Rashtriya PAPPA sans Rashtriya THAPPA!!! - the Paternity question dogs me!!!!

Aishwarya Parashar??? Who?? Sorry, but does not ring any bell!!!! Well it should as this 10 year old has managed to do what only a Mamta or a Sonia could have done!!!! Stump Manmohan Singh!!!!

Aishwarya's recent RTI questioning when and by whose orders was the Title - Father of the Nation conferred on Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. This RTI has forever changed  our history lessons learnt in schools.

Aishwarya's RTI met with a stoic silence from the PMO and then from the Ministry of Home Affairs and finally from the National Archives of India. The final response - there is no such available record which gives any evidence of M K Gandhi being conferred with this particular title.

There are many theories that have emerged to lend some logic and support to this already-accepted-truth fact/fiction.

Some of them have been captured here:-

1. Because Nehru was annointed as Chacha Nehru for his fondness towards children (no not the MJ types), perhaps the fraternal rapport between Nehru and Gandhi led to him being annointed as Bapu which then somehow became Anglicized to FOTN.
2. Some theories suggest that this title had far more humble origins. It so happened that there was a tiff at the Gandhi residence during dinner one night with the children being upset that Gandhi was spending more time outside than with them and one of the children, in a moment of annoyance rebutted that he was the Father of the Nation and not the Father to his children. Somehow this adage stuck on and became popular.
3. Some conspiracy theorists have hinted that this title was actually conferred by the British on MK Gandhi. The British wanted to leave behind a legacy of inheritance they way it was in the United Kingdom. Instead of the coronation as the King, as were the demands and constraints of the day - Gandhi was conferred the title of the Father as in the context of a Vicar or a Minister or the Head of Clergy. Unfortunately, Indian masses mistook it's meaning in a literal sense and hence Gandhi became the FOTN.
4. Another seemingly far fetched reason is - Mohammad Ali Jinnah gave Gandhi this title. Jinnah was quite miffed with Nehru as Nehru usurped his ambition of becoming the first Prime Minister of an undivided India. Gandhi was just meddling into the affairs of the to-be-created Pakistan to no end. To pave his own path and also not antagonize Gandhi, Jinnah annointed Gandhi as the FOTN and himself as Qaid-E-Aazam.
5. That there is a symbolic Bharat Ma but there has not been a commensurate personality who could be given the Father of the Nation title for a long time, hence M K Gandhi was found to be the most appropriate candidate.

But, none of these reasons have found any favour nor approval from our Netas of the day. Ever since the news about the title Father Of The Nation being available became public,there have been numerous requests for candidature. Some of the more interesting ones are mentioned here with:-

1. ANNA HAZARE - Anna has written to the PM that he and he alone should be given consideration while conferring the title FOTN. The reason being, he is the only true Gandhian in this age. He is the only person who can go on fasts and satyagrahas. He has also expressed a willingness to legally change his name as APPA Hazare, if need be.
2. SHARAD PAAwar - Not the one to be left out when it comes to big ambitions, Sharad Rao Pawar has also applied for being conferred the FOTN title. His argument - he has been managing the food and religion of the nation for so many years. Like a true father, he has been the PROVIDER of grains and fruits and vegetables to the country. What if he has been a little strict Father and made the children of the country pay more for what he has provided. What would life have been without food and cricket???
3. SANJU BABA - Baba in one of his post sundowner rash actions, shot an email to the Government office. His claim - since his mother was Mother India, Sunil Dutt - his father should be the rightful heir to this title.
4. LALOOJEE - Gaay humaari maa hai. Is liye hum use Goumata pukaarte hain. Maine apni zindagi chaare mein nikaali hai. Saare cows ko hum chaara daalta hoon is liye hum provider hoon goumata ko. Is liye hum hi banoonga phader of the nashion.
5.  AMIR SHAHBAN KASAB - This has been the most taunting request to the PMO. The rationale given here is - since Kasab has been a defacto son in law of the country for over 3 years now. In that regard, he should be conferred with the title of Father In Law of the Nation. Not sure where this request ended up in New Delhi though!!!!
6. JAYALALITA - Jayalalita has submitted a writ petition challenging all other applications. Her contention is that she being an AMMA should be conferred with the title of Mother of the Nation keeping in mind that India has always been a Motherland and unlike Deutscheland which has always been a Fatherland. She has threatened to start throwing around her weight if not taken seriously.

Another letter that almost made it to the unique list was one from Sunny paaji. His letter read thus," OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY Mere PAAAAAPA ko Rashtrapaaaapa banaao............warna...............aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy".

Last heard on this front was - Mamta had passed a motion in PB conferring upon herself the title of  POSHchim BONGla MOMta. This was unanimously passed by..............well.... herself!!!!!

Poor Parashars, Aishwarya's father is still repenting on the pandora's box that her daughter accidentally stumbled upon and the jokers who have come out of that!!!!