My Sentiments Are Hurt

I have always admired Maneka Gandhi. She is one of the most honest leaders we have and she is not as popular as she deserves to be. I have read she can be rude, but I can understand. Many animals lovers find it very difficult to understand how those who don't care for animals are not able to understand how they feel.

It's like my cat has dozed off while cleaning my hand, with a bit of his tongue still hanging out.

(Nikon D60 is not very polite, it woke him up)

My mom calls, I pick the cell phone and try to pull my hand from under his face, and he immediately presses a soft claw to hold the hand tighter, and snuggles, still more softly into my palm. Eyes squeezing, shutting even tighter. My mom thinks having animals at home ties you down, but I irritate her by telling her what the cat just did.
She is horrified, "Babies do that... your brother was like that as a baby! Why have you got this cat so used to you, what will he do if he is ever separated from you?"

He will die of fear, anxiety, hunger and predators. It's like leaving a city child in a jungle.

Now if a neighbour was to tell me they think cats are cunning, cruel, selfish or bring bad luck, I will try and show them why I disagree, because there was a time I thought the same.

We were coming home after a party one wet, cold (eerie) night, a long drive on an empty road, huge moaning trees, wild rains and then we notice something small moving in the middle of the road. A frog? A snail? There was no way to make sure it doesn't get crushed, so we had to stop to push it aside. In the headlights, I saw a little kitten, soaked and shivering ... looked around for a mother, there was none, so we picked it up and brought it home 'for the night'.

I soon learnt why those who loved cats (Usha Pisharody, Reema, Aneela and Alankrita who claims hers is the handsomest cat in the world :D) just loved them. Maybe it's the way they wake up, looking sleepy, like babies? And then where do you leave them, knowing they can't really take care of themselves?

But I have no idea how to feed or care for a baby sparrow.


Found this one also in the middle of a dark road yesterday, but now she is here, cheeping aloud for food.

Is it true that now that we have 'touched' it, it's parents will reject her? What does one do? We are hoping she will learn to fly better, and fly away. We have a cat at home and this extra responsibility is just not welcome. But this bird looks as much like a baby as a kitten does. Anybody seen a puppy learning to walk? This chick who can fly a little, was slipping on the kitchen counter, feet splaying like a puppy's.

If we leave it, it will not be able to take care of itself. I know crows will eat it alive within hours.

In a similar situation in the past I had emailed to Maneka Gandhi. I was a total stranger, but she was very helpful. I have heard of others who have spoken to her and she has helped them. Now which other political leader can we think of who would have done this? Replied to email or picked her phone to respond to an aam janta?

So just think, here's a fan, who likes her even though she belongs to a party openly supporting a candidate who has allegedly made a shocking, unconstitutional hate speech. And that candidate is her son. It troubles me, I feel betrayed.
My sentiments are hurt.

NOTE Something unbelievable happened to the bird next day, guess what? A special award for the correct guess!!! I had never dreamt that possible, now she is best possible hands... guess whose???

Edited to add: Find the answer here :)