A Suicide

A Suicide

1990 11 November 14 A Suicide (302) Mrs. Padma Desai, daughter of the well-known industrialist, Raja Ram Kirloskar, was married to Mr. Kanti Lal Desai, son of Mr. Morarji Desai, a former Prime Minister of India. This gives us an idea of her economic status. Yet, at the age of 51, she committed suicide, on November 16, 1984, by throwing herself down from her fifty-storey flat. She was immediately taken to the hospital, but the doctors there declared that she had already died before reaching the hospital. According to the newspaper reports, Padma committed suicide after hearing that the family had lost their case in the Supreme Court to retain their flat. (Times or India, “November 17, 1984).

When the Janata Party was voted to power in 1977, Morarji Desai became Prime Minister. During his two and a half-year term in office, his son, Kanti Desai, made several deals, one of which involved this flat, located in a high-rise building called Oceana or Marine Drive in Bombay. At the end of the Janata rule, a case was filed in the court to the effect that Mr. Kanti Lal Desai had acquired this flat illegally. The court gave its verdict in favour of the plaintiff. The moment Mrs. Padma Desai received the news of this judgement, she committed suicide by throwing herself down from the flat.

The lady thought that by putting an end to her life, she was putting herself beyond the court’s judgement forever. Had she known that this step would take her to a much higher court, where she would have no further opportunity to take any steps whatsoever, her decision would have been altogether different.

Man’s greatest weakness is his impetuosity. He takes an extreme step in haste, but if he were to give any thought to the matter, he would never take any such step.

Man will find himself standing on the verge of Hell

1990 11 November 14 Man will find himself standing on the verge of Hell (26) This was the first sermon the Prophet delivered on reaching Medina: “People, send forth for the future; you will surely reap the fruits of your actions.”