A star in the Night Sky

My parents never celebrated my birthday in my childhood. When I insisted strongly, they tried to convince me that celebrating birthdays reduces the goodness of fortune or, sometimes, they said it gave rise to a superiority complex in the kid's mind. Their actual opinion was, celebrating a birthday was an extravagance practice. Many parents from the poorer section of society do not have much affordability for celebrating the birthday despite their love for their children. Nowadays, a trend has emerged to celebrate the birthday of their pets. They think pets are more grateful than humans. Despite my father being a middle-class man, he could celebrate my birthday. He purposely did not do that. I have no complaints against them, but I agree with their ideology. 

I am a father of fourteen years old daughter. During these fourteen years, she spent two years lying in bed. For two years, she had to keep away from her study even though she could not have enough strength to sit. She got an attack of ALS, Amyotrophic lateral Sclerosis when her six years of age. It is a progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing a loss of muscle control. The doctor says we should be ready to accept a hard reality because her condition is deteriorating gradually. My wife Madhuri spends most of the time worshipping, praying and fasting, hoping that any miracle happens. The saddest truth is that my daughter knows everything about her condition. The day before yesterday, her health condition was so acute that we had to admit her immediately to a hospital. She is now in hospital. All our peace of mind and sleep is gone. Madhuri and I are sitting outside the room, consoling each other. Black clouds have accumulated in the sky outside. It looks like it will rain soon. I think the clouds in the sky will disappear after a while, but what will happen to the clouds accumulated in our minds? The nurse comes out of the room and informs that Riddhi is calling her mother. Ridhhi is my daughter's name. My father kept that name because, after her birth, he noticed many good changes came to our family. 

A few minutes later, Madhuri came out of the room sluggishly. Her anxious face was telling me that something had happened to my daughter.

'What happened? Tell me, Madhuri.'

Her solemn face intensified my worriedness. Again I asked her in a pleading tone,' Please, Madhuri.'

She opened her mouth and whispered, staring at the floor with an empty vision, 'She wants to donate her organs.' 

An indistinct, wet sound came out of my mouth,

' What!'  

'Yes, she is compelling me to admit her wish.'

She burst out into tears. 

'Please tell me, what shall I live with when she will no more?'

I did not have any suggestions for her. I did not have any power to console her. I was, as if, getting down into a state of numbness. 

I whispered,' That means she is sure about her death.'

' She also said that she wants to get euthanasia.' Madhuri unwillingly declared that.

' Impossible because it is unlawful, unethical. It's a crime.'

' I know that, but this is her last wish. We should try our level best.'

' But how can it be possible?' 

That day, a few hours later, we conveyed that to the visiting doctor.

He said,' Despite that, it sounds crazy, but you can discuss it with the Departmental Head.'  

He was a busy man and did not have much time to focus on that issue, but considering my daughter's condition, he allowed us for ten minutes. 

Hearing the issue, he said,' Mr Bose, I can feel your pain, but at the same time, it is a criminal offence. In our country, euthanasia is another name for murder. I, you and all of us can be accused by the law. Even our hospital can be closed by the government permanently.

Sorry to say I cannot help you.' 

Before we left the hospital, a short shower reduced the sweltering hotness outside, but the predicament in our minds grew intensified more and more.

On the way home, I tried to contact my friend, Mridul. He is a bachelor and a benevolent man.

He picked up the phone, and I said,' Could you come to our house today?'

He agreed. Sitting in the drawing room, I conveyed everything about my daughter's wish to him. He told me,' Though it is impossible, we can try. It is a long and struggling process. The constitution of our country does not support euthanasia. Many debates on its morality and dignity could not conclude yet. Samarendranath Ghosh is my brother-in-law, a lawyer. He may help you.'

That evening, at sharp eight, we were in his chamber. He was a hardcore professional and outspoken. His physique was not impressive, but his eyes were quite different, having the power to read others' minds deep inside. Staring at my face for a moment silently, he lowered his eyes and spoke," Mridul told me everything about your daughter, Ramenbabu.' 

