INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN..XXIX

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN..XXIX

SCENE XXIX

Prof Dr Colonel K Prabhakar Rao (Retired)


(It is Bangladesh border and Border Security Force (BSF) post is very alert. Across the fence, the Jawans of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) are very active and there is great movement among them. BSF Jawans Narayan and Laxman are manning the machine gun post)

Narayan. Laxman look! Today we find BDR Jawans very active. They are listening to the radio very frequently. There must be some problem

Laxman. I heard in Indian news that there is great trouble in Bangladesh. BDR Jawans have mutinied. They have taken their officers mostly their commanders as captives and killed many of them. Most of these officers are from army.

Narayan. Raam. Raam.. What a tragedy indeed? Why they have done?

Laxman. I think there is a problem on pay hikes. The Jawans feel that officers did not bother to fight for the pay and perks of the Jawans. The officers are allegedly selfish

Narayan. I think the BRD is undisciplined too. Some time ago they captured Indian BSF Jawans and killed them in very cruel manner.

Laxman. I know. They gouged out eyes and they were put in boiling water. The dead bodies were suspended to poles like they carry dead cows. Very sad indeed! If Gandhi is alive today he must surely feel sad for creating Bangladesh by us in 1971. It is better they were hammered by Pakistanis as done earlier.

(Suddenly there is a flash of light and Gandhi appears on the scene with his usual gait and stick.. In the back ground Ramdhun Raghupathi raaghava raja Ram is heard.)

Gandhi.. Hello Boys! What is the matter? You remembered me. So I am here

Narayan. Sir! Who are you? Why are you in this funny and strange dress?

Gandhi. I am Bapu, MK Gandhi. Your Father of Nation. ( sings doing fast jig)

I am the great Gandhi and Bapu
And I get worked up at the word Babu
I was very popular once up on a time
Now my memory is faded like rotten lime

My name is used for catching only votes
Rest of the time the leaders are busy with currency notes
After the elections god cares for my statues
While the leaders make cock and bull statutes



Laxman. Nice to see you sir. Look in Bangladesh BDR Jawans have mutinied. They killed their own officers.

Gandhi. Why so ? Are they so undisciplined? Any how in most of the Islamic countries discipline in army is poor. There are many mutinies and coups too.

Laxman. Haa….haa.. Well said. It is rather truth.

Gandhi. India is lucky in this regard. Indian army and other paramilitary forces are much better. I was told that there was so much unhappiness over recent pay commission and other anomalies compared to civil services and paramilitary forces. But they swallowed everything. They are all good disciplined people believing that army guys should lump it down the throat all the injustices done to them all these years

Laxman. Bapu. One can not generalize. I was told that before independence was granted to us, naval ratings mutinied in Bomabay.That put Englishmen in jitters.

Narayn. Look Bapu. Even the troops which joined Indian National Army (INA) of Subhas Chandra Bose in Japan were looked up on with suspicion. They were considered probably as mutineers by English men. So Bapu ! Do not come to hasty conclusion. There is much ahead in India to be seen.

( Suddenly there is a great flash and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in full INA uniform appears while the marshal music of INA is heard in the back ground. Subhas goose steps)

(Laxman Jumps out of the machine gun pit looking astonished)

Laxman. Sir ! who are you? I never saw you earlier. I think I saw your photographs in books.

Gandhi. Hello. Subhas. Welcome. How are you? I am seeing you after long time.

Subhas. Yes Bapu. Once I left India and went to Germany I had no contact with Indian leaders like you and Nehru. Any how you guys never liked my ways and my going to Germany and joining axis powers.

Gandhi. But I appreciate your love for motherland and the sacrifices you made for the country.

Subhas. Thanks Bapu. But some senior guys must have felt relieved when my death was reported immediately after WW II. For them a great Rival has gone away.

Bapu. No comments Subhas

Subhas. Look Mr Narayan. I do not know what you are at? You are trying to project INA soldiers as mutineers. Better keep quiet. What you know about history and freedom movement? You have not seen perils of British rule in India. You are just kids. Better behave.

Narayan. I only gave my opinion.

Subhas. It is better to keep your opinion to yourself and do not malign others.

Gandhi. Forget guys. Subhas leave him. After all he is a kid.

( In the mean time few shots are heard in BDR post and after some time the soldiers throw out the bodies of officers out of the post. Some of the Jawans run out and gouge out eyes of the victims.)

Laxman. Look! Bapu! They have killed their officers. See ! How cruel they are? There is a mutiny here also

Narayan. (Listens to radio) Bapu. BDR has revolted in all districts of Bangladesh. Probably they killed most of the officers. What a crime! Can we call it a force really? Very bad indeed.

Gandhi. You guys are very lucky in India. We are more disciplined.

Subhas. All is not that simple. Some years ago CRPF battalion revolted in India too. Army had to disarm them subsequently. One major was also killed in action. Army has also has sown its fangs on some occasions in Agra and Navy in Vizag. All is not that well. It is a boiling cauldron.

Bapu. I know it. It is just bad handing that resulted in such unlawful acts.

Subhas. True.

