The TV crews have walked away, the banners have been brought down and promises have wafted away in the winter air.
Nargis — the world’s symbolic seven billionth baby born in Mal area on the outskirts of Lucknow on Monday — now has no guardian angels. The glamour woven around her birth has vanished along with media persons.
“Nargis was born at 7.20 am on Monday and the baby’s mother, Vinita, was discharged from the community health centre and asked to go home the same evening after the function over the seven billionth baby’s birth ended around 2.pm. This is in gross violation of the norms which clear state that the new-born baby and the mother must be kept under medical observation for 48 hours before being discharged,” said a school teacher in the Danaur village.
Ajay Kumar, the baby’s father who was seen gleaming all over TV channels on Monday, seemed rather disillusioned and disappointed on Wednesday.
“I thought the NGOs and officials would keep their promises that they had made here after my daughter was born. They promised to take full care of the girl for seven years and promised her free medical care and education. Ab lagta hai sab natak tha – no one has given us anything for the girl or her mother who now needs nutritional food and medicines. We have no warm clothes for the baby too,” he told this correspondent.