INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN….321
Dr K Prabhakar Rao
Gandhi, Nehru and Patel are seen at a bus stand in Hyderabad and waiting to
catch a bus. A bus arrives, does not
stop and goes ahead. All passengers waiting for the bus run in pell-mell to catch it like flock of buffaloes and bus stops at a distance, Some board, some hang on and bus goes off. The guys who are unable to board
look desperately abusing and cursing it.
Gandhi. Patel. What is this? The bus has not stopped here. At this rate how can we get in?
Patel. We can never Bapu.
Gandhi. Senior citizens will suffer seriously.
Patel Bapu, Senior
citizens are destined to suffer more in
this nation.
Gandhi. Better we died long ago.
Patel. All can not die. Suffering has to be there.
( Their conversation is heard by another elderly man
standing close . His name is Rao )
Rao. Very well said sir. In fact telugu poet Sri Sri wrote long ago in his
book Mahaprasthanam.
Patel. Sir ,what he wrote?
Rao…Those aged with
folded skins and with no vigor
Go and die
soon and be not a burden to the state
The nation
must move, rapid like a torrent
The lazy slow and weak must go, which I hate
Gandhi. Was he a communist?
Rao. Yeah. Well said. He was a communist. He also wrote
songs for films
Gandhi. True. He had to live too. Any how this is part of
the game. We are not like USA
Patel. How long can
we stand like this? No bus will come and stop. All are full like pregnant
matron overflowing with people.
Nehru. Patel. This is India a third world country. We are
next to China in numbers. Here people are busy producing kids
Gandhi. Didn’t you have kids? Why blame others.
Nehru. I had only one.
Gandhi. Fine. Mr Rao , where you have to go
Rao. Sir I want to get a bank statement. I need to go to
bank at Dilsukhnagar
Gandhi. Good name of the locality. Dilsukhnagar means happy place. Is it really happy there
Rao. Sir. It is other way. It should be called Dildukhnagar.
It is highly congested. There is no
traffic control. People move around like
ants everywhere. There is no place to even walk. Driving is a nightmare. One
can not park car there. Liquor shops are on roadside. People purchase
bottles there and start consuming
opposite to the shops where bus stand is there. Eatables like Pakoda etc
are available. Very close to it public
urinals and toilets are also there.
There are dust bins very close overflowing. Police guys watch and no one is
bothered. Can we call it Dilsukhnagar.
Gandhi. Enough sir. I
feel for your suffering.
Rao. Now once I go to bank, I am much worried how much I
have to suffer there.
Patel. Why?
Rao. In the bank that is private where I am going
none cares for senior citizens. For simple work like Bank statement one
has to hang around for long time. There
are no sufficient chairs even. If some good counter clerk is present he will feel
for you and do the job quickly. Most of the time, the counter staff are hot
headed and do not bother. They are paid
fat salaries and management is least bothered as there is no check on
the happenings. Things are really bad.
Saddest part is that even private banks have become
like this. Govt banks of course are bad where some staff members are rude too.
Gandhi. Are things so bad?
Rao. Very true. By the by , who are you sir? You are dressed
like Gandhi.
Gandhi. I am not dressed
like him. I am real Gandhi. Although I am dead I keep visiting places. We three are always together.
Rao.If so, very good. I have no comments on your identity. I
feel bad that you gave us freedom which we did not deserve.
Gandhi. Looks so. But I thought we will be honest.
Rao. Now it other way.
Can I sing sir?
Gandhi. Ok Go ahead.
Rao… Kanto mein Rahne waale
Kanto se kyo Darenge
Has has ke aafton ka
ham sam na karenge…. Kanto….
Gandhi.. Very well sir. I am impressed
( In the mean time an empty bus arrives and all run to it
and board)
CURTAIN DROPS
