INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...XXXVI

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…XXXVI

SCENE XXXVI

Prof Dr Colonel K Prabhakar Rao ( retired)

It is the remote area of Jammu and Kashmir State where terrorists hide and wage Jihad against India. In a secluded place some Islamic terrorists are sitting around fire in cold and are warming up. They are discussing the situation in Kashmir. The terrorists are Nasrullah, Fakrullah and Hamid Jihadi)

Nasrullah. Fakrullah, Look. Very soon we will be having free time in J and K

Fakrullah. How? What makes you to say this?

Nasrullah. Recently two civilian guys were killed in army firing. There have been great civilian protests against army and army has ordered probe into the incident

Fakrullah. That is very normal and a routine affair

Nasrullah. No. No. Not now. This time even the new Chief Minister has taken cudgels against Army.

Fakrullah. Does it make any difference?

Nasrullah. The Chief Minister is very vocal. He is no doubt a sibling. He is trying to make ground for himself in Kashmiris by being vocal and trying to corner Army. He is even asking the central government to withdraw special powers to army in the state.

Fakrullah. That will be good if done. Army guys can not now act in whatever they form they feel like

Nasrullah. Look. J and K is a special State. I do not think the government will loosen the grip they have. The young CM is trying to show himself as the savior of the Kashmiris.

Fakrullah. If army looses powers we shall have ice time here. We can conduct our Jihad most freely. Army guys would be sucking thumbs while we can blast off the state.

Nasrullah. We have to be careful. Sheikh Abdullah the PM, once up on a time of this state got into trouble and was jailed by Nehru for being anti national

Fakrullah. Are you hinting similar things will happen?

Nasrullah. No. No. I am giving a thought. If the CM distances from army and for every small thing interferes in fighting the terrorists, and if we increase our activities greatly, axe will definitely fall on him. Again army will come back with more force and we will have very tough time.

Fakrullah. Why worry for all these things? When we get good opportunity we shall smash the state. We Kill the civilians, Muslims or Hindus. No matter what happens. We shall spread hatred and mayhem and murder.

Nasrullah. Haa… haa.. Pakistan faindabad … Kashmir.. Zindabad.. Jihad long live… Allah ho Akbar..

Jo hamse takraye gaa… mitti mein mil jayega
Hoo…haa…hoo..haa..hoo.. haa..hoo…. haa

( All the terrorists rise and shout slogans lifting their weapons into sky.. Some open fire into sky.. One of the terrorist switches on the transistor and tunes to all India Radio.. News bulletin is heard)

News reader. This is All India Radio.. News read by Ram Bharose.. Government of India on popular demand from the state leaders has with drawn the special powers act for army in the state of Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect…The army from now onwards has limited role in fighting Jihadis.The state leaders are seeing this as a great victory for the new sibling CM of state….keee….keee….mew…mew..brrr….brrr….trrr..trrr..drrr….drrr…pew….pew….sss.sssss….ooo…oooooosss….. (Suddenly there is disturbance and the radio gets dead.)

Nasrullah.. Shit.. Bloody hell… The radio net work has failed. I feel like smashing this radio set..

Fakrullah. Come on friend. Do not break it. We shall have none if you break it… (Yawns). I am feeling sleepy. Let us go to bed.

(The terrorists go to bed while few keep guard over their camp)

(After few days some jihadis dress up like civilians and land in Lal Chowk of Sri Nagar.. They are standing in the crowded street at a way side tea stall.. An army truck with some soldiers halts at the chowk and a dozen of troops in battle fatigues an armed get down from the vehicle. The soldiers are commanded by Capt Rakesh)

Rakesh. Look. Subedar Ranjit Singh. Look at the small gathering near the dust bin. I am sure many among them are terrorists. They are dressed like civilians.

Ranjit Singh. You are probably true Sahib. Can I go and search them

Rakesh. No . Please do not do that. Now we have no powers to search them. Special powers have been withdrawn for army

Ranjit Singh. Ohfo.. Capt sahib. You are correct. That tall guy was involved in a shoot out with us last month. I can recognize him. Capt Sahib . Let us not waste time. We must catch them or kill them.

Rakesh. Yes. You are correct. But we are helpless. We can not open fire unless they open fire first

( The crowd throws onions and eggs at Capt Rakesh and soldiers and shout slogans against army.. Two guys from the crowd step out and do some jig on the road mocking at army.. In the mean time Ramdhun is heard and Gandhi accompanied by Nehru and Patel come to the square singing Ramdhun. They are in usual dress. They are followed by some Kashmiri Pandits.)

