INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...284

                              INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…284

                                        Dr K Prabhakar Rao

(Gandhi, Nehru  and Patel are seen at Delhi airport. They are outside the gate and watching the crowd. Lot of Police men are also seen. All look grim. Deathly silence is seen everywhere)

Gandhi. Patel, The area looks not normal.  At this odd hour many police men  are there. What can be there?

Patel. I am not sure. But there is something secret.

Nehru. What can be such secret? Hope some terrorist is not being handed over to Pakistan.

Gandhi. How can it be? They have not hijacked any Indian plane or  kidnappedany important personality from India. We should be careful. Some one might   kidnap us  and demand ransom for release of criminals.

Patel. Hee..heee..

Nehru. What is there to laugh?

Patel. I am laughing at Bapus words. He thinks we are still important.No one will pay even a paisa for our release. They would be happy that they got rid of us.

Gandhi. Patel. Please do not   exaggerate. Indians love us greatly.

Patel. Bapu, enough. The love is only for election purpose and for drawing crowds. ( Sings)

Bapu naam japna

Paraya maal apna

Ho Paraya mal apnaa

Desh hai tera dekh

Bande  ..Desh hai tera dekh

Lootna hai isse din raat….

Bande..ye..ye

Desh hai tera dekh

Jhooti jag ki ye hai maya

Tera kaya badal chaya

Kaal mitayega sab kuch tera

Desh hai tera dekh.. Bande

Gandhi. Shhh.. People are watching us. Please keep silent,

( In the mean time high security convoy arrives silently and Dr MMS gets down from the car accompanied by Soniaji. Both are in black dresses as if they are going for a mourning.  They are escorted in side with commandoes following closely. Gates are closed quickly not before trapping a poor  dog between the gates. It cries loudly…waa..waaa…koo;;;koo bow..boww.)

Gandhi. Patel. Poor soul. It might be hurt badly. What can be matter? Is American President arriving in  secrecy? Nothing has been written in news papers.

Patel. Bapu. These are high level dramas. How do we know? We can only watch the show. Once they are in the chairs, we  have to watch them for 5 years  whether you like it or not. We are sentenced for 5 years.

Gandhi. Hf.. huf.. ( Wipes his eyes)

( Suddenly great commotion is  noticed as an aircraft lands in hurry.Gandhi and {Patel go  to a near by tea shop)

Tea vendor. My name is  Dukhia.  Bauji. Like to have a small single tea?

Patel. Why single? We are two. Give us full two tea.

Gandhi. Bhai. What is the matter? PM has arrived at this time?

Dukhiya. Don’t you know? The dead body of the girl who died in Singapore  has arrived just now.

Patel. Say body only. It has to be dead only.

Gandhi. Poor girl. I feel sad. It is   strange that PM  has come to see it.

Dukhia. He has to. There is no way. You know what happened at Vijay chowk few days ago. He reacted very slowly after assault on her while Delhi burned with rage.At last he opened his mouth.

Patel. He is careful  now and does not want to take chances with youth.

Dukhiya. True sir. But poor girl has died. Probably she would have lived if she was not taken there.

Patel. God wished so. There is nothing in our hands. ( Sings)

Teri gattadi me laga

chor musafir jag zara

Jaag zara….

Gandhi. Shh.. This is not time to sing. If the Police see us they will kill us condemning us to be Maoists. This is Delhi

Patel. True. Honourable Shinde sahib the Home minister feels that every other guys is a Maoist.

Patel. Hee..Hee. I was also  Home minister. I broke the back of Communists in Telangana of Hyderabad Nizam state in 1949.

Gandhi, Now they are breaking the backs of our leaders.

Patel. OK. Fine .I shall not sing.

( In the mean time PM and Soniaji  come out in their convoy and drive away.)

Dukhiya. They have gone finally after doing their job.

Patel. We have to see what happens  now in day time at the funeral of the girl.

Gandhi. These guys  are  very clever. They might have made some  plans to complete the funeral job in hush hush.

Nehru. It has to be done. Otherwise again trouble will erupt. Shinde sahib is worried about Maoists.

Patel. Sometimes harsh decisions have to be taken to maintain law  and order.Whatever has been done can not be undone. There is a word called… Theek hai.. for everything and is used by DR MMS very often.

Gandhi. Any how, bad thing has happened. One has to be very careful while using such phrases. The incident has tarnished nation’s image. Foreign ladies too would feel scared to visit India.

Patel. It was no better earlier too. Bapu, Now the  girl   has died. So they can hang the criminals.

Gandhi. It has to be seen. This is a clear case of rape, assault and  murder too. She was mercilessly beaten causing grievous  injuries and pushed out of bus with intentions of causing her death. She died too. So the they are to be punished.

Patel. Will hanging be fine?

Gandhi.  Why not? The nation wants it. But our doubt masters and legal  advisers have to act quickly if they have to gain public confidence. The nation has no confidence in our leaders and law process in fact.

Patel. True. Our history is like that. Why blame people? They are correct.The people geta govt what they deserve.

( In the mean time Nehru also joins them )

Nehru. Bapu. I am feeling cold. How about a round of tea?

Patel. Why not? Bhai serve us hot double tea.

Dukhiya. OK Sir

( He serves tea to the trio and they walk away with tea cups sipping on way)

In the distance Surendranath is heard singing.:-

Jag mein ram nam hi sahara

Jag mein ram nam hi sa hara

Bhai bandhu ko choom ke bina

Chod diya kinara..aaa….aaaa

Jag mein ram nam his hara

Bhayi kehata teer hamara

Maa Kahteehai ankho ka tara

Dar pe chod chale sab mujh ko

…………………………...

Jag mein ram nam his hara

Jag mein ram nam his hara         ( Song from Gramophone singer 1938)

                                                CURTAIN FALLS