INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN..XXXI

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN..XXXI

SCENE XXXI

Prof Dr Colonel K Prabhakar Rao (Retired)


( A huge public meeting is seen going on the roadside in India. Entire area and whole traffic on the route is completely blocked in that town. A lady is also stranded in this blockade and she is having delivery pains. She is lying in a car that was proceeding to a hospital. The husband Naresh who is driving the car is helpless)

Naresh. Please sir. Give me way. My wife is required to be taken to the hospital. She is about to deliver.

( A party worker Yadgiri approaches the car)

Yadgiri. I am Yadgiri. So what? Many deliver like this every second. It is a routine affair. When you knew that there is a meeting to day why you are travelling in a car ?

Naresh. Please do not say like this. My wife suddenly developed pains. Please allow the car to go.

Yadgiri. Get away fool. Are we responsible for your wife’s pains? The party president is about to come. Go away or the workers shall pour kerosene on you and burn you.

Naresh. That you can not do.

Yadgiri. In war, politics and love everything is fine.

( In the car, the lady is heard screaming .Suddenly an ambulance also arrives screaming and it is stuck in traffic. Inside the vehicle, there is a patient put on oxygen and is being taken to a hospital for emergency treatment)

Ambulance driver. Sir Give me side. It is urgent. The patient would die if we do not take him.

( No one cares for his pleadings. The patient in ambulance dies. The screaming of the lady in the car becomes intense and suddenly some women in the mob hold some saris around the car and one of the lady helps the woman in the car and she delivers safely. There is a scream of the baby aloud and all are relieved. They look at sky)

Naresh. Thank God. ( He looks at the sky in salutation while tears flow down his cheeks).

( In the mean time the party leader is seen walking along with many side kicks and is throwing garlands at people. The leader raises hands and waives at the crowd in usual fashion. Some crazy guys are running to collect them.. The leader in dark glasses climbs a platform and is seen addressing the gathering)

Leader. ( waives to the crowd and starts reading from prepared text) Hello. Eee..Eee.Namaste.eee...eeee.. I am happy that you are here. I have no much time to speak. Sorry. I should say I have busy schedule. I have many places to go. I learnt that your Leader had announced many schemes in the state for the last two months. Very soon, he shall announce more and more and there will not be end to them. He has already announced free health and medical treatment for all.

Naresh ( Screams). What free treatment? You know! My wife delivered in the car here itself. Is this the scheme you promise?

Leader. Shut up ! No arguments now. Listen

Naresh. You can not make us shut. You are all fake leaders. Running after power. Nothing more.

( The Party’s minor leader and a paid bouncer who is standing next to Naresh pounces on him and closes his mouth. The other workers drag out Naresh giving blows to him all over the body. Naresh collapses and he faints. The bouncer climbs on the body and dances like a devil. There is no trace of media men)

Leader. (Appearing unconcerned) Now your great state leader is going to offer you monthly Rs 20K without doing any work for all adults in poor families. Only thing is that you have to vote for us. Next thing on the card is yearly two free trips to any part of India for entire family and their dog too. He has graciously announced that each poor family will be given two kanjeevaram Zaree sarees and a suit for husband after every two years. No certificate from MRO( Mandal Revenue officer) will be required. They have to show ration card. Another good thing is that every poor family would be given 6 bottles of Indian whisky and 5 bottles of old monk rum bottles every week. I am very happy to inform you that poor families and middle class families will be given daily a chicken. On Diwali days all families irrespective of class will be given Rs 1000 worth crackers, five Kgs of oil and ten kilos of Pullareddy sweets. Once in five years all poor families will get free air ticket for entire family to any part of the world and Govt will ensure that they will get visas. Every family irrespective of class will get two coconuts for prayer every day.Every poor man will be given monthly free bus passes. He can go any where he feels like.All poor persons will have free entry into cinema halls and govt will pay for their tickets atleast 10 times in a month.Poor families will be allowed to go to any five star hotel for dinner once in a month and govt will pay for it.All poor persons will get one plasma TV free along with a DVD deck.They can purchase 10 DVD in a month free of cost. Govt will pay for them. All poor persons will be given 160 litre fridges free of cost and govt will pay for current at their houses.Poor families will be provided one scooter of 150 cc free of cost and they get 50 litres of petrol free in a month. Every year the scooter gets Rs 5000 free towards repairs and maintenance.

Audience. ( Clap loudly.... shout... yaa...yaa)

(Suddenly MK Gandhi, Nehru, Patel appear from some where and watch the show)

Leader. I am happy you are patiently listening. Now I invite questions and doubts and any one of you can come to dais and speak.This is democracy. We are for you .

