एक रेल यात्रा और २ स्मरणीय नाम

एक रेल यात्रा और २ स्मरणीय नाम

बात १९९० की गर्मियों की है, में और मेरी मित्र भारतीय रेलवे सेवा के प्रशिक्षु के तौर पर लखनऊ से देल्ही तक का सफर कर रहे थे।  हमारी ही बोगी में २ सांसद भी सवार थे जिनसे हमे कोई परेशानी नहीं थी, परन्तु उनके साथ यात्रा कर रहे उनके १०-१२ साथियो ने बड़ी ही बदतमीज़ी से हमसे बात की। उन लोगो ने हमारी आरक्षित सीट से ही हमें उठा कर खुद सवार हो गए ,  और तो और भद्दी भद्दी टिप्पणियाँ भी करते रहे। उस बोगी में कोई भी यात्री या टिकट चेकर हमारी सहायता करने आगे नहीं आया। हम लोगो ने भय युक्त वातावरण में जैसे तैसे रात गुजारी। 

अगले दिन सुबह हम डेल्ही पहुंचे, तथापि उन गुंडों ने हमें कोई शारीरिक क्षति तो नहीं पहुचाई परन्तु मानसिक रूप से हमें बहुत आघात पंहुचा था।  मेरी मित्र को तो इतना गहरा सदमा पंहुचा था की उन्होंने प्रशिक्षण का अगला चरण टालना ही उचित समझा जो की अहमदाबाद में होना था।

मेने अहमदाबाद जाने का निर्णय किया क्योंकि एक और प्रशिक्षु मेरे साथ यात्रा करने वाली थी। इस बार हम आरक्षण नहीं करवा पाये और वेटिंग का टिकट लेकर ट्रैन में चढ़ गए।  प्रथम श्रेणी के कोच में TTE  से हमने बात की और समझाया की हमारा अहमदाबाद पहुचना कितना जरूरी है, वो हमें एक द्विशायीका (कंपार्टमेंट ) में लेके गया और बैठ कर कुछ देर इन्तेजार करने को कहा। मेने अपने संभावित सह-यात्रियों की और देखा जो की अपने परिधानों से किसी राजनैतिक पार्टी के नेता ही लग रहे थे। मुझे अपनी पिछली यात्रा का संस्मरण हो आया और मेरी भाव-भंगिमा से मेरे भीतर की घबराहट मेरे मुख पर स्पष्ट दिखाई पड़ रही थी। TTE ने मेरे चहरे के भाव पढ़कर मुझे आश्वस्त किया की ये लोग सभ्य और  नियमित यात्री है। 

उनमे से एक कुछ ४० पार रहा होगा और दूसरे की उम्र कुछ ३५-४० रही होगी। उन लोगो ने ख़ुशी ख़ुशी हमारे लिए बैठने की जगह बनाते हुए खुद को एक कोने में समेट लिया। उन दोनों ने अपना परिचय गुजरात के भाजपा नेताओ के रूप में दिया, उन्होंने अपने नाम भी बताये मगर नाम हम याद नहीं रख पाये, हमने भी उन्हें बताया की हम आसाम से रेलवे सेवा के प्रशिक्षु है। हम लोगो ने कई विषयों पर बातचीत की, विशेषकर इतिहास पर। मेरी मित्र ने इतिहास में स्नातकोत्तर उपाधि प्राप्त कर रखी  थी सो उसने बढ़चढ़ कर चर्चा में हिस्सा लिया, मेने भी बीच बीच में भाग लिया। नेताओ में से जो वरिष्ठ थे उन्होंने ने उत्साह के साथ चर्चा में अपनी हिस्सेदारी दिखाई जबकि दूसरे नेता ने सुनने में अधिक रूचि दिखाई। 

बातो के बीच में मेने श्यामा प्रसाद मुखर्जी की मृत्यु का जिक्र किया की कैसे उनकी मौत आज तक एक रहस्य बनी  हुयी है।  कनिष्ठ नेता जो की अब तक बगैर ज्यादा कुछ कहे सिर्फ सुन रहे थे, अचानक बोले : "आप श्यामा प्रसाद मुखर्जी के बारे में कैसे जानती है ?", तब मेने उन्हें बताया की किस प्रकार से उन्होंने मेरे पिताजी की पढ़ाई के लिए छात्रवृत्ति का इन्तेजाम किया था। 

अचानक से वरिष्ठ नेता ने हमसे कहा , "आप लोग गुजरात में हमारी पार्टी क्यों नहीं ज्वाइन कर लेते ?" हमने जोर का ठहाका लगा के कहा की हमारे बस का ना है और वैसे भी हम गुजरात के नहीं है , तभी छोटे नेता ने कहा : " तो क्या फरक पड़ता है अगर आप आसाम से हो, हमारे यहाँ प्रतिभावान लोगो का स्वागत है ", यह  कहते वक़्त उनके शांत गंभीर चेहरे पर एक चमक सी साफ़ नज़र आ रही थी। हमे प्रतीत हुआ की ये सिर्फ कहने की बात नहीं थी , बल्कि वो लोग गंभीर थे। 

खाना आ चूका था, ४ शाकाहारी थालियां।  हम चारो ने शांतिपूर्वक भोजन किया और जब पेन्ट्री वाला पैसे लेने आया तो छोटे वाले नेताजी ने पूरा भुगतान स्वयं किया।  मेने धीरे से धन्यवाद दिया, उन्होंने सीधे तौर पर दरकिनार करते हुए कहा की इतनी छोटी बात के लिए कैसा धन्यवाद।  उस समय उनके आभामंडल पर जो चमक थी वो देखने लायक थी।

