Our Prime Minister's daughter, author Daman Singh, isn't political at heart, but surely cares for social issues which are there aplenty in her new book The Sacred Grove SHE loves thrillers and finds the world of crime fascinating. But despite having a husband who is an IPS officer and a father who runs the country in his capacity as Prime Minister, author Daman Singh would like to steer clear of crime, even though if it is in the world of fiction. <img alt="" src="/imagedata/2010/aug/Daman-Singh.jpg" border="5" /> And politics too, though she is on equal footing with her father Dr Manmohan Singh when it comes to development issues. "I would not like to get into party politics at all. But by politics if you mean issues that affect development in the country then yes I am a political person," she says. The author is just out with her second work of fiction. The Sacred Grove is the story of Ashwin, the teenage son of a district collector from a small town in central India. Ashwin life revolves around his school, friends, cricket and other games. His life takes a different turn when he meets Rafiq, who joins his father's entourage as a driver. Though initially he hates him, Ashwin slowly develops a fondness for Rafiq, who later becomes his closest friend and partner in crime. A riot in the city takes the two friends to different directions, though not before the driver, a Muslim, has saved the life of his employer's son, a Hindu. The book deals with a lot of issues. From the small town set-up to tension between parents (his father is a Socialist which leads to conflicts with his wife who is dissatisfied with not having enough of anything), to a Hindu-Muslim angle, teenage problems and even the prospect of having a younger sibling. Characters flit in and out in between, though none of them are really fleshed out beyond a certain point. Daman agrees that the book could have done with so many varied issues. But at the same time, she says: "As a parent, it is important to me that my child should be able to respect other people who are different. It could be anythingu00a0-- physical, mental capabilities, class, how he talks to servants is really important. I don't want my child to grow up thinking that people from other religions are not as good as they are." Then there is an allusion to the Babri Masjid incident when the wall of a school is broken down by a group which bears close resemblance to the Bajrang Dal.u00a0 Daman says it wasn't deliberate. "These are very common images. I read inquiry commission reports of various riots that have taken place in the country," she says. For the real-life incident though, Daman believes every party involved should be held accountable. "I didn't use this as an opportunity to blame one person or community. Everyone was complicit. I didn't want to suggest that there is one innocent party. And I don't think life works like that," she asserts. The situation, she says, is very real, taking place in various small places across the country which does not reach the national media. The book has been written in a diary style. "Had I written it in the language of a 12-year-old, it would have become irritating for adults to read. So the book is about when Ashwin is a little more mature but still remembers all that happened," she argues. Though Daman doesn't share too many details of her work with her father, she does sometimes bring up issues that bother her during family gatherings. And there are indeed a lot of issues which bother the author. Take the Naxal problem for instance. "These are issues we read about while studying. Twenty years later it has become such a mess. What's sad is that in the midst of all this there are lakhs of common people who are caught in between," she says. Daman doesn't hold any one person responsible, though. "So many people are responsible. It is difficult to name one side," she says. Publisher: HarperCollins Price: Rs 250

This poison is not for kids

Our Prime Minister's daughter, author Daman Singh, isn't political at heart, but surely cares for social issues which are there aplenty in her new book The Sacred Grove

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