(1)
“Kajaraa Re Kajaraa
Re….” the mobile suddenly becomes live.
Roshan glances at it.
It is from home. He curses himself.
Since the High Court
bomb blast, his wife has started calling him after every couple of hours. She
as if wants to ensure that he is not dead.
The traffic is moving
slowly and the passenger is asking every couple of minutes ‘How much more time
will it take? I should not miss my flight.”
Roshan gives the
right kind of answers. He thinks that only if this man had not made him wait
for half an hour, he would have been at the airport long time ago. Now this
Dhaula Kuan traffic is creating stress.
“Kajaraa Re Kajaraa
Re….” the handset shouts again. Roshan is wondering what the call is about.
Generally if he does not pick up the phone twice, Malini, his wife understands
that he is driving and waits for at least half an hour before making another
call. But today she seems desperate - is there something wrong, Roshan wonders.
But first things
first. Reach the airport, drop the passenger, go to the parking lot, report the
vehicle to Meru desk, and then he would get time to call back home.
The mobile rings
again. He picks up.
“Where are you?” that
is how his conversation with his wife always begins.
“I just reached the
airport. I was going to call you. Anyway, tell me, what is it?” Roshan asks
with concern.
“Can you come home
immediately?” Malini pleads.
Roshan’s heart sinks.
“What happened?” he is breathing fast.
“You need to talk to
Sudha. She is adamant about going to that place day after tomorrow..…” Malini
is worried.
Roshan sighs. He
can’t go like this. To the company he has to pay a thousand rupees every
day. The taxi drinks petrol like a camel
from the desert. He had had only one trip so far. How can he go back without
doing work?
“I will come early
today. Don’t worry. There are still 24 hours – isn’t it?” Roshan wants to
assure his wife.
Sudha is Roshan’s
daughter and Roshan is proud of her. She is mature; she understands the
circumstances very well. She wants to study, wants to do some research she
says. Roshan has taken lot of trouble to stand to people who wanted him to
marry off Sudha a long back. But Roshan is convinced that education would
change Sudha’s life forever. What else can he give to her? He has no estate, no
land, no ornaments to offer her. Even the education, he is not fully
supporting. Sudha has been awarded some scholarship. There is a group of people
(they call themselves SAMATA or something like that) who help children of people
like Roshan. Those people have influenced Sudha more than he would have liked –
feels Roshan.
(2)
When Roshan reaches
home at about 9.30 in the night, he is tired; but satisfied. He has earned
enough money today – which always makes him happy at the end of the day.
He immediately feels
the tension in the environment. Neetish, his son is watching some cricket match
on TV, but his mind is not in the game is obvious. Malini is still in the
kitchen and Sudha is in other room; ironing her clothes. Neetish smiles
sheepishly and shows his fingers locked – indicating his mother and his sister
are at war. What would be the topic of the conflict, Roshan wonders. Has Sudha
decided to marry someone who is not from his own caste – he fears.
But the discussion
would happen later. Malini has very wisely created this rule long back – during
breakfast and dinner, no serious topics are discussed in their home. Roshan
feels thankful to Malini about it. He has some time to think about what the
issue could be.
Sudha comes out, she
smiles but there is something sad in her smile. Malini serves. Neetish talks
about the cricket match and how Sachin was out in 90s again. Malini talks about
the neighbor. Roshan tells about the customer who forgot handset in his taxi.
Everybody is trying to be normal, knowing that the ‘abnormal’ part is coming
afterwards.
(3)
“So, what is it my
dear child?” Roshan asks Sudha. Malini smirks.
Sudha says, “Baba, I
had been to Jantar Mantar yesterday and today evening.”
“Jantar Mantar? What
for?” Roshan is still clueless.
“That fast against
corruption Baba”, Neetish adds.
Sudha smiles; Malini
frowns at her son.
“What of that?”
Roshan is still wondering.
“I joined the protest
march from Jantar Mantar to India Gate today with my friends.” Sudha explains.
She sounds nervous.
“Oh! You mean that
old man’s fast? It is a good cause. Even I want to go once, let me see how I
can make it. Sudha, what time does the protest march start tomorrow?” Roshan
asks with enthusiasm.
“Now don’t you
start!” Malini shouts. “Instead of scolding Sudha, now you are going to join
the march?” Malini’s eyes are filled with tears.
Roshan does not
understand what Malini is so sacred about, why she does not want Sudha to join.
“But Malini isn’t it
a good cause Sudha is in? What is wrong in fighting against corruption? We
should support this. There are well
known people like Kiran Bedi in that movement. This Anna is an ex army man. The
other guy – what is his name – he also has won some international award for his
work. You know, how much I have to pay unnecessarily to the police? And you
remember how we lost the opportunity to get Neetish in that school – because we
could not ‘donate’ the money to school authorities? Remember how we had to
bribe the hospital staff when your mother had cardiac attack? It is a good work
and we should be proud that Sudha is joining the protest march instead of just
sitting at home and watching TV.” Roshan tries to convince Malini.
“Ok, you also go to
Jail then…” Malini speaks.
“Jail? What are you
talking about?” Roshan is confused again.
