INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...XXXIII

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN..XXXIII

SCENE.. XXXIII

Prof Dr Colonel K Prabhakar Rao ( Retired)

( In a dinghy room in heavens Gandhi is seen sitting in an old dilapidated chair. The room is poorly lit and is ill equipped. Gandhi is seen reading a news paper. He folds the news paper and takes deep sigh and closes eyes and leans against the back rest looking dejected. The door opens and Nehru walks in.)

Nehru. Bapu! What happened? You appear to be off the mood.

Gandhi. Jawaharlal. I was going through the news paper from India. India is going to polls very soon. They appointed a new election commissioner too.

Nehru. True . I also learnt. Bapu why you are upset?

Gandhi. I find the candidates are either the old horses or their kith and kin. Mostly leaders are projecting their sons, daughters, wives, brothers and sisters.

Nehru. That has become very common in India.

Gandhi. It is dynastic democracy that Ambedkar never fore saw.

Nehru. The constitution of India says it is for the people, by the people and of the
People.

Gandhi. It is no more valid now. It is for the dynasty, of the dynasty and by the dynasty

Nehru.. Heee….heee…heee. Well said.

Gandhi. Look. Jawahar, As long as I was alive, I think there was some fear of God and adherence to code of ethics. We had scores of leaders like you, Patel, Subhas, Azad, Masani, Rajaaji, Ashok Mehta, Rajen Babu, Lal Bahadur, Karan Singh, Amrit kaur, Lajpat Rai, Satyamoorthy, Kamraj, Dhebar, Yeshwant RaoChavan, Pant, Kidwai brothers and many more. No one tried to push his son or daughter up the ladder breaking the line.

Nehru. ( Feels a bit uncomfortable). Yeah. I agree Bapu. But those days are over now.( with in himself. I am sure they are hinting now at me, my daughter and grand son and the great grand son and daughter)

Gandhi. Jawahar. What are you thinking? ( sings)

Look what is happening today
All nuts are being pushed up
Money plays the dirty game
For sensible it is no more their tea cup.


I never promoted my children
They struggled on their own
Look! What is happening now?
With this nonsense in pain I can only moan

My sons are no more heard
And no one knows their names
The leaders of today promote their kids and wives
And all through lives they play dirty games

Nehru. Bapu. That is true. Bapu! People have changed now

(In the mean time, the door opens and Patel steps in)

Gandhi. Hello Patel. Please come in.

Patel Hello sir, Hello Jawaharlal. What is the discussion? Things look tense if I am correct.

Gandhi. There is nothing serious. I was saying that Indian democracy has degenerated into dynastic democracy.( Sings)

Congress party belongs to Nehrus and Gandhis
None other can rise to power in this party today
All others remain left and scuttled out
While party has its own funny way

Patel. What is strange Bapu in this? Congress can not win votes without the tag of Nehru and Gandhi. So they are after that. If any other guy tries to come up you know what will happen. If I go and contest I will not get one vote too. I may get my vote. That too is doubtful with mischief at polling booths.

Gandhi. I feel that for winning elections, everything is being done in India. Even the leaders are much divided among themselves. Probably they are at crossed swords with each other. So a guy from the dynasty is a good bet to keep flock together and that is how it goes on the show.

Patel. Then where is democracy? A normal guy even if he is excellent will never comes up.

Gandhi. Where is democracy now? It is all family game now going on. Why only blame Congress? Others are are not pious. I think Bharateeya Jnata Party has some discipline in this context. Of course Communists are there. All other parties too are in the same game. Every leader has nominated his son for assembly elections. If father is in power at center, son will be in state.More the merrier.

Nehru. In democracy every one has right to contest.

Gandhi. True. So none can be blamed. I am only speaking about ethics. One should not get worked up when truth is told.

Patel. Bapu. Please do not speak about ethics. It has disappeared after your death. If some thing was left, it vanished with Jawahar's death. Whatever little and fraction is left that also vanished with Lalbahadur’s death. Then it became free for all.The whole thing is a murky game now.


Gandhi ( sings) ( By this time he gets some energy and spirits are high and does a jig)

What a sad state I have to see?
I never thought India would droop so low
All principles are in the dirty Yamuna river
Where morals and ethics are seen to flow

Patel. Bapu,. Why worry for these Indians? They will cook their own goose

Nehru. We have done enough for them.

Gandhi. True. As you sow so you reap. Let us enjoy. Why spoil our heads. We have already ruined ourselves working for these thankless guys. Churchill must be surely celebrating seeing Indian deocracy.

Patel. Bapu, Let us go for a long walk and breathe fresh air

Gandhi. OK. By all means. That is a better thing to do than discussing the murky games that go on in India.


(Gandhi, Nehru and Patel go for a walk holding hands)

Dr K Prabhakar Rao