INTO THE PAT WITH PAIN. 351

 

                                          INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN ..351

                                               Dr K Prabhkar Rao

 

Gandhi, Nehru and Patel are  seen in a park in Hyderabad near Tank bund. All are seated on cement benches, The park is not well maintained with shabby bushes,  eroded soil, stones all over. The gate is in shabby state with broken steel rods and   light mast is bent.

Gandhi. This park appears to be not maintained. It  is  so shabby.

Patel. True bapu. I was about to say and you said so.

Nehru. True Bapu. Now who has got time and interest. All are busy in wild goose chase .

Gandhi. What are the news from Hyderabad?

Patel. The local state govt is busy all the time fighting with Centre over funds  and many issues. Recently , they were busy with election of President. First, it was a tough time to project a common candidate to counter Modis candidate. Finally, they projected yashwant sinha

ex BJP  frustrated man as the opposition candidate. Modi enjoys brute majority. The election of Draupadi Murmu the tribal candidate from Jharkhand  was a foregone conclusion even before the election.Sadly,  Caste has taken precedence in projecting the candidate for presidency. After all, this is a game of vote banks. Caste always played havoc in Indian politics and will continue to play its role bleading to dooms day one day in future.

 Patel. This is a democracy and all political parties play caste card everywhere. This is a primary factor with us. It will never go. It will finally ruin us.

Gandhi. All tribes are happy that their candidate will soon be taking oath as the first tribal president

Nehru.  We have to live with these games.

Gandhi., How can we live .We are all dead already.

Nehru.  I mean the country has to live with these problems.

Patel. Now the issue of president is over. Opposition quickly needs some issue to keep them busy.

 Gandhi. The border issue with china has been forgotten. It is high time it is revived. Otherwise, the Chinese think that we have given up. They even built a village in Bhutan. More over the govt has to keep army busy. Idle man’s brain is a devils workshop.

Patel. Last month we had Agni path problem in the country

Gandhi. For no reason so many trains were burnt by youth agitating against the govt scheme of Agni veers  the new soldiers being recruited into services for only four year duration.

Patel. Oh ! use and throw type ?

Gandhi. Don’t you think it is unfair scheme  going on?

Nehru. Not exactly so. They want to cut down salary and pension bill.

Gandhi. In a growing nation these bills will also go up every year. Are we reversing growth of nation.

Nehru. The current govt feels that present youth even with qualification of matric  and inter are much informed about technology and latest developments than what we had earlier. It feels that they need   no extended training to be inducted into services. The whole game centres on use and throw policy    The new recruits are being called Agni veers and 25 percent  of them  would be  absorbed for permanent service after four years provided they satisfy the requirements and proven competence.

Gandhi  What happens to rest?

Nehru. they have to go out and seek employment in paramilitary forces where some reservations  for Agniveers will be there. Those not selected inpara military forces have to try their   luck in industries etc and such persons would surely feel that they have been left high and dry.

Patel. Sizable Agniveers who had received military training and  expertise on use of fire arms will merge in society but with frustration and un happiness. It will not be good for nation.I feel entire policy is   not good for  the nation and stability of services. In services maximum strength is from Army and air force and Navy  have far less soldiers. Rather insignificant numbers compared to Army as their roles are different.

Gandhi. What can I say. We cannot be there everywhere.

Patel. Jawaharlal. You wanted to  dismantle entire different services immediately after we gained freedom and want to protect borders using police men such as constables. You thought India had no enemies and we believed in non violence. You also threw  the  file at the British Army chief who was heading Indian army as commander in chief. He must have laughed at you with in himself. Very soon Pakistani tribals accompanied by Pak irregulars and regular pak army attacked Jammu and Kashmir in large numbers and we  were caught with pants down

Gandhi. I remember the situation.

Patel. Jawaharlal , could you dismantle Indian army then? You swallowed your words and rest is history. Our troops fought valiantly along with J and K army and saved Kashmir. You committed a grave mistake taking the  issue to UNO  when we are about to evict  enemy from POK and issue still remains. You goofed up whole thing. Were you dreaming for a Nobel prize which never was given to you?

Gandhi, Patel, why dig graves now? Mistakes do occur. Jawaharlal is feeling bad

Patel. India had fought three major wars and another ferocious Kargil war for this reason and lost scores of men and valiant officers in wars.

Gandhi. I understand  your point.

Patel. Now the govt is hell  bent on  reducing army size  to reduce pension bill  etc. But they do not think of reducing civilian employees because it will affect votes for them. Army will keep quiet and suffer consequently. They have none to care for them. Is it because we have democracy?

Gandhi. What can I say. We are all dead. They will learn in hard way .then no one will help them in crisis. Slowly entire world is turning against India.  Even middle east countries are playing to their tune.Coming to effectof democracy, I will not agree with you. USA is a democracy. But they are not working against Army, Their services are very strong in fact much more than us. They have conscription into army. Their constitution is different.  Our is different. Ours is a voluntary army. It is none’s baby.  Mostly use and throw  pattern.

Patel. There is a saying that a tree produces distorted fruit when it about to die.

Gandhi.  I see. What can we do. If destruction is in fate who can stop it. We have to accept

Patel. We feel bad because we are inviting it by  our policies.

Gandhi. Pl accept the will of god. Let us go. More we think of it , we boil our blood.

Patel Let us go bapu..let them hang themselves

Gandhi .so be it

The trio  walks away singing Ram dhum

 

                                                      CURTAIN FALLS