INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...238

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…238

Dr K Prabhakar Rao

(Gandhi, Nehru and Patel are seen at Rajghat in Delhi. They are sitting on a cement bench at the gate and singing Ramdhun. A police party approaches them. The party is led by an SI and four constables. All are armed with AK 47 rifles)

SI. Who are you guys? Why are you sitting here?

Patel. We are tired. That is why we are relaxing here. Is sitting here a crime or taboo?

SI. This is not a picnic spot. This is not a place to relax either.

Patel. Then why bench is here?

( SI scratches his bald head removing his cap)

SI. Whatever it is, you can not sit here. This is Delhi police law.

Patel. Then a board should be displayed accordingly.Where is it? How do we know?

SI. Look old man. Why do you argue with us?We are on patrolling duty. We have orders that no one should be allowed to gather here.

Patel. Look SI sahib. We are old guys. Look at us. Are we looking like mischief makers? We are simple, ill fed and very old guys almost dead. We have not gathered here. We are relaxing.

Nehru. Why say almost? We are already dead.

SI. Come on guys. No jokes apart. Leave this place.

Patel. We have no place to go.

SI. Where do you stay?

Patel. We keep roaming everywhere as we have no place.

SI. Look. I am again warning you. This is a trouble some spot. Yesterday Hazare addressed very large gathering here on corruption. Whole Delhi police was on high alert.

Gandhi. Was there any trouble? Were they carrying arms like Rifles, cannons, spears, swords?

SI. No. No . There was nothing like that. Poor guys did not carry a pin. But we have orders not allow even a bird to come here.

Gandhi. If it is so, we shall go. We do not want to put you in trouble.

SI. You appear to be wise. But these two guys appear to be difficult guys. They argue always.They need to be hammered.

Patel.Hee..Hee ( within himself… your IQ is only that much)

SI. What is there to laugh? You are also murmuring.Please go. By the by, you guys appear familiar. I have seen you guys some where.

Patel. You have seen the guy’s photo on Indian currency notes. He is MK Gandhi.

SI. Yeah. Correctly said. Are you Mahatma Karamchand Gandhi?

.Gandhi. No . I am Mohandas Karam chand Gandhi. Mahatma is my title suggested by Tagore.

SI. Oh Sharmila Tagore!

Patel. Come on SI Sahib. You do not know even this? It was Rabindranath Tagore and not the film actress of yester years.

SI. You can not be. He died long ago. I read in school. You are dressed up like him. I must appreciate for your talent. Do you also take part in some dramas.?

Gandhi. Do you recognize these two guys?

SI.I am not sure. There was one guy with white topi and was called Pandit Nehru. He always had a rose on his coat button.

Nehru. That is me.

Patel. You can never know me. I am Patel. There is hardly a statue of me.

SI. OK. OK. Keep feeling that you are Gandhi, Patel and Nehru. Be happy like that. If you delay I have to send you to Tihar jail to stay with Hazare.

Gandhi. What? Is Hazare in jail?

SI. Yes. He is put in jail. He has been put behind bars for violating orders of Delhi Police. Come on. Leave now.

(The trio gets up and starts walking into distance and the police party drives away. Once the police van disappears the trio returns and sit again on the bench)

Gandhi. It is good that the guys have gone. Patel. I am much upset with arrest of Hazare.

Patel. It was expected. I have no surprise. The govt broke Ramdev Baba’s fast too with great violence un leashed on sleeping guys at late night. It was like Aswaddhama attacking camp of Pandavas after Mahabharatha war in the night under stealth. He killed five sons of Pandavas assuming them to be Pandava princes.

Nehru. Oh! You know scriptures so well.

Patel. Do you think it is only you who knows everything?

Nehru. I never said that.

Gandhi. I am not that much read to remember these things. Patel. Why he had to kill the poor guys?

Patel. Bapu. Bheema broke thighs of Duryodhana in duel with mace and the dying Kaurava prince took an oath from Ashwatthama that he would slay pandavas and bring their heads. In fact Aswatthama went to see the fallen Prince on battle field.

Gandhi. How sad? So these police guys are like the warrior Aswatthama.

Patel. I only compared. But this time Hazare was taken away by simply arresting him. They say it is for violating orders. But people will not keep quiet.

Nehru. Why? Police has to do its duty. All are equal in front of law.

Gandhi. But Anna was leading a peaceful protest of fasting. How Govt can stop it? That means no one can protest in India.

Nehru. Probably Annas fast would have caused law and order problem.

Gandhi. Why. Or they terrorists? We are not able to do any thing against terrorists. They are able to create problem whenever they want and wherever they want. Why Poor Hazare should be targeted? They should use energies against anti national and anti social elements.

Patel. True.

Nehru. How govt can bow to a person from society? How they can govern?

Gandhi. Are they governing? Do you believe it? If they are governing why so many scams have taken place? In history of India, this is the worst time. We hear that Nadir Shah looted Delhi and Mughal’s treasure that was collected for nearly 200 years. But now these leaders and their stooges have become a Nadir shah each. Hazare is fighting these guys now. Is it a crime?

Nehru. This is not the way to fight.

Patel. Please tell us the way. We shall tell Hazareji.

Nehru. He has to leave the problem to elected representatives in Parliament to sort out the issue.

Patel. Well said. If those could solve where was the issue? Why this nation could become corrupt to this level? You were the PM for nearly two decades. Could you solve it? Did you make efforts atleast?

Nehru. My rule was far better.I had many things to do. This much corruption was not there.

Gandhi. Instead of acting tough with the scamsters and bring back Swiss money showing all types of reasons this Govt has embarked on this show of force.

( In the mean time very large crowd marches on the road shouting slogans against govt. They shout Hazareji Zindabad… Down with PM… Mukherjee.. Chidambaram )

Gandhi. Now things are working well. People have woken up.I am very happy now.

Patel. Sure. Govt will be surely shaken up..How can they act like that? ( shouts). Hazare.. Jindabad.. Long live Peoples rights..

Gandhi. Let us also join them

Nehru. It will be bad to do that.

Nehru. What people will think of us?

Gandhi. They will feel happy.

Nehru. I will join , but I shall not shout slogans. I will stay hidden.

Patel. Hee..Heee.. Be happy like that.

( The trio also joins the crowd and shout slogans along with them. People are happy watching them. Gandhi sings………

Kadam Kadam Badhaye jaa..
Khushi ke geet gaye ja
Luteronko is deshse
Dhoor Dhoor Bhagaye jaa
Kadam Kadam Badhaye jaa..
Khushi ke geet gaye ja


Patel does fast jig singing the song )


CURTAIN FALLS