Questions on war and peace

IT WAS Questions. Questions. Questions. Children were full of them at the Good Books store at Alwarpet. After all, they were face to face with a politician. ``Aunty,'' the students of Abacus Montessori school addressed her affectionately before every question.

And Ms.Jayanthi Natarajan, Member of Parliament, found herself at home with the kids and their queries. The questions ranged from activism, reservation, politics, corruption, religion, literacy to education and its relevance.

``I need a kick if I say I need reservation,'' she said jocularly. ``But reservation is necessary, especially because, since Independence women have had only an eight per cent representation. And a critical mass is necessary to influence a system. The way a woman looks at a problem is different from the way a man looks at it. A woman would never say ''We need an atomic bomb``,'' she illustrated.The children came up with arguments on Rabri Devi, Jayalalitha and Sasikala which Ms.Natarajan handled quite diplomatically, staying off from making any political statements.

``There are corrupt lawyers, engineers, doctors, plumbers and so even politicians,'' she said when someone from the crowd said, ``Only that politicians do not have to be educated''.

``Don't lose hope,'' she told children. ``There are good people also,'' she added after telling the students about MPs who would spend up to Rs.

Three crores for a seat. ``If they spend that much, they will have to make that much. That is why I have always opted for the Rajya Sabha. I haven't spent a rupee''.

About religion, the MP said it should remain in the ``private realm''. ``It is a relationship between a person and God, it should remain in the private realm. Gandhiji once said: Politics should be spiritualised.

Today, we see spiritualism being politicised,'' Ms.Natarajan told the students to have an open mind and absorb new ideas always.

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