I forgot to tell you my name. I am Ramen Mitra, a middle-aged man employed in the geological survey department, a typical Bengali. 

He continued,' I have no language to console you, but it is unethical. In India, euthanasia is a crime. Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) deals with the attempt to commit suicide, and Section 306 of the IPC deals with the abetment of suicide – both actions are punishable. Only those who are brain-dead can be taken off life support with the help of family members. In 2018 the Supreme Court recognised the right to die with dignity as a fundamental right and prescribed guidelines for terminally ill patients to enforce the right, but still, it is of no use. Despite that, I will take your case without a commitment to success. We have to fight a lot.' 

Mridul had a good connection with news channels. He requested them to cover the news on my daughter. They started covering the news the next day, resulting in the news spreading rapidly within a few hours beyond the country. Many comments began to comment with different views from parts of the world. Within a few hours, the Supreme Court ordered the formation of a divisional bench to resolve the issue. 

Returning home, I laid my tired body on the couch and switched on the TV. 

A young lady on the TV screen was covering news in Bengali. 

'Today's breaking news is not only a discussable issue but has brought the entire judiciary system before a burning question. A fourteen - years old young girl lying on the bed, Riddhi Mitra, is a patient of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, an incurable disease last two years. The doctor has already declared a few days left for her. She wants to donate her organs as her last wish. The idea apprehends euthanasia which is impossible in our country. Now let's see who will win, a patient's last wish or the country's judiciary.'

I did not listen more. I switched off the TV. 

The next day when we reached the hospital, we saw a gathering of many media people. We wanted to escape from their ambit but could not. 

' Mr Mitra, could you tell me the present condition of your daughter?'

' Look, this is not the time to say anything about her condition. Let us go inside. Try to understand our mental situation, please.'

Entering the room, we saw Ridhhi staring blankly out of the window. Hearing the footsteps, she looked directly at her mother with many accusations.

Madhuri said in wet words with a soft touch of her hand on her daughter's forehead,' We are trying our level best, ma. Keep patience.'

Ridhhi's sarcastic lips whispered,' I have patience but no time, ma.'

Madhuri did not know the answer to it. She could not hold back the force of rushing tears from her chest inside deep. She ran out of the room immediately. 

The hospital staff informed me that an officer at the local police station wanted to visit him. 

I was going to say 'yes' but controlled myself and said,' I won't talk to anyone without talking to my lawyer.' Before he finished, an officer stood in front of him.

He said,' Considering your situation, I  beg only five minutes from you, Mr Mitra. Please cooperate with me.'

I stuck on my point and said,' If so, then you have to wait till my lawyer comes. He is on the way now and will be coming at any moment.'  

Meanwhile, the superintendent, seen at the end of the corridor, said to the officer in a pleading tone,' Mr Dutta, it is a hospital. Please tell the media people to stay away. We have the hospotal guidlines.'

' Okay, I will..'

Meanwhile, my lawyer arrived, and I narrated everything to him. Taking permission from the visiting doctor, he allowed the police officer to go to Ridhhi. As soon as he came out of the room after a short discussion, media reporters surrounded him. He told them briefly,' After a conversation with her, we are sure about her wish in which she is stuck.'

The reporters asked,' What will be your next step, sir?'

' We are not responsible to take decision. The court will decide that. Keep trust on our judiciary system. Please let me go now.' The officer went away. 

Finally, the Riddhi case reached the court for trial. With the permission of His Highness the Court, the counsel began his speech,' My Lord, with the court's permission, I want to summon Ridhhi's father to the witness box to ask some questions.'

' Request granted.'

That was the first time I had to stand in the witness box. The council began,' My Lord, no doubt it is a sensitive case and considering I say, Mr Ramen Mitra has played a tricky game with us because he knew this disease has no remedy, and his daughter's lifetime is unpredictable. He has no idea how much money he has to spend on her daughter's treatment. That is why he wrote a drama, a very nicely planned drama. My Lord, it's a conspiracy against her daughter and the judiciary system. It's an attempt to murder case, a non-bailable crime under section 307 of IPC, and according to that, I demand a punishment to the court for this person at least ten years imprisonment.That's all, My Lord.' The council finished the last word looking with a grudge at me as if I was his old enemy, and he got a chance to take revenge, and he didn't want to lose that at any cost. Standing before the judge, when he accused me of the charges one after another, I was listening and feeling a tremor beneath my feet. A numbness engrossed my nerves, and I felt an inertia inside. I was trying to read my wife's face from there, who was sitting in the courtroom among the people. I saw her looking in front with a null vision.

