INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...217

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…217

Dr K Prabhakar Rao


Gandhi , Nehru and patel are seen relaxing in Gandhi’s room in heavens. The room is simple with minimum furniture and gadgets. In a corner, a spring wound Gramophone of HMV ( His masters voice) make with large Brass trumpet cone is kept on a table along with few records in a rack. Gandhi gets up and pours some tea from a flask of Victorian make and hands over to his friends. They sip tea and feel happy. Gandhi goes to gramaphne, winds the spring, cleans and places a record on disc, changes steel needle in sound box, releases disc and plays the record . A song blares out.

sss...sss...ssss

Suno suno oh duniyawalo
Bapu kee jo amar Kahani
Wo bapu jo poojya hai kitna
Jitna Ganga maaka Panee…eeee
Suno suno oh Duniya walo
Bapu kee jo amar kahani..eee…

( Listel Listen Oh the people of the world
Know the immortal story of Gandhi
That of Gandhi who is revered so high
As that of waters of holy river Ganga)

Nehru. What a song Bapu! This was made immediately after you died and sung by Mohammed Rafi the noted play back singer of India.

Patel. He was a good singer. I am happy he did not go to Pakistan after partition like Madam Noorjehan who made a great name in India .

Gandhi. It is individual choice. No one forced any one. But many personalities from Bombay film industry chose to go to Pakistan. Similarly some also went to Dhaka from Calcutta. It was up to them. Some even went in fifties. Why discuss those past things now? It will cause pain in the old wounds.

Patel. Bapu, Why you play your own life history to us. We know every thing. It was meant for those particularly kids who did not know much about you. It was to make you popular and keep your memory going.

Gandhi. That ,means I was likely to be forgotten.

Patel. Surely. How long you will be remembered? People are forgetting even Rama and Krishna now. They prefer to remember Michel Johnson, Amitabh bacchan, Aiswarya Roy, Shah rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Amir Khan, this Khan and that Khan, and some more.

Gandhi. Hee. Hee.. well said.

Nehru. What is there to appreciate like this? What big he said to show your teeth wide and laugh? Bapu. Be careful in appreciating this Patel.

Patel. Why are getting your spleen burnt?

Gandhi. We are deviating from our field. What is the latest news from India?

Patel. Anna Hazare was the show man few days ago. Now Baba Ramdev is now up in arms. He is taking up fast to death to fight corruption. He wants Swiss bank accounts of Indians revealed.

Gandhi. That is great! Dr singh was earlier claiming that they will not be revealing due to some international regulations..

Patel. Do the regulations of countries specify that corruption should be protected?

Gandhi. I am not sure about it. But Govt surely twists the rules and does not inform people correctly. People are taken for a ride.

Patel. If Baba Ramdev also goes to streets there will be turmoil. He has lot of following.

Gandhi. We have to wait and see. But I am sure govt will be cornered. Look recently Pakistan was cornered badly when Laden was shot dead very close to Pak capital by American special forces without the knowledge of Pakistan. What a shame! They are unable to swallow the bitter pill. If some day wiki leaks the names of all Indians with Swiss accounts, it will be a trouble to Dr singh. I am sure all big wigs will be there in the list. I am sure many will be from political parties and some occupying high positions.

Patel. Bapu. But all our leaders are shameless. They would laugh it off and say wiki is not ultimate and can not be trusted. They would say the list should be revealed by the bank.

Gandhi. One day it will also happen and then what happens?

Patel. They guys will find some new solution. There is a saying in Telugu, “’ sigguleni Mohaniki Navve Singaram” It means for shameless guys smile is an ornament for faces. Haa..haaa..hee..hee.. Hoo..Ho..Ho

Nehru. Iam extremely un happy with you guys. You are wasting time by your useless discussions and shit talk.

Patel. Why are you getting irked up Jawahalal? Are you scared that some of your kin will figure in the list?


Nehru. Iam sure they will not. If at all they are there, they will not be alone. There is a saying that a king never dies alone. In olden days whenever kings died his concubines were also buried with him or burnt with him. His horses were also buried or killed.

Patel. But now no one wants to die. Whenever a minister dies now while in power,. his wife is generally given ticket for bye election and no one contests against her. This happened many times.When Anjiah former CM died his wife got a position as MLA and even MP. Same thing happened to Madhav reddy, Nayak and Indra Reddy. Suddenly women from kitchen entered assemblies and their lives were transformed.Many are ministers wielding great power. So Bapu the old values have gone. Make hay while sun shines is the slogan. Even opposition parties co operate with the wife of dead minister or even MLA by not contesting against the candidate. She wins hands down. And smiles return to her face. Haa..haa.

Gandhi. But look Patel, Now There is great opposition for YSR s wife in Kadapa while she is contesting the assembly seat.

Patel. To day situation is different. She and her son Jagan have fallen out with congress party. If Jagan wanted only his fathers assembly seat he would have got. But he wanted CMs chair. There were many old horses waiting in AP like foxes wait at the grave.Their blood boiled. It was now or never for them.

Gandhi. It is too premature to discuss things like who would be in the list of Swiss bank account holders.

Patel. If Baba Ramdev goes on fast, govt will try its best to bring out some case against him too. Look at Anna Hazare they put up a very strong counter offffensive and almost succeeded. Anna has become more defensive now. There is also a campaign against him that he is after executive perks and popularity show like moving in VIP cars with rotating lights, special chambers and office etc.

Gandhi. Anna is sincere and honest. But it will be difficult fight his enemy because enemy is very strong and determined and enemy has all the perks, facilities, power with him. All the police, investigating agencies are with him, Media and TV also fall at its feet. Anna is single with no backing. It has to be seen how long he will last. Soon he may be exhausted. All the thieves then will have upper hand. In the mean time if another 26/11 happens all will be forgotten.

Patel. Bapu. You think another 26/11 will happen?

Gandhi. Why not? In this country, there is loose law. Terrorist outfits grow like ants and there are ample no. of cities where they can be harbored. We have poor planning and precaustions. We could not prevent 26/11. The terrorists walked through Bomaby stretts carrying deadly guns and attacked Hotels and killed innocent people on roads. It took 24 hours and more to kill them. None was punished. No one was made accountable for lapse. All was forgotten. That s the story. Then what can we expect.

Patel. That is our fate. We have to live with these nuts.

Gandhi we are not affected. We are already dead. Only those who are living in India will suffer. Suffering in India is a birth right.

Patel. Haa.. haa . wells said.

Nehru. Bapu. Iam having severe head ache. Iam going

Gandhi. Plesae go. Relax for some time.

( Nehru leaves)

Patel. Bapu. Enough for today. Jawaharlal in fact is vexed up with us. So he ran away on pretext of head ache.

Gandhi. Then OK for today. We shall meet again. Bye

( Patel leaves )

CURTAIN FALLS