INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN.125

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…….125

Dr K Prabhakar Rao

(Barak Obama, the American President and General Washington (in fact ghost of Washington) are seen sitting in the lawns of white House. There is very heavy guard around and even an insect can enter White House. They are seen sipping tea while a sentry walks in)

Sentry. Sir, There is a strange looking person waiting outside to see you.

Obama. What is so strange about him? Is he from other planet? Does he look like a human being?

Sentry. Sir. He is very much human like. I may call him humanoid as we have Lemurs and Lemuroids. But he is not like us in appearance. He is dark, almost like skeleton and wearing strange clothes. He is literally half naked. He says he is from India.

Washington. Oh. I got it. It must be Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. India’s father. They call him father of nation. He came here several times.

Obama. I see. I think I met him here once when I became the President.

Washington. You are very correct.

Obama OK . We shall meet him. He is very clever. But has some strange ideas that do not fit in here.

Washington. I agree. Nevertheless, Americans are known to discuss openly on all matters. I do not know why that old man has taken trouble of travelling all the way to us.

Obama. This is nothing new. We are godfathers to the world, particularly to Indians. They very well know that they can not survive without us.

Washington. Sure. You must have realized this aspect when terrorists attacked Bombay hotels and butchered many.

Obama. Indians could not take any action and did only saber rattling. Rather we were guiding operations there.

Washington. Hee. Hee

Obama Hoo..Hooo. Let us call him the poor guy. He has been waiting since long. Look sentry. Please call the old man with all courtesy.

Sentry. Yes sir
( He goes out and fetches Gandhi)

(Washington and Obama stand and welcome Gandhi)

Obama. Welcome Mr. Gandhi. We are honored by your presence

Washington. Welcome Mr Gandhi. Lot of time has passed since we met.

Gandhi. Good evening gentlemen. I am very happy to see you today.

Obama. Please be seated sir. Do you care for some tea?

Gandhi. Sure. This is tea time too.

(The steward quickly brings hot tea and Gandhi takes the cup and sips tea)

Gandhi. It is very refreshing. Thanks.

Obama. Mr Gandhi. How is India? Are the leaders fine in Delhi? How is Dr Man Mohan singh the prime minister?

Gandhi. He is very fine. He is an happy guy. He gets all instructions from one source and he need not think or make efforts towards that. He has to just carry out like a puppet

Washington. So puppet show goes on there.

Gandhi. Sure. What else? (Gets up and sings and also does jig)

The leaders at Delhi are a bunch of clueless lot
And are like shaky and unstable like earthen pots
They can not act on their own on any issue
While the nation is being burnt to the last tissue

Obama. ( Claps) Come on, Mr Gandhi. Are things so bad there? By the by you, are very talented. You are doing jig like an American and singing too holding that long stick.

Washington. Without that stick he will loose balance.

Gandhi. hee..heee. This stick is part of me. I am identified with this stick.

Obama. Mr Gandhi. What is the problem? Why you travelled so far from India?

Gandhi There is a purpose.

Obma. What is that?

Gandhi. Do you know Anderson who lives in USA?

Obama. There are thousands of Andersons. How can I know all of them unless there is some purpose?

Washington. Haa..haa.. What an answer!

Gandhi. Jokes apart Mr . President. This is Mr Anderson who was the Chairman of Union carbide at Bhopal in India. You must be knowing about the Bhopal gas tragedy.

Obama. I know a bit It happened long ago. I think it was in 1984. Many years have passed. How can we remember such old things. Mr. Ronald Reagan was the president at that time.

Washington. Mr. Gandhi , what exactly you want?

Gandhi. Recently the court case after Bhopal tragedy came to an end judgement was given. They treated the accident similar to a motor vehicle accident and some guys of management of Bhopal Union carbide were given two years jail. Every one is annoyed. The want Mr Anderson to be dragged to India and hanged.

Obama. I see. Why hang him.?

Gandhi. Because he was the chairman of that industry.

Obama. Look Mr Gandhi. In your country train accidents are common. Do you hang railway minister whenever some people get killed in train accidents?

Washington. Hee…hee

Obama. After Bomaby attack by terrorsits did you hang the Police Chief of Bombay for the lapses in security in the city? These things have happened many times in Bombay. Nothing happened to any government servent.

Gandhi. What can I say? The things have become complex because Mr PC alexandera very illustrious civil servant who was a governor ad retired now raised accusing finger at late Rajiv Gandhi now after 26 years and you know how touchy is congress at this. They are now on self defense. It is being said higher ups allowd Mr Anderson to escape from India after the tragedy.

Obama.Why?

Gandhi. Now they say that to reduce law and order problems he was allowed to vanish from India.

Obama. Now what you want from me?
Gandhi. please send Anderson to India to face trial for his lapses

Obama. Are we fools to do that? Our citizens have some rights. Even American citizen Hadley accused in Bombay attack is being sought by Indians. India could not get a single guy fro Pakistan after 26/1 . Look Mr.Gandhi no one hands over his citizen to other country to be hanged. Will you guys hand over some one from India If he commits a crime in USA and runs back to India? Things are not that easy. Mr Anderson must be already old now. He must be in his nineties now. Exactly I do not know. You will not achieve any thing by trying him. Please try in his absence. You have been trying guys for many years. Nothing will come out of any thing. All will go under mat.

Washington. Why you guys have taken 26 years to try the case? Were you sleeping all these years?

Gandhi. Things are like that in India.We mostly sleep. Once we had a PM who was fond of sleep. I can send some snaps of him sleeping in meetings. It is not like America. We are very lazy at court cases. Most of the criminals in India enjoy decades on bail and finally nothing will happen. They escape punishments.

Washington. Haa…haa. That is very good. I know the case of Sanjay Dutt who was the accused in earlier Bombay blasts case ad for owning an AK 47 rifle. Nothing happened to him. He is out on bail and happy. Time will pass like that .What happened to Salman khan the cine actor who was charged for hunting black bucks. He has not been punished. He is a free guy..heee…heee..haa.

Obama. Hoo..ooo.. Haaa…haaa

Gandhi.. So can I conclude that Anderson can not be handed over?

Obama. Sure. You may conclude so. We are very sorry. We could not help you. You may tell your PM to relax and wait for instructions from a remote. Ask him to enjoy life too.

Gandhi. Thanks Mr President. I am sorry I disturbed you. OK See you. Bye

Washington. Thanks Mr. Gandhi for the visit

Obama. Me too.

(Gandhi gets up and walks away and Washington and Obama see him off. In the distance Ramdhun is played)



CURTAIN FALLS