'It was a temporary job of an Accounts Clerk that I
was doing,' she explains, 'and I though I could get something better so
I confided in some of the staff. The result was that I was sacked. They
couldn’t give me a better job because I couldn't speak Czech, and once
they found out I was a PhD they couldn't have me working as an Accounts
Clerk. It would reflect badly on the organization.'
Maya had made up her mind to cut her losses and go back to India with
her children, when some friend suggested that she do her ACCA, an
advanced degree in practical accountancy.
'An ACCA qualification is in great demand,' she explains, 'and I want so
much to secure a good future for my children. I thought that rather than
go back to India with my tail between my legs it would be better for me
to do this course. I know I can get the qualification in eighteen
months, so it’s only a matter of some time.'
The Counselor at the British Embassy in Prague told her if she paid her
fees there would be no problem in granting her a student visa. As a
student she would also be permitted to do a part time job. Her children
would be granted a visa once she could demonstrate that she had secured
part time employment in England. Maya decided to take the gamble and
paid the fees out of her past savings in India and money loaned to her
by her parents.
Today, Maya is two months into the course. She has managed to sort out
many of her affairs. Her classes are going well, she has found a small
flat for herself and her children, and she has applied for their
admission in the local school and most importantly through her
persistent efforts she has managed to get employment as a part time
lecturer teaching public finance at an institute in London.
'I was overjoyed when I got this job offer,' she says, 'because I cannot
bear to be away from my children.'
The Embassy was then approached with a request for visas for her
children. Maya did not anticipate any problems having been given an
assurance by the counselor himself. But now, there was a new person, and
they wanted to see more proof of property and financial assets. They
wanted to know how much property Juri owned.
'The visa is for my children,' Maya exclaims, 'and how can Juri show any
proof of assets. He is officially declared to be bankrupt.'
It appears that there is no noting on the file which could prove to the
Embassy that Maya had indeed been promised visas for her children once
she secured some kind of gainful employment.
But surely it is only a matter of a few months and there should be a way
around this problem, her new friends in London console her.
'I cannot trust that Juri will know how to look after them,' she nearly
screams. 'Rishma is diabetic and I’m so anxious and worried on her
account.'
Does she have a plan? Will she go back to India or the Czech Republic?
'I am trying to find out the name of the Counselor who was there at the
time I applied for the Visa,' she says, 'and once I know that I can find
out where he is posted and I will call him and tell him to tell the new
official that this is what he promised. The Embassy should honor their
word.'
Her desperation, resolve and near panic are all too apparent.
'Rishma was crying last night,' she says, 'when I spoke to her on the
phone. 'I want to be with you, Mummy,' she was saying. I simply cannot
bear this situation any more.' And saying this, she bursts into tears
herself
A while later, she has recovered and is making phone calls to try and
speak to a 'contact' in the Home Office.
What about Juri? Will she accept him?
'He has been taking care of the children,' she acknowledges, 'but I can
never forget or forgive him for the way he has cheated me.' She grits
her teeth at the memory.' Let's see.'
September 17, 2006
(The names of the persons and locations have
all been changed to protect their identity)
Top
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Society
The Week of September 17, 2006
Fighting Terror: Musharraf's Offer Too Little, Too
Late! by Rajinder Puri
Clash of 'Words' not 'Civilizations' by Col.
Rahul K. Bhonsle
The Last "J" that Broke Bush's Back by Gaurang
Bhatt, MD
Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Havana, Sept 06
by Dr. Subhash Kapila
Social Rocketry by J. Ajithkumar
Are China's Rulers Illegal? by William R.
Stimson
Empires and Dust: Travels in Modern India II by
Ashish Nangia
Dating the Dunes at Sam a Photo
Essay by Sutapa Chaudhuri
The World is One Family by TA Ramesh
Arguments for including Bhoti Language
in the 8th Schedule of the
Indian Constitution by Stanzin Dawa
Understanding Mahabharata: A Woman's Fury, Soft
Skills and a Hero by Satya Chaitanya
And, the Clock Stopped ! by VK Joshi
Ustad Bismillah Khan: The Shehnai Maestro by
Yamini Ayyagari
Search Engines: Technology Behind Searching
by Ruchi Gupta
In Feline Company by Bijoyeta Das
Friendship Never Ends by Wazhma Frogh
The Night of Ten – La Noche del 10 by Dibyendu
Ghoshal
The Coast of Mendocino by Walter Durk
A Hope by Arya Bhushan
Ganga's Daughters by Julia Dutta
Investing in Women by Stephanie Hiller
Insurgency: The Long Way Down by Nava Thakuria
The Dark Side of Media Hype by Anuja Agrawal
On the Fast Track to Growth? by Usha Kakkar
Struggling to Make It: A Mother's Dilemma by
Rajesh Talwar
Arun Kumar Das: A Beam of Hope by Amarendra
Kishore
Pune: Down Memory Lane by Vikram Karve
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