Gandhi. Hello. Every body What is happening here? I find some one is doing jig on the street and mocking at army soldiers.

On looker. Who are you sir? I am Bismillah Khan. You are singing Ram naam in the land of Kashmir. Don’t you want to live?

Gandhi. Baba. Why I should not sing here? This is also India

Khan. Many do not think this is India.

Nehru. Why? Then What it is?

Khan. This is Kashmir. We are Kashmiris.

Patel. Look Friend. Kashmir is part of India

Gandhi. True. What he said is true. Hundred percent true.

Khan. Hee….heee…heee.. Better go away from here before some guy attacks you. You people appear very old and sick too. I am telling for your benefit.

Gandhi. No. We shall not go. I shall make you sing Ramdhun and then only I shall go.

Khan. Up to you sir. That is your funeral.

( A terrorist hiding behind a large dust bin lobs a grenade at the soldiers and it explodes very close to them. A soldier is killed instantly and two are wounded.. There is some confusion in the crowd and many run away from there.. A police van with siren screaming along with a jeep arrives at the spot and some fat looking police men struggle our from the vehicle…)

Rakesh. Subedar Ranjit Singh sahib. Please take these wounded soldiers to hospital immediately and I shall take care of situation here. I have Naib Subedar Hukum Singh with me.
Ranjit Singh. Sahib Please take care of your self. Do not leave the crooked guys. Whatever happens we shall face. Blast then out …Shouts .. Bharat mata ki Jai… Jo bole so nihal.. sat sri akaal.

( In the mean time a terrorist hiding behind the shop opens fire with a rifle and the bullets zip past Capt Rakesh and Naib Subedar Hukum Singh.. Hukum singh immediately opens fire from his AK 47 at the hiding civilian and the terrorist is killed… Gandhi, Nehru and Patel are caught in the confusion and they manage to hide behind a large cement pipe lying there.. Gandhi continues to sing Ramdhun…Raghu pathi raaghava Raja Ram…pateetah pavana seethe ram. Bolo.. Raghupathi…)

Gandhi. What a violence here? There is no mutual love here.

Patel. Bapu. What are you talking? Love was lost long ago. Even before you were killed by Godse, it disappeared.

Gandhi. Why bring Godse’s name now?

Patel . He will be remembered as long as you are remembered.

Nehru. Haa…haa.. That is the truth. Along with Ram Ravan is also remembered. If
Ravana is forgotten, where is the recognition for Ram? Ram gets glory because he vanquished evil Ravana. So Godse’s name will also be eternal like Gandhi’s name. This is the truth even if some one does not like.

Gandhi. Let us go and see whether we can help the locals

( Some police men see and confront them)

Inspector. Stop. Who are you dressed like Gandhi , Nehru and Patel?

Patel. We are not dressed. We are they

Inspector. What do you mean? How can you be they? They can not be you too. You can not be them…ohfo.. you…they…. We… them… Getting crazy with these words.

Nehru. What a confusion? Look Inspector. We are actually they.

Inspector. Ohfo. Confusing guys. You guys better go away from here. You are not Kashmiris. Why you should be here?

Gandhi. Inspector. Can I say some thing to you?

Inspector. Fast…. Fast… I have no time

Gandhi. I am really unhappy with these killings. Why this Kashmir problem? Why can not we have plebiscite here?

Inspector. I do not know. I have no time. I am least bothered. What I know is to hammer the people. I am paid for it.

Gandhi. What types of people are here? Jawaharlal. Let us go. This is a useless place and people are useless too. They will cook their own goose

Inspector. You can not just go away like that. We suspect you to be some evil men. ( Looks at constables). Constables ! Catch these guys and hand cuff them. We shall deal with them later. Put them in chains and tie them to the jeep

( Constables rush at Gandhi and Gandhi laughs… heee..heee)

Gandhi. You just can not catch us. We have divine bodies…Come try and catch us..

