INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...256

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…256
Dr K Prabhakar Rao

(Gandhi, Nehru ad Patel are seen near Assembly Hall of Andhra Pradesh in Hyderabad. They are singing Ramdhun loudly. They are spotted by Security personnel and are stopped.)

Inspector. Hey. Stop this singing. This is not a place for begging.

Gandhi. Look brother. Are we looking like beggars?. Are we asking any one to give us money? I am Gandhi, the father of nation. These are Nehru and Patel.

Inspector. Well dressed. I don’t know who you are. Stop this trash.

Gandhi. We can not stop. You can not force us to stop doing Ram Bhajan. This is against constitutional rights.

Inspector. Are you teaching me about rights?Is this Ram bhajan you are singing? Whatever we police men say is law.

Patel. So what? Are we singing some song of Kishore kumar or Manna Dey? Can’t you hear?

Inspector. What you were singing?

Gandhi ( sings) Raghupathi Raghava Raja Ram

Nehru.. Pateetha pavana seethe Ram

Patel. Eeswar Allah tero nam

Gandhi. Sab ko sanmathi de Bhagawan.( Waves hand at Inspector)

Inspector. How dare you are? Do you think, I don’t have any sense and wisdom ( sanmathi)

Patel. Did we say about you? We said all should be given Sanmathi.

Inspector. That automatically includes me too. I am highly annoyed. I shall teach you what I am.

Patel. We are already wise. You need not teach us.

Inspector. You guys do not know how to behave with a Police man.

Patel. You are no God. Your behavior shows that you surely need to be granted Sanmathi by the almighty.

Gandhi. Very true. Do you understand brother.

(Inspector gets worked up and calls some constables. In the mean time some screaming VIP Cars arrive and halt at the gate. From it, gets down a dozen of white clad men all sporting Kurta and pyjama. Some are bald while some have thin hair on heads. Some are sporting beards with bald heads.Some are chewing pan ( Beatle leaf). Every one has a cell phone in hand and some have gold chains around necks and golden rings on fingers. All are well fed and appear proudly disposition. All of them are holding whips in hands. Seeing them, the Inspector gets panicky.

Inspector. “I shall see you guys. You can not escape from me very long. I shall show you what I am. I am terror at assembly.”

Patel. Keep dreaming Inspector.Do whatever you feel like. We have seen many guys like you.

( Inspector runs away to the VIP throwing abuses at the trio)

Gandhi. He appears to be suffering from some mental disorder. Probably, he did not sleep for long.

Patel. Nothing like that. That is the way he was trained.

Nehru. If police man is well behaved who will listen to him?

Gnadhi. Shh.. speak slowly. Some one will hear. Patel, Have you seen those guys who alighted from the cars?

Patel. Yes I have seen them.

Gandhi. They were holding something in hands.

Nehru. Why say holding in hands? People have to hold things with hands only. Can any one hold with legs?

Gandhi. Is it a joke?

Patel. Should we laugh or cry?

( Nehru gets irritated and looks other way)

Patel. Bapu, They were holding whips. Whips are used to beat people in olden days by Zamindars and Jagirdras, Doras, Desais, Deshmukhs in particular.

Gandhi. I think those guys were all MsLA. Then why hold whips? If they come on bullock carts , I understand. But they came in cars.

Patel. Bapu. I read in news paper yesterday that Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy has appointed a dozen whips in assembly for the ruling party.

Gandhi. Oh I see. So they are carrying the whips. Whom they will beat?

Patel. Very true. One of them is Chief Whip and all are called whips.

Gandhi. What they do in assembly?

Patel. They ensure discipline among members of the party in assembly.

Gandhi. Hee..hee..So they may use whips for disciplining guys.

Nehru. What is there to laugh?

Gandhi.Jawaharlal, please do not worry. Relax. I know how much discipline they have. They have been fighting like cocks all these days for something or other with each other or with some one. How can they ensure discipline? They are good at mudslinging and politicking and witch hunting.

Patel. That is very true. Most of them are given the post to appease them and make them feel important. All these guys have been fighting for posts of minister.

Gandhi. Best thing is to make every MLA a minister for his constituency. Every MLC must be made a joint minister. What is wrong in it? Why have any MLA and MLC? All will be happy.

Patel. All will get a chance to make something. Minister and joint minister will be busy fighting and the CM will have plenty of free time. There will not be a problem because there is no governing.

Gandhi. True. No one wants to serve people genuinely. For every thing, there will be a price. I was the only nut who refused any post after India was liberated. Neither I gave anything to my sons. They all died poor and neglected unsung and unheard.

Nehru. Are you feeling sorry for it?

Gandhi. I reserve my feelings. I refused to answer you.

Nehru. Bapu, that is your wish.

Patel. It has become very clear after Liquor Mafia don’s revelations recently. Bapu, Just think, Every guy is involved. CM also reportedly said that the guys need not resign based on some allegations and revelations. They have to be proved too.Till then they can enjoy positions and power.

Gandhi. Do you think the guy has revealed without having any proof? He must be having some thing. Slowly things will come out. Wait and see.

Patel. Opposition is demanding resignations however.

Gandhi. Why they will not do that? They will surely do that. It is their job being in opposition. Congress men also will do same, if they are in opposition.

Patel. Hee..hee..hee True.

Gandhi. Patel. Let us go away from here before that Inspector returns. We are not safe here.

Nehru. True. Let us go.

Patel. We need not worry. That guy must be busy in bandobast ( security) duties. Let us go and play safe.

( The trio walks off singing Ramdhun)

CURTAIN FALLS