INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...168

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…168

Dr K Prabhakar Rao

(Gandhi, Nehru and patel are seen walking at a park in Hyderabad near Tank bund that is famous. Suddenly they come across an old man who is walking in opposite direction. He is sporting white Dhoti, kurta and a long cloth over his shoulder. It is called Angavasthram .)

Gandhi. Patel. Have you seen that person? Appears to be familiar.

Nehru. Yeah. I also feel same.

Patel. Bapu. Mere Bapu. He is Rosiah the CM of AP state. But why he is alone here. Where is the security for him.

( Rosiah comes closer and Gandhi goes to him)

Gandhi. Namaste bhai. How are you? I am happy you have time for walking.

Rosiah. I have all the time now for walking. By the by the who are you sir?

Patel. Mr Rosiah. Namaste. Have you forgotten Bapu? Your Bapu, Hamara Bapu. He is MK Gadhi, the father of this nation.

Rosiah ( Scratches his head) My memory is weak. I am old now. Yeah, I vaguely remember Gandhiji. Are you really Bapu who died in 1948 at the hands of Nathuram Viinayak Godse?

Gandhi. I am very much the same Gandhi. The same guy put to death by Godse.

Rosiah. But how you are alive and talking to me. These guys appear to be Nehru and Patel if I am correct.

Patel. You can not be wrong. You are very correct.

Gandhi. You can not understand even if we tell you. By the by why are you alone. Where is your security staff. It is dangerous for you. Some one may kill you.

Rosiah. No one can kill me. What they will gain? I am already finished by high command.

Patel. What do you mean? Are you not in the post?

Rosiah. Look. I already resigned the post of CM and I am a free man now. The new CM Mr Kiran kumar Reddy has already been sworn in today.

Nehru. Why so fast? We are absolutely clueless.

Patel. Jawaharlal, that you were always a clueless guy.

Gandhi. Look Patel. Plesae do not trouble him.

Patel. OK Bapu. Mr Rosiah. Why you were changed?

Rosiah. I was not changed. I only resigned due to over burden of work. Look I am very old too. It is time we give chance to youngsters.

Patel. It is strange. Usually no one leaves the political post unless he dies in office or some one throws him out. Nehru worked as PM till he breathed his last. His daughter hanged around in post till she was killed by Sikh Militants.Rajiv of course was killed while he was out of office.Shankar dayal sharma continues as president even though he could not stand or walk. There so many guys like that in this country.

Rosiah. I am not like that. I resigned on my own

Patel. Mr Rosiah. I shall show you just now.

( Patel goes to a guy who is holding a news paper and borrows it. He goes through it)

Patel. Now look what is written in this.

Rosiah. What is there?

Patel. It is written that you were called to Delhi and Mr Patel told you that you must resign and it is the order of high command. Madam told you in clear terms too

Rosaih. Newspaper guys write whatever they want.

Patel. Outwardly you are telling that you voluntarily resigned. Buit fact is that you were sacked. High command was not happy that you could not take all MLA with you., Everything you were referring to high command. You could not handle Telangana stir.Yoiu were not firm with Jagan. Prestige of party and government was at stake with your inept handling.

Rosaih. ( Raising eye brows) They write all shit. Let them drown themselves in Hussein sagar if they want.

Patel. These words you told once to SI aspirants at Hyderabad very recently. I think you are very fond of Hussein sagar. It is very close to this park.

Rosaih. Any one will get irked up if pushed around

Gandhi.. hee..heee,, Look You were a CM . You must have patience.

Rosiah. Now all that shit is over. I am a free man now.

Patel. I heard that you would be made a governor.

Rosaih. I am not aware of it.

Gandhi. It will be rehabilitation for you. In India all the retired and men of no consequence are made governors to appease them. There could be some exceptions too. Governors post will be very good. You can have a very nice time there.

Patel. They are ceremonial guys. Try to learn to salute properly while taking salutes at parades. Some guys do not know how to salute even. They salute awkwardly keeping all fingers wide open, or raising one finger and some salute with two finger.

Gandhi. So far no one has saluted with little finger.

Patel. Haa..haaa..haaa..heee..hee

Rosiah. Are you making fun of me?

Patel. Why should we do that. You are not funny. You area respected former CM of this great state.

Rosaih. Thanks. Can I go now?

Patel. You must be happy that you are out just in time escaping the Telangana agitation that will be revived after December if the tate is not given.

Rosiah. How I am bothered now?

Patel. But you are happy that you need not face the problem.

Rosaih. It is also true. The new guy will have tough time. It will not be a cake walk for him.

Patel. But he is young. It is a plus point.

Gandhi. Ok Mr. Rosiah. Thanks for your patience. Plesae do not forget that you are very close to your favorite Hussein sagar.

Rosiah. I shall remember. Thanks for everything.

Gandhi. OK Bye. See you, Cheerio, Tata…Ram..Ram

Rosiah. Thanks, Bye.

Patel. Bye. Bye. We shall meet again some time

Rosiah. Ohfo .. No.. Again.. No…meeting you guys.. ohfo..No

( Rosiah sprints from there)

Gandhi, Haa,..hhaaaa..heee,, The guy has run away.

Patel. Any how whatever happened to Rosiah is not fair. Poor guy has been made a scape goat.

Gandhi. Why you think so?

Patel. Then what? In Congress party a CM of a state can never any decision by himself. Everything has to come from top. It is their culture. What Rosiah can do? All these state CMs are only stooges and puppets. If any one shows some extra efficiency he will be rubbed down too. They have to just carry out orders.Rosiah could not have done better. Any other person also would have done like that. Poor guys took over at the most crucial moment and faced all types of problems like Telangana stir, Jagan problem, disloyal MLA, ministers, non cooperation from them. Poor guy was put to great trouble. We must have sympathy for him

Gandhi. We do have. I am sure he will be made a governor soon.

Patel. If he is a sensible guy he should not accept governors post.

Gandhi. Let us wait and see what he will do. He always says he is the most disciplined soldier of the party. He once said he will jump into Hussein sagar, if High command wanted him to do so.

Patel. Great guys. He is very fond of this dirtiest lake on the earth. It is city’s shit pond.

Gandhi. But he likes it. Patel. This area is greatly stinking with wind blowing this side.Let us go.

Nehru. True Bapu. Let us go.

( The trio walks away slowly singing Ramdhun)
CURTAIN FALLS