Gandhi. Probably I may help Bangladeshis a bit. Better I go there and do some counseling

Subhas. Haa..haaa. … Bapu. Who will listen to you now? They did not listen to you even when country was partitioned. There were scores of riots and killings in Bengal. Any how it is your headache. I am off. You have your own fad. Do whatever you like as usual as done before partition of Indian sub continent. There is no point in advising you.

( Subhas walks off goose stepping while marshal music is heard)

Gandhi. Boys. It is time I go to Bangladesh and make them see reason

( Gandhi vanishes and lands up in Dhaka the capital of Bangla desh. On the road Tanks are seen roaming. Army Jawans are seen patrolling. Some firing is also heard. They see Gandhi)

Jawan. Hey old man. Who are you? What are you roaming for? Do not know that curfew has been imposed in city?

Gandhi. I am not aware. I do not belong to this place. I am from India

Jawan. Do you have valid documents for travel like Visa and pass port

Gandhi. No. I do not need one

Jawan. Then you need to be arrested ( He calls his officer)

Gandhi. Call him. I am not scared

( In the mean time an army officer arrives)

Officer. What is the matter? Who are you old man?

Jawan. Sir ! He has entered our country without any valid papers.

Officer. Eee…eee. .. Are you a smuggler or spy.? Come on tell me! ( He tried to handcuff Gandhi. He is unable to touch Gandhi)

Gandhi. ( Laughs) Haa….haa… You are a Stupid man. You can not touch me. I am already dead. Mine is a divine body

Officer. Nonsense .( within himself…Any ho I must keep away from this guy)

Gandhi. Look Officer! Your BDR Jawans revolted and killed their officers that were mostly army officers including a Major General. How strange is that your Prime Minister declared general amnesty for the revolting men if the gave up arms and withdrew to barracks.

Officer. I know. At that time these killings were not known

Gandhi. Now what will happen? Will these murders be condoned? If in India probably they would have been also given some Ashok Chakra

Officer. How can it be? The killers have to be punished. But there was great delay in deploying army to disarm the BDR Jawans.

Gandhi. Look. So many of your officers were killed. Will you accept this if the Jawans are left off?

Officer. We have to see what happens?

Gandhi. Why the situation has come to that level? Does BDR think it is supreme? Does it think it can get away from your law?

Officer. Hope if there is some law in this country. Remember How Mujib Ur Rehman was killed by our people

Gandhi. Heee….heee…..haa…haa.. At last you have realized. I feel bad for Mujib.

Officer. Your country appears more organized and disciplined. Your paramilitary forces appear to be unlike BDR

Gandhi. Thank God for a good compliment. Hope it continues to be.
( In the mean time a Tank rolls bye, firing with a machine gun… People start running this way and that way while some fall dead.. Gandhi hides behind a tree.)

Gandhi. Officer! What happened now? Why the tank is firing?

Officer. I think now there is a mutiny by army. There has been a coup

(A jeep passes- by announcing. From loud speaker a voice blares out,

“There has been an army coup and Present government has been dismissed. Constitution has been scrapped. Army Chief has taken over the country and all people should remain calm. Marshal Law has been enforced. All BDR Jawans have been rounded. The force BDR has been disarmed and the entire force has been scrapped and all members of it have been dismissed. In future there will not be any BDR. All the killings will be investigated and the killers will be hanged. All International airports have been closed. Al people should remain at indoors. President and Prime Minister and cabinet ministers have been put behind bars. Be careful. Rumor mongers will be summarily shot”

Officer. Thank God! Atlast, the army has become bold. What nonsense indeed? A Paramilitary force kills scores of army officers commanding them and the government watches them giving amnesty?

Gandhi. Eee…eeee… I am very unhappy at army rule in the country. It will not solve the problem. I must raise my voice.. ( Shouts) down…down… Army rule down… down…

Officer. Hey old man! Shut up. In what way you are concerned? Go back to your country.( Sings)

Go back dirty ill clad man
You appear black and dark tan
What we do is none of your business
Although we may finally do great mess


Gandhi. Haa…haaa. No. I shall do dharna ( Protest sitting) here right now

( Gandhi squats on the road spreading his legs. Some soldiers come that way. They see Gandhi)

Soldier. Hey ! Get up from here

Gandhi. No.. I am protesting over army take over

Soldier. You are a nut. Who will bother for you? Go away or I have to but a bullet in you.

( Gandhi laughs and gets up and does a fast jig and sings)

Look Oh! Dear rifleman
You look like a China man
I shall not go from here
You may hang yourself, Oh my dear!

You guys have no rule of law
Some how are living with many a flaw
Look! your troops go berserk
What they need is a mighty kick

(The soldiers get annoyed with Gandhis song and try to kick him. Gandhi looks at them and gestures with anger like Mandrake the magician and the soldiers are thrown off the ground like feathers. They fly and fall in a heap at a distance of ten feet. All of them are incapacitated by fractures.)

Gandhi. Look guys. You people appear to be mad. Maintain some discipline and run the country or soon you will all vanish.

(Gandhi vanishes and reaches Indian border post where he is welcomed)

Dr K Prabhakar Rao