Jashodaben – The superhero.

Ahmedabad Mirror: Ahmedabad: Saturday, 29 November 2014.

Let's hand it to her - it takes one hell of a lot of guts for the abandoned spouse of the powerful prime minister of the country to file an RTI application demanding to know what sort of privileges she is entitled to as the legally wedded wife of Narendra Modi! Most women in her unfortunate position would have either kept mum or taken full advantage of the situation (read: perks).

Clearly, Jashodaben is made of sterner stuff. How cool does that make her? When she toddled off to submit the RTI application to the Mehsana police earlier this week, she was riding pillion (with helmet? without?) on her younger brother Ashok Modi's scooty (she has been living with him at his modest house in Unjha after her husband picked politics over his bride whom he married in 1968). Left to pursue her unfinished studies, Jashodaben was living a life of total obscurity, even during the time her husband was the high profile chief minister of Gujarat. And there she would probably have stayed even after he rose to lead his party to victory in the historic elections, had the Supreme Court guidelines not forced her husband to declare his marital status.

For years and years, Modi had left his marital status blank while filing his nomination papers. But the Lok Sabha election papers made it mandatory for him to 'do the needful'. Virtually overnight, Jashodaben's existence became known to the public. One assumes she was fine with that, considering she remained under wraps even after Modi assumed office. It was only after armed guards started to 'protect' her 24x7 that the lady decided it was time to ask a few relevant questions. Such as: On whose orders was she being provided these guards? She went further, citing Indira Gandhi's tragedy (Indira was assassinated by her own guards), and expressing her own fears that the 'ambiguity' revolving around the identity of these guards (who refused to tell her on whose orders they were tailing her!), made her believe there was a grave danger to her life.

What an extraordinary charge to make, given her unique position! Today, the plucky lady is seeking answers to basic questions and wants to know 'all the protocol and facilities, including security details' she is entitled to as the wife of the prime minister. She says her guards do not carry any official orders with them. And what obviously bugs her equally is that these men tail her in comfortable, air-conditioned cars while she uses public transport! Oh yes - the guards also demand to be treated like her family's 'guests' which must mean they expect khaana-peena from her kitchen! Hello???? Her RTI application is bold, blunt and to the point. It reads, "I am the wife of the prime minister of India and have been extended security as per protocol. Which other service can be extended to me under the protocol? Give me a detailed description of the protocol."

Hurrah! Good on you, gurrrlll! She also stated in an interview to a journalist that she is willing to go and stay with the prime minister as his wife in Delhi. Jashodaben wears a mangalsutra around her neck and sindhoor in the parting of her hair - easily recognisable symbols of being a married woman. Now the ball is in her husband's court. Will he reinstate a lady in his life who he has not been with for 46 years (well, technically, they shared space for the first two or three years of their married life... if that counts).

Will Jashodaben be formally 'presented in court' as it were, any time soon? Will she be his official hostess at state banquets? Accompany him on his official tours overseas? Receive Barrack and Michelle Obama when they arrive for the grand Republic Day Parade on 26th January, 2015? Even more importantly, will someone - anyone - explain to this bewildered lady who exactly those heavies are and why they are tailing her? Is it really for her protection? If 'yes' - reveal their identities, produce relevant orders and that will be that. Her fears are understandable and entirely justified. On the other hand and let me play the Devil's advocate here for a lady who has timidly accepted her status and fate in life for close to half a century, isn't it a bit, ummm, strange, that she has suddenly picked up the courage to ask tough questions to one of the toughest men in contemporary India, who just happens to be her husband? Who is backing Jashodaben? Over to you, Mrs Modi. It's your turn to answer the questions now.