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The other side: A mother first or a soldier

Bhajan Devi always wanted to meet Cyril John Radcliffe, the man who conceptualised the line that demarcated India and Pakistan. Even in her death bed she longed to see Radcliffe in heaven only to ask him why he drew a line that brewed so much hatred.

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Bhajan Devi always wanted to meet Cyril John Radcliffe, the man who conceptualised the line that demarcated India and Pakistan. Even in her death bed she longed to see Radcliffe in heaven only to ask him why he drew a line that brewed so much hatred.

Devi was  well into her pregnancy when she came to India as a refugee from Pakistan in 1947. She settled down at Fazilka (Punjab) with her family, but had to move to Delhi soon, given the increasing incidences of militancy. This left a huge impact on Devi.

The real life story of her maternal grandmother and several other women living in the conflict zones has been penned down by Nitu Bhattacharya, DIG, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). 

The book, Half Life, narrates the real life situations which the writer witnessed during her postings at various places in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and other parts of the country as a CRPF officer.   

“The book is based on situations which I have experienced in the course of my work. Even though the characters are fictional, they tend to explain the problems of the women and children of both the forces and the general citizens during the conflict,” said Bhattacharya.

Talking to DNA, Bhattacharya narrates real life incidents which she as a mother had to face while her children went to school in bullet proof cars and were unaware of the reality of the world outside. “Everyone talks about the problems faced by the civilians but being a mother and also working in the forces, I had to answer so many queries of my children who were always in a shielded environment,” she said.

A collection of 13 short stories, six of them depict a Fidayeen attack on a security camp in Kashmir. “The stories reflect the psychological effect of the conflict on the loved ones of the soldiers on ground. The stories also reflect the courage it requires to expose families to potential danger,” she added.

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