The judge asked my lawyer,' Do you have anything to say, Mr Ghosh?'

' Yes My Lord.'

' Please go ahead.'

' My Lord, some time ago, my council friend said that my client Mr Mitra wrote a beutiful drama to escape from spending money after his daughter's treatment, but I thought my council friend himself was a skilful playwrite. He instantly wrote the drama standing before all of us. What a charismatic performance ! My Lord, everybody knows about Mr Mitra that he is a kind hearted and honest man.'

The council stood at once and said,' It is errelevant to the case, My Lord.'

My lawyer opposed it strongly.

' There must have a connection, My Lord.'

' Objection overruled, please Mr Ghosh, you proceed.'  

' My Lord, my earnest request to the court to cosider him as father of a dying daughter but not a deceptive. How could he plot a plan against his own daughter? He is not her step father but a biological father. No father in the world could have done this with his own daughter. So, what my council friend said was baseless. So, considering his present situation and for his daughter's treatment, I pray to the court, may his bail be granted. That's all, My Lord.' 

' Do you have any question to ask him, council?'

' No My Lord.'

'The court is adjourned till 7th March and gives the council the order to submit proper evidence supporting the accusation.'

Madhuri and I were so exhausted that we could not dine at night.

No sooner had we reached the hospital the next day than one of the staff informed us about the local MLA's visit last night. 

I asked myself,' Can he do whatever he wants because of being an MLA? How could he visit my daughter without our permission?'

Madhuri could read my mind and warned me,' Don't say anything against them. That would be the political issue. We should keep away from all these.'

When we were almost at the room's door, we saw Mr Das coming from the opposite direction. With a laughing face, he waved his hand for us from a distance. As he approached us, I said,

' I have a complaint against you, Mr Das. How could you allow him to visit my daughter without our consent?'

'Keeping the laughing gesture, Das answered,' We are sorry for that, Mr Mitra. He was Pulak, the night superintendent, had done this, but I can assure you that her visit would favour your daughter's case. She was an excellent lady. You will agree that if you meet her once.'

I asked Ridhhi what he had said to the MLA. Instead of saying, she stared at me with lots of unspoken words. I could not follow her for a minute because I could not restrain my tears. 

That afternoon, when we were taking tea at the nearby local tea shop, the MLA came with her companions and apologetically stood before us and said,' Sorry, Mr Mitra, last night we had to visit your daughter without your consent. I am Snigdha Pal, the local MLA.'

She was a pretty lady with a dynamic personality. We stood at once to respect her political position. She continued,' Donating organs is a good intention, but the word euthanasia is too hard to implement. If I say 'yes', opposition party leaders will start picketing by saying that I am provoking the issue. We have to follow the different way to fulfill her wish.'

As time flowed like a river, so did my daughter it was getting out of our reach. We, two drowning passengers who did not know swimming, were trying to keep alive the last wish of our only child in the deep water. Our hands got dirty while fishing in the muddy waters of politics, but we have successfully fulfilled our daughter's last wish. 

Today is her 15th birth anniversary. A smiling photo of Ridhhi is on the table. Fifteen candles are burning in front. We did not arrange garlands and incense sticks, which usually create a spiritual environment. We don't like it. Her favourite chocolate cake is waiting for a cut. Invited children are playing together with fun. 

Our only child is still alive in someone's heart, sight, or other organs. 

Watching them playing with fun, I felt that we lost our daughter but got more. My father never celebrated my birthday in my childhood, but we celebrated our daughter's birthday because that myth had no meaning in the daughter's fortune. She went beyond all goodnesses. Even though she is far away, she is still alive today among these children. She lives like a star in the night sky.