Nehru. Bapu! You go now and speak up.

Patel. Hee… hee. That would be nice.

( Gandhi climbs the dais and wishes the leaders.)

Leader. This is a good make up by you. Very appropriate for the occasion indeed. You have dressed up like Gandhi exactly.

Gandhi. Please say MK Gandhi. There are many fake Gandhis now all over the country.

Leader.( feeling uncomfortable) True.Yes

Gandhi. Please correct yourself. I am not fake Gandhi or have come with make up and dressed up. I am the real MK Gandhi, the Bapu, father of nation.

State leader. Heee…heee.. A good joke indeed. Any how it is a good past time. Please say what doubts you have.

Gandhi. First of all your promises are fake. They are un realistic. Where is the money in state? You will ruin the state.Are you going to print currency?

State Leader. We know how to manage finances.

Gandhi. How? Is it by overdraft? Or by selling away government lands and properties?

State Leader. That is our headache. None of your business.

Gandhi. You are making the people lazy. I say, do not give such promises that you can not meet. It will ruin the state. Make people work than giving doles.

State Leader. Enough! You can go now old man . You appear to be clever.

Gandhi. Sure. But you have not answered my questions

( There is an uproar from audience that leader should clarify the doubts and answer questions)

Leader. ( Wipes the face with a hanky and feels nervous as the speech was a prepared and rehearsed one and the queries could not be answered). Ok. I request the State leader to clarify your doubts

Stae leader . Why are you worried about these things now? I said we shall do surely if we are voted to power. Have you not seen how we gave rains all these years? You have been breathing fresh air all these years in our rule. Do not forget.

Gandhi. (Claps) Haa…haa . You are claiming that you got the rains. What a folly! Do not forget that it is God who gives you rains and air, not political parties.

State leader. True. Because we ruled well the God was happy and gave us rains

Gandhi. Do you know your meeting caused great inconvenience to people. One lady delivered in her car that was stuck in road jam due to the meeting.

State leader. Such things happen at times. Any how I am happy she is safe and delivered a baby boy. I will give some grant and money too.

Gandhi. It is not to your credit. It is for the God.

State Leader. These are small mishaps. Such things do happen. Please do not blow over things. Any how, from where you have come? Your make up is good. You deserve a prize.( He looks at the official). Please call him to office tomorrow and I shall give a certificate of appreciation for dressing exactly like MK Gandhi.

Gandhi. Look Sir! I am the real Gandhi. Not a fake one.

State leader. Do not be cranky. How can it be? He died many years ago.

Gandhi. True. But he did not die on his own. He died because Godse killed him.

State leader.OK..OK. It is my mistake

Gandhi. Look sir . All these are Ok. But you have not made clear how you will meet all your promises?

State leader. We shall see later on

Gandhi. That is no answer sir

State leader. Enough. Now please go back. Thanks for coming.

( He tries to shake hands with Gandhi. But he shakes hand only in air. State leader becomes perplexed. He does it repeatedly and fails. He then becomes nervous while Gandhi laughs)

Gandhi. Heee. Heee. Look! You could not touch me. I am the real Gandhi with a divine body. If I was a fake imposter you could have touched me

( State leader gets nervous and wants to avoid Gandhi. He looks at security officials)

( Security officials try to bring down Gandhi from the dais. But they are unable to hold him. Instead they hold each other. They are perplexed while Gandhi laughs. The central leader in the mean time is led away from behind and goes away in a helicopter. State leader is stuck. Gandhi is seen at several places and security officials do not know what to do. Every one runs to catch Gandhi . But they fail and fall one over other in a heap. Some break limbs)

Gandhi. Come on guys! Enough of it. You can never catch me. Better vanish from here and do not fool around people with false promises that you can never meet.

( Gandhi picks up mike and speaks to the crowd)

Gandhi. Hello..Hello..Hello ,Come on friends! Please do not be carried away by election promises. These are promises only to be forgotten.You will be ditched. No government can meet the promises. Think before you ink.Do not ink without thinking. Or you will cry later on. Use your brains before voting and all of you have brains. Am sure you have. Do not be narrow minded during voting. Overcome regional feelings, caste and community hatred, Religious hatred and narrow sectarian feuds. Best of luck to you. My only words are these for you. Bye. Best of Luck.

( Gandhi gets down the platform while security officials are scared to even speak and they are huddled in a corner. Gandhi sings Ramdhun… Raghu pathi Raghava Raja Ram…. And people chant the song.. People shout Gandhiji ki Jai.. Nehruji ki Jai… Patelji ki Jai… Subhaji ki Jai…. Gandhi and trio vanish suddenly.. The crowds melts away)

Dr K Prabhakar Rao