The daily prime time reality based crime show; Code Red hosted by Sakshi Tanwar narrated a most disturbing story last week. It was ?child abduction? at its worst. Besides narrating the incident, it raised a lot of questions about society?s mindsets and depriving mothers the right to exercise their right over a child, and also depriving a child of his right to expression, regardless of biological factors.

A third gender child is born in a village in Kolhapur District. The grand parents tell the mid wife to get rid of the unwanted child, as they are ashamed, but the mother intervenes.They keep the child?s gender reality under wraps and pass him off as a boy. But the truth couldn?t stay hidden too long. Shunned by the stigma ridden rural society, the family is forced to relocate to Thane, near Mumbai.

Urban living shelters them in anonymity. The grandfather considers Rohan, his grandson to be a shameful appendage to the family. He discovers a way torid them of the shame. He goes to fetch Rohan from school, lures him with a ride in an auto and takes him away to a basti of eunuchs in Govandi. Manju, a matronly eunuch is waiting for the boy and pays off the old man for his grandson!

The family sees it as a kidnapping case. Kabir, Code Red?s the intrepid journalist, is at the police station, when the family is lodging a complaint.He pays particular attention to the mother?s pleas which fall on deaf ears of the duty officer. The latter tells Kabir not to interfere in a domestic situation and social issues, but Kabir starts digging. He speaks to Devki, the mother who tells him the story, reveals that the in-laws didn?t want to confront the truth. His needle points to the grandfather. When he visits Rohan?s school, he discovers that the boy was a bright student and popular with teachers and students alike. It is also confirmed that relations between the grandfather and Rohan were strained.

In the meanwhile, Rohan?s life is in turmoil as Manju sends him out with her group to bless a newborn baby. Rohan is pining for his mother. The local pimp takes the bunch and Rohan for a deal, he gets Manju an offer of Rs 1.50 lakh for Rohan. The police arrive in the nick of time and skewer the deal.They book Manju for kidnapping. Pointing to the grandfather, she tells the police that the man had sold the boy to her! Rohan is reunited with his mother, but not before?? a telling scene, where the two women are locked in an exercise of maternal right. Manju tells Rohan that he will always be a misfit in society that his place is with her, ?We are badnaseeb, and we will have no dignity in society. The laws they speak about looks good in law books, but what about in real life?? That?s when Sub-Inspector Shinde reveals that he too is of the third gender, and while he cleared his written tests for police training he failed his physical examination. But took the matter to court and fought for his rights.

Kabir avers, ?Not another story.It?s a lesson in humanity.? A very apt sum up of a social issue, which is so true. Even in the 21^st century, society still has its attachments to stigmas, which curtail the freedom and rights of certain strata and the third gender. Where is our social conscience? The makers of Code Red need to ensure more penetration into rural homes with episodes like this which deal with prevalent mindless practices and attitude. Would people in Kolhapur District have seen this episode, I wonder?

On a lighter note, if one were to pin point a performance of the week, I would laud Pallavi Kulkarni in Itna Karo Na Mujhe Pyaar. She has reiterated that one of the hallmarks of a consummate actress is a drunken scene. When Ragini quaffs a whole quart of brandy, a drunken scene was sure to follow. The actor in Pallavi Kulkarni was put to test as she performed the set with such conviction and flair, that she was indeed a pleasure to watch. Any other actor could have fluffed it up with over-acting, but not Pallavi. There was grace even in playing drunk!

Two serials are worth the eyeballs in the coming weeks ? Life OK?s Mahakumbh and Colors? Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat. Mahakumbh is poised for an action packed resolution. While Ashoka is taking the plot and intrigue by its horns.

Keep watching.?