“Baba, Anna Hajare
has called ‘Jail Bharo’ day after tomorrow. I am going to register my name;
that is what I am asking your permission for.” Sudha is speaking calmly. Roshan
suddenly feels that his daughter has grown up a lot in the last few months. He
remembers her as a kid who was naughty and who always demanded his time. He
remembers her studying in the night with concentration and he remembers her joy
when she was awarded the scholarship. He remembers her as a child who was
frightened of darkness, and now she is ready to go to jail for social cause.
What a change and how time passes!! His heart is full of love for Sudha.
Roshan laughs. He
says, “Malini don’t worry. So many people will come forward that police will
not be able to put all of them in jail. And even if she is put in jail, there
will be thousands of others as well.”
“I am not worried
about others. What if they arrest Sudha? Is she not too young to join such
agitations? I am scared for her future. One wrong move and everything will be
spoiled for her. You know better than me how police generally are, what if they
misbehave with her? I have not objected to her joining the march, I too
understand our responsibility. But going to jail is a risk; I want her to be
safe and secure.” Malini pours her heart out.
“But Ma, I won’t be
alone. There would be thousands of people. And my friends from ‘Samata’ will be
there too. Ma, don’t worry. Nothing is going to happen to me. And if you don’t
give me permission, anyway I will go…” Sudha seems determined.
“The kids might not
know, but how can you turn blind to what happened to you? How can you push your
own kids again in the same dust?” Malini is shaking – whether with rage or sorrow
or with both, Roshan can only guess.
The kids exchange
looks. Neetish appeals mutely to his sister. Sudha thinks for a moment and then
adds “But Ma, times have changed. The media is there, the world is watching, we
are not small in number! I tell you; nothing wrong will happen to me. Just
leave this fear behind…”
Roshan remembers his
plight, that part of the past which he prefers to forget.
He was in his final
year of graduation, studying in the district headquarter. In his native
village, a company wanted to acquire land. The Gramsabha opposed the
acquisition which was followed by brutal atrocities in the village. Farmers agitated, Roshan joined to save his
own small land, his family and their livelihood. He was not alone, sure; but he
was not spared.
The company used many
tricks to divide people. Some were offered jobs, some were offered more money,
some were forced to sell, some were made to run for life, and some were jailed.
The media came and went. A sorrow of one
village cannot have a news value for more than a day. Roshan’s elder brother
was killed in police firing; his sister in law disappeared and her dead body
was found in an old well; his old parents died of shock. Following arrest
warrant, Roshan had to flee leaving his home forever. Later there was nothing
to go back to home. He came to Delhi, learned to survive, learned to live, and
was married to Malini. In the mean time a new government came and all the cases
were withdrawn. So, Roshan was a free man in the eyes of law. He had once
narrated the whole experience to Malini and they never discussed it again. They
acted as if it was not part of Roshan’s life but some movie plot. Sudha and Neetish had learnt the story in
bits and pieces. They never dared to ask Roshan the details.
Roshan thinks. He
suffered, no doubt. History has put a burden on his shoulders and he has to
live and die with it. But does it mean that his children should not participate
in something which is relevant to their life? Does it mean that Roshan should not
allow his kids to take risks, to interpret the world in their own way? What if
they put Sudha in Jail? What is wrong to be in jail for a good cause?
“Ok, I understand.
For the time being, let us stop this discussion. Let us all think and tomorrow
evening we will decide about it.” Roshan declares like a judge. Sudha is
hopeful at this announcement, Malini is worried and Neetish is confused.
(4)
Next morning, both
Sudha and Neetish are out early to attend classes. Roshan sits calmly at the dining
table and speaks to Malini. “I understand your concern Malini. I keep on
thinking what would have happened had I not joined the protest march in my
village. Maybe, the company could have offered me a job. Maybe, my parents, my
brother, my sister-in-law were still alive. Maybe we would have been richer and
safer. Maybe I could have a chauffeur driven car instead of this taxi. Maybe we
could give a far better education to Sudha and Neetish.”
“But Malini, I am
convinced that I was right then in participating in that protest march. I paid
a high price of that act, but that does not mean that my action was wrong. I
feel no guilt about what happened. I feel morally right when I stood against
the company and had to fight my own way out of the mess. I failed but I am
happy that I fought. We need to take a stand against wrong. We need to join
this national cause. We need to encourage not only Sudha but Neetish too, to
join.”
Malini argues. Roshan
explains. Malini argues again. Roshan explains. The more time goes in, the more
Roshan is convinced about joining.
“Ok, I will call that
Deedee from SAMATA to ensure that Sudha would not be left alone,” Roshan moves
to make a call. Then he has a flash. He smiles.
That evening crowd of
thousands is walking from Jantar Mantar to India Gate, with happy faces,
smiling, holding each other’s hand, singing ‘Vande Matarm’ , charged with patriotic
emotions. They are melted in the national emotions, they feel proud. Their joy
has no bounds.
That journey from
Jantar Mantar to India Gate meant more than destination not only for Sudha, but
for Neetish, for Roshan and for Malini as well.
And for hundreds and
thousands of Indians.
