INTO THE
PAST WITH PAIN.136

                                           Dr K
Prabhakar Rao

 

(Gandhi, Nehru and Patel are seen walking on a streets some
wherein Delhi
in the old and  congested areas of old
city. At a road crossing they see a statue enclosed in a cloth wrapped around
and tied with thick strings.  Every thing
including the pedestal is enclosed. The trio appears curious.)

 

Patel. Bapu. Have you seen this statue it is so huge It is almost
10 stories high. What it could be?

 

Gandhi. Iam also surprised. What it could be? It can not be
my statue. whole thing look slike a pyramid with a figure at the top.

 

Patel. Bapu. Indians have stopped erecting statues of you,
Nehru and me long ago. They are not even maintaining the existing ones. Do you
know there is a statue of you  in
Secunderabad in MG Road
. It was earlier called James
street. The statue 
remains neglected eve on the 
independence day while  Chief
Minister  takes salute 200 yard away at
parade ground and in his speech exhorts people to follow Gandhi. These are
hypocrites of Ist order. They want Gandhi’s name to catch votes. ( Sings  and does jig)

 

Look there are many jokers who rule us

Who recite Gandhi’s sermons day and night

Back at office I am sure to the hilt

These guys swindle the state as their birth right

 

Gandhi. True Patel. Well sung. How well you sai the truth!

 

(In the mean time, a large van arrives with some municipal
workers accompanied by police constables. The constables are fully armed with
rifles, steel helmets and bullet proof jackets. They are looking like armored
knights of yore. A curious crowd also collects in the mean time)

 

Gandhi. Patel.  look,
some guys have come. I am sure they will open out the cloth around the statue.
I am sure some unveiling ceremony will be there now.

 

Patel. Looks so Bapu. I am sure you are right.

 

Gandhi. I am always right. 

 

( In the mean time a convoy of cars arrives and it halts
near the statue. From the first VIP car gets down a person clad in Sherwani and
Rumi Topi and he is sporting a beard. He is the chief guest for the function.
The police men greet him by bowing. Some local leaders who   are in the crowd also pay greetings to him.
The inspector of police Chamcha Singh goes    and
salutes him)

 

 Chamcha singh. Sahib
It is time you unveil the statue.

 

Chief Guest. Sure. Sure.. 
I am always available for these activities. There is no other work for
me. I  am specialized   in inaugurations. Heee..Heeee

 

Chamcha singh. Haaa.haaa…Haa

 

Chief Guest .Let us go and do our job

 

( He goes to the statue The Municipal workers in the
meantime prepare for unveiling the statue. The Chief Guest slowly pulls a
string handed out by the leader of the municipal party and the cloth unwraps
and falls down completely unveiling the statue. All   the people clap loudly while the chief guest
acknowledges the appreciation by waving hand. Gandhi, Nehru and Patel are
wonder struck at seeing the statue.)

 

Gandhi What type of statue is this? Is it a modern art?
People  have gone crazy

 

Patel. Bapu. This is not modern art.  The entire base of statue in the form of a
great pyramid is made up of human skulls. On top of it, there is a man sitting
on a throne.

 

Nehru. What does that represent? Does this mean victory over
evil?

 

Gandhi. Patel. Does it depict what Jawaharlal has said?

 

Patel. I am sorry Bapu. This is a clear depiction of Mughal
emperor Baber sitting on a mound of Skulls after the battle of Khanwa. He
defeated Ran Sangram Singh in that battle. He assumed the title Ghazi meaning
Protector of faith after this act.

 

Gandhi. Why such statue should be erected?  I do not know 
who sanctioned this?

 

Nehru. Bapu, Probably the secular ( ?) government of India  has
sanctioned erecting Baber’s statue at some place in Delhi, he being the founder of Mughal empire.
After all they have to satisfy minorities.

 

Gandhi. But this is something crazy. It depicts him a most
cruel and fundamentalist person. I know that he was a man of letters and wrote
his biography too.

 

Patel. He was known as brave and enterprising. But the guys
want to see him as Ghazi.

