INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN

TO THE PAST WITH PAIN

SCENE II

Washington. What type of non violence you propose Mr Gandhi?

Gandhi. Sir. This will be completely no violence. If some one slaps you on cheek
show other cheek


Washington. How dare some one slap me , the father of USA?

Gandhi. Sir, I do not mean you sir personally.

Mountabatten. Sir! He is repeating what Lord Jesus said years ago as stated in Holy Bible

Washington. Yeah.. It is the statement of Jesus. How can you adopt it? Credit must go to Jesus for preaching non violence. I am sure not for you. Although Jesus preached it no one is able to follow. Even Jesus was killed by Romans

Gandhi. I am not taking credit any way. People in India have attributed to me. What can I do? They attribute all good things to me. I know I do not deserve them. it is not may fault.

Washington. I hope you are not posing as modest. How it is possible in todays world?

Mountabatten. The guys will think you are impotent, spineless not and incapable. So you accept everything

Gandhi . Not exactly like that

Mountbatten. You preached non violence in India. But could you stop riots at the time of partition of your country?

Gandhi.. (Murmurs some thing)

Mountbatten.Mr Gandhi, Say some thing. I was witness for everything in India. Although your fasts and processions were non violent in few cases, soon the reactions were violent, You could not stop them.

Atlee. Mr Gandhi. In your own country Bhagat Singh took up to violence. Subhas Chandra Bose adopted armed resistance and waged war against the British empire. Where was your non violence?

Washington. If we had to adopt fasts and strikes, non co operation and the methods of non violence against British crown, we could not have got freedom. We would have been butchered summarily. Not even a fair trail would have been there.

Churchill. Very true Mr Washington sir. A bit harsh. We kill but after a fair trail. Things should appear legitimate in history. Why the King would give freedom? If we had won the war at that time surely the American Generals captured would have been sent to Gallows for waging war ( Including Washington .. says within himself).This is a standard practice in Englnd. East India Company did this to so many in Indian revolutionaries in 1857 and even earlier to Veera pandya Kattabomman, theTamil Palegar.. and his followers at Panchala Kurichhi near Madras ( Chennai)

Gandhi. I feel sad for them. Their sacrifices paved way for freedom. It kindled spirit of freedom. (Sings )

Do not boast Mr Churchill, of your deeds of ill
Which your country committed at free will
Those perished souls still hover in the sky
In agony and dispair they still loudly cry

Washington. What a nice lecture from you and show of sentiments!. But we can not be impressed

Gandhi. But sir, you shall realize non violence as a great tool

Washington.. Sorry Mr Gandhi. Few years ago the damned AlQaeda terrorists crashed aero planes along with passengers into WTC in New York. Thousands were killed. You expect that we pray to the fools and sadists and thugs to pardon us and be liberal with us and yet pardon them? Show our other cheek to them. Then invite them to bomb America again. What a nonsense talk! Are we so incompetent and incompoos…. Come on Mr Gandhi. We are Americans. The great Americans. We brought Hitler to knees. We brought doom to Japan who bombed at pearl harbour.We believe in Gun. You know bearing arms is our birth right. One can purchase a gun in free market. Nothing like licence and other non sense like in India and England ( sings)

We Americans live with a gun
And feel they are of great fun
We conquer the world with them
Yet we stay fine and trim

Churchill.. Hear.. Hear, Fine sir, great poen indeed.
Gandhi. So are crimes too. Youngsters shoot in schools and colleges and kill professors in America.
Washington. You are no way better. Any one can get an unlicensed weapon in India. Country made guns are plenty there. These are enough for crimes. I read daily in news papers. You boast of Non violence. There are ample crimes in India .Girls get molested in Hostels. Police can not catch them. Sadist lovers have killed girls in cold blood. Sadists kill girls in hostels.Could you hang them? Some crazy guys killed innocent passengers in Kakateeya express some years ago by setting fire to the bogie. Could you hang the culprit? You developed cold feet and set aside death sentence because he was a down trodden and belonged to Scheduled caste that is only practiced in India. Do you how many are killed in faction feuds in Andhra Pradesh? How many are killed in Naxal violence? Police men are freely killed by communists. Do you know? Where is the end to terrorist killings in Jammu and Kashmir? Recently 70 guys were killed in Assam blasts and many in Hyderabad and Delhi and Godhra. Do you read news papers? I have infinite lists to read. You waged wars against Pakistan four times. Why you did not practice non violence? Saying is very easy Mr Gandhi. Whom you are trying to impress Mr Gandhi?

Gandhi. Sir, I am astonished at yourknowledge. How do you know all these things?

Washington. That is why I am the father of USA the only super power in world.

Gandhi. Sir. I am not saying that all these things are not happening in India. I know these. You are hundred percent correct sir. In silence I cry. I beat my chest when no one sees. See my chest it is full of bones only. This happened by continuous crying and chest beating. What can I do? I gave them freedom from slavery. Now the Indian rulers have become slaves of mischief, corruption, cheating and you name one bad trait, it is with them. ( Sighs )

I also cry in despair
And India no one can repair
The leaders are happy sitting in chair
And they feel in politics all is fair

I shed tears in streams and torrents
While my body shivers as if under current
I weep in despair
While India is beyond any repair


Atlee. Well said Mr Gandhi. I Am impressed. But Has India become that bad ethically? You have turned into a poet too.

Churchill. Do you know Mr Gandhi ? I was very much against granting freedom to you guys. You guys were not worth of it. I knew your guys would sell away the country.So , I then told, “ We would be handing over poor India to a bunch of Opportunists ( Rascals in low tone) where even a loaf of bread and glass of water would be taxed. Do you remember it? (Blows out puffs of smoke)

Gandhi. Very much sir. It is still ringing in my ears. There was uproar in Congress

Churchill.But my prophecy came true. In your own heart you know what is happening in India. Still I say many rascals rule at every nook in India. I have no worry. I am straight forward and frank.

Gandhi. It is slightly unfair

Churchill. I do not mince words Mr Gandhi. You know that since long

Atlee ( Appears a bit uncomfortable). Ok Gentlemen. I have some urgent work. Bye ( He goes out)

CURTAIN FALLS