Patel. Me too ( Does a fast Jig).. Catch me if you can my dear friend.. catch me

Nehru. Me too.. ( Sings doing jig)

Catch me you devil guys
You can not and do you know why?
We are from the sky
And we make you run like a fly

(Inspector and constables pounce on Nehru and Gandhi and Patel. Gandhi looks at them and gestures like Mandrake the magician and all the police men are thrown off the ground to a distance of fifty feet and fall in a heap into the dust bin.. They shout mar gaya. Yaa…Allah….Haye…haye… Bachao….aaa…. ooo….. eeee…eeee)


Patel. ( looking at people) Look at these guys who are paid to protect you from the Jihadis and Pakistanis. You guys do not want army guys to save you. Only God shall save you. Bapu. Let us go from this cockeyed place

( Bapu, Nehru and Patel slowly walk off into distance haze)

( In the mean time the terrorists run away leaving the body of their colleague not before throwing some more grenades in to police men and innocent civilians standing there. There are more than twenty killed among civilians apart from four police men killed and one inspector injured all sitting in the vehicle.. Capt Rakesh gets a cell call from local command headquarters)

Rakesh. Good evening sir. This is Rakesh

Col Sawant. How is the situation there?

Rakesh. Sir. We lost one soldier and two are gravely injured when the terrorists threw a grenade at us.

Sawant. Wee they dressed like terrorists?

Rakesh. No sir. They were looking like civilians

Sawant. Why couldn’t you prevent them from doing such things?

Rakesh. How can I sir? I could not carry out any search operation although we were sure they were terrorists. Subedar Ranjit Singh even recognized one as a terrorist. I am sure all were from Lashkar e Toiba. We had no powers to search now. So we had to wait till they did some thing.

Sawant. Shit.. Ohf.. What a joke? Rakesh! Are you alright?

Rakesh. Fine sir.

Sawnt. Now come back to the camp. Let the police guys do the post mortem and running around. State Government wants them to do every thing. Let them do. How about them? Any casualties among them?

Rakesh. Sir! Total five police men dead. Four constables and one Inspector died while sitting in jeep.

Sawant. That is the usual way for them. Even in Bombay it was like that.

Rakesh. There was some interesting thing. I saw Gandhi, Nehru and Patel among the crowd singing Ramdhun when the terrorists threw grenades

Sawant. From where they have come? They were dead long ago before I was born.

Rakesh. They may be some imposters dressed like them.

Sawant. One has to be careful with such people. They may be terrorists trying to get information.

Rakesh. Could be sir. Any how, they were looking harmless and docile

Sawant. Forget about them. We have many things to do. Be careful while returning. You may be even ambushed by civilians too who could be terrorists. You can not do any thing because they are civilians till they fire on you. You have no powers to shoot at them till you are mortally attacked. Even if they attack you, you must show great restrain. Or else you may even be court marshaled if you manage to survive.

Rakesh. Sir. By that time one or two of us would be dead. Any how it is better to die than face court martial.

Sawant. True. What can we do? We have to fight Jihadis with hands tied.

Rakesh. Sir .I am tired. I have decided to quit service. Once I return to the camp I shall put in my papers

Sawnt. Do not be crazy. You hardly got any service. You will not get any benefits.

Rakesh. Sir! I know. It is better to quit than to fight an enemy with hands tied down like a coward.

Sawant. I know your frustration. Be patient. Things will change soon. The matter is being considered at highest level. Ok. We shall discuss in person when you return

Rakesh. Bye sir. Thanks for every thing

( Rakesh returns to the camp along with his team and reports to Colonel Sawant)

Sawant. Welcome Rakesh. News for you. You have been given Sena Medal along with Naib Subedar Hukum Singh. But the dead police men are given Ashok Chakras for showing exceptional bravery in front of enemy.

Rakesh. Who all got?

Sawant. All those guys who died in police vehicle sitting like ducks got Ashok Chakras. All dead civilians got Padma sri awards.

Rakesh. God bless their souls. How about our jawan who died?

Sawant. Nothing. Are you sure Rakesh? Do you want to quit?

Rakesh. Surely sir. To morrow first thing is that only. I shall put in papers

Sawant. If they do not leave you?

Rakesh. I shall again put the papers stating that I want to join politics as done by Politician Jaswant singh. They have to leave me

Sawant. Will you really join politics?

Rakesh. Why should I ? I am the last one to do. I have better things to do in life.

Sawnt. Good. Best of luck. But, still I advice you. Please do not be sentimental.

Rakesh. Not at all sir.

Sawant. God bless you with success.

( Rakesh leaves the room of Colonel Sawant smartly saluting lifting knee three and half feet high in the style of drill sqaure of Indian Military academy at Dehradun and stamping on the ground while his brain gets the transmitted shivers shaking him up)


CURTAIN FALLS
Dr K Prabhakar Rao