 

Gandhi. I do not approve this statue. This can cause
tensions in society.

 

Patel. I am happy that the statue of Mohd Ghaznavi or Ghori
has not been erected at some place.

 

Gandhi. That  would be
bad.

 

 Patel. Bapu. This is
something not acceptable and we must protest. This statue must go.

 

Nehru. What you can do?

 

Gandhi. We shall undergo fast unto death.

 

Patel. There will be scores of guys who like to see us die.
Our skulls also will be added under this statue.

 

Gandhi Ohfo. No. Please do not say that.

 

( Gandhi goes to the 
Chief Guest an speaks to him_

 

Gandhi. Look gentle man. Is 
it appropriate to erect this evil statue in public place?

 

Chief Guest. What is wrong in this?

 

Gandhi. It is depicting 
Baber sitting on  skull throne .

 

Chief guest. Sorry. It is not like that . This shows victory
over evil

 

Patel. Look Sahib. This is clearly Baber shown sitting on
skull throne. What are you trying to convey in society. Is this to be  displayed in a secular  country?

 

Chief Guest. Look friend. A sculpture can give different
meaning to different people.It is as simple as that. Plesae do not make a fuss
about it.

 

Patel.  Sorry. You are
trying to glorify Baber who was killer 
and destroyer of temples in India.  We want this statue to be removed.

 

Chief guest. How can 
you do that? The police will prevent such attempts. This statue has been
approved by the administration as well.

 

Patel. We do not any thing. This one is very offensive.

 

Chiefguest.Lump it. You can do  whatever you like. I am going ( looks at
Police) Inspector  plesae take care of
this statue  and these  men also. I am going.

 

( Chief Guest  drives
away in his convoy while Gandhi, Patel 
shout slogans against him. Inspector approaches Gandhi.)

 

Chamcha singh. Look old man. Enough of this  drama. Please go away. This statue will
remain. Plesae go away before we do some thing.

 

Gandhi.Look 
Inspector. Can’t you see this statue as that of Baber sitting on  heap of skulls. 

 

Chamcha singh. I do not know any thing. I have to maintain
public order. If you create problems I have to arrest you guys.

 

Patel.  Are you
arresting us. What for? .Is it for being patriotic?  Yeah  I
remember the song;

Oh sachhe phansi chaddewitche

Aur jhoota mauj udaave..

Kya my jhoota boliya. Koina… aa.. aaahu aanhu   ( From Jagterahoby Mohd Rafi)

 

Chamcha singh. Shut up. Now run away from here. By the by
why are you dressed like Gandhi  and
Patel

 

Patel. What do you mean? We are they   and they are we.

 

Chamcha singh. ( 
screams)eee..eee.. stop this. I am getting mad. What is this we are
they  and they are we.

 

Gandhi. Plesae know we are Gandhi and Patel in real. Also
know  that you can not do any thing to
us.  Your weapons can not kill us.

 

Chamcha singh. I shall show. I shal crush you with  my truck.

 

Patel. Plesae go ahead

 

( Inspector  sits in
the truck  and orders the   driver to drive fast and ride over  the trio. The trio gathers in front of the
statue laughing. The truck races fast and tries to climb over the trio who in the
last minute move away from the statue to a place of safety.  Helpless the truck dashes against the statue
and the statue crumbles down in spilt of second. Every one is shocked. The
river and Inspector are crushed in the collision and their spirits  vanish into sky. The trio jubilantly raise
slogans)

 

Patel Jai. Bharat Mataaki Jai.. Jo hamse takraye ga  Wo mittime miljayehga

 

Gandhi. Bolo Swatantra Bharat ki jai.

 

Nehru. Bapu .Let us go away from here before another police
party arrives.

 

Patel Jawahar. You are 
always a scared guy.

 

Gandhi. Patel. Pesea do not trouble him. Let us  go.

 

( The trio walks away singing  Ramdhun)

 

                                                  
CURTAIN FALLS

 

---------------- Note: Content of this blog post is writer's personal opinion and may not be SanghParivar.org or Sangh's view.