Shoe-throwing scribe turns author

NEW DELHI: Journalist Jarnail Singh is aware of his importance in history. That's why he didn't contest the termination of his services at the Hindi newspaper he worked for. "Mere saath history ban rahi hai. I didn't want the focus to shift from the 1984 riots to the tussle between Jarnail Singh and the newspaper,'' he says.
But while he `rested' at home, waiting for that other shoe to drop, he was approached by a prominent publisher.Singh's `shoeing' of the home minister P Chidambaram with his Reebok size 8 trainer at a press conference on April 7, 2009 was so radical an act that publishers took a shine to it. The deal was finalized by end May. `I Accuse... The Anti-Sikh Violence of 1984' will be released in Hindi and English on Friday.
The agent from Penguin was not the only stranger to call in the few weeks of excitement after the incident. He got a couple of threatening calls from drunks who said "Sardar tu pagal ho gaya hai. Jahan se aaya hai, wahan bhej denge (You have gone mad...)'' and words to that effect. Singh didn't complain but saved the numbers. Then two months ago, lost his mobile at Kotla.
Singh's been making speeches at gatherings but they don't pay the bills. His wife had suggested picking up the week's vegetables from the mandi at Kotla to save money. "Maine kaha dubara mat bolna,'' he says laughing. His brothers who run auto-repair shops have been paying his home loan installments.
Financial woes apart, Singh has had a busy time. For the first four-and-a-half months, he worked on his book. He's a celebrity among Sikhs now. "People are inviting me all over.'' He's been to Indore, Saharanpur, spoken at over 25 gurdwaras in the city and been to Canada twice. "At a Sikh film festival in Toronto, they gave me the "Lion of Delhi" award," says Singh with an embarrassed laugh.
He is currently working on a Punjabi edition of I Accuse. "It will take another one or two months. I don't know what will happen after that,'' he says. But he is determined to keep the issue alive. "It was not appropriate for a journalist to protest in that manner,'' he feels another reason why he chose not to contest his sacking. "But I'm proud that I protested. If you don't do justice now while the culprits are still around, it'll be too late. In future, anyone can misguide youth,'' he says.
His family and friends are proud of him though his mother worries that her son's life is at risk for his protests. As for his son (7) and daughter (3), they are seeing a lot more of their father. He drops them to school, helps with homework, plays carom and watches cartoons with them. They flit in and out as their father speaks. He's neatened up to meet visitors dark blue jeans, shirt, sleeveless jacket and a pristine pair of white Nikes he has shifted to.