 इतने में TTE  ने आकर हमें सीट की अनुपलब्धता के बारे में जानकारी देकर अपनी असमर्थता ज़ाहिर की और कहा की कुछ और इन्तेजाम नहीं हो सका।  इतना सुनते ही वो दोनों नेतागण तपाक से बोल पड़े की चिंता करने की कोई बात नहीं है हम व्यवस्था कर देंगे। उन्होंने बड़े आराम से निचे फ्लोर पर चादर बिछाई और सो गए और हमने उन लोगो की सीट पर कब्ज़ा जमा लिया। 

पिछली ट्रैन यात्रा और इस यात्रा में कितना बड़ा अंतर था, एक तरफ उन राजनेताओ का झुण्ड जो सभी सह-यात्रियों से बदतमीज़ी कर रहे थे और एक तरफ यह २ नेता जिनके साथ हमे पूर्ण सुरक्षा का अनुभव हो रहा था। अगली सुबह जब ट्रैन अहमदाबाद के करीब पहुंची तो वरिष्ठ नेता ने हमसे हमारे रहने के प्रबंध के बारे में पूछा और अपना पता बताते हुए कहा की कुछ भी समस्या हो तो हम बेझिझक उनके घर जा सकते है, छोटे वाले नेता ने कहा की मेरा तो अहमदाबाद में कोई ठौर ठिकाना नहीं है , परन्तु आप लोग इनका निमंत्रण स्वीकार कर सकते हो और कोई भी परेशानी हो तो बता सकते हो, हम हर संभव सहायता की कोशिश करेंगे। 

 यह सब बातें करते वक़्त उन दोनों के मुख पर एक गंभीरता और आशावान चमक थी। हमने अपने रहने के प्रबंध के बारे में उन्हें आश्वस्त किया और निमंत्रण के लिए उन्हें सहृदय धन्यवाद दिया।  

इससे पहले की ट्रैन  स्टेशन पर रूकती और हम लोग उतर कर अपने अपने गंतव्य की और प्रस्थान करते मेने अपने बैग से अपनी डायरी और पेन निकलते हुए उन दोनों से अपने अपने नाम लिखने का आग्रह किया। क्योंकि में उन दो विशाल ह्रदय वाले नेताओ का नाम नहीं भूलना चाहती थी जिन्होंने नेताओ के प्रति मेरे पूर्वाग्रह को एक अलग ही दिशा प्रदान की थी। 

उन्होंने डायरी लेकर एक -एक करके अपना नाम लिखा , उम्र में बड़े दिखने वाले नेता ने लिखा शंकर सिंह वाघेला और छोटे नेता ने लिखा नरेंद्र मोदी। 

यह पूरा घटनाक्रम मेने १९९५ में एक असमीज़ समाचार पत्र में लिखा था, यह उन दो गुजरती नेताओ के प्रति मेरी आदरांजलि थी जिन्होंने निस्वार्थ भाव से हम दो असमिया बेन  के लिए इतना कुछ किया था।  By Leena Sarma

(The author is General Manager of the Centre for Railway Information System, Indian Railways, New Delhi. leenasarma@rediffmail.com)

नोट: प्रस्तुत लेख अंग्रेजी समाचार पात्र "द  हिन्दू " में १ जून २०१४ को प्रकाशित हुआ था , उसी का हिंदी अनुवाद मेने यहाँ प्रस्तुत किया 

 अंग्रेजी में पढ़ने के लिए निचे दिए लिंक पर जाये :

A train journey and two names to remember

Kejriwal and Karna

Now-a-days everyone is talking about Mahabharat, be it the animation movie where big stars have landed their voice or the Television Series or the current political scenario in India. 

So I thought I should write something about it. You might have already flooded with various comparisons of today’s political set-up with mythological stories, but I can not stop myself.You may not be a fan of mythological writings or the stories, but you must have heard the name Karna or Karan.

Karna, a Mythological character from Mahabharata, is a well praised character, a great warrior, large hearted, hard worker, generous, and above all a fighter and self made leader. Any positive adjective I use here will be less for him and all this written in the classic book.  Having all said about Karna, he is not considered by people as a deity or someone who can be kept in the good books.

He was a son of the god Sun by kunti, but brought up by a charioteer and was always called a saarthi – putra or Soot-putra. According to the “Varna-vyavastha” he could not be a disciple of Gurus like Dronacharya and Parashurama, he could not get learning and teaching of astras(Weapons) and shaastra(Rules of life).

 He hated the system and rebelled against it. Karna became pupil of Guru Parashurama on a false note that he is a Brahmin. And as people say that a lie has no feet, so karna couldn’t go long with that lie and became victim of curse from his contemporary Guru Parshuram.Karna was good at heart, his intentions were good and he was skilled but just because he did not belong to a particular Varna(Caste), he could not hone his skills with the dignity as Khatriyas and Brahmins could afford.  He nourished a kind of hatred in his heart for this system and wanted to change it, and wanted to get the power, wanted to become a king.To douse his burning desires, to get the Kingdome, to fulfill his long term aspirations he joined hands with Kouravas (the 100 bad brothers or better the main villains of Mahabharat).

Finally in the climax his life was ended like a villain and not like a hero. He was killed by Arjuna.

He had to suffer a lot because of his 2 big mistakes, first, to betray a Guru like Parashuram and second, joining hands with most lawless, corrupt and hypocrite people like Kauravas.

The title of this article is Kejriwal and Karna, and I have written all about Karna, you might be thinking that when I would introduce our today’s hero Kejriwal? So my dear readers, that’s all, now I don’t need to write anything about Kejriwal. At the end of this article I will rename Kejriwal as today’s Karna who joined hands with today’s Kauravas.Rest you think, and relate the populist with the Karna's Story.

Note: All AAP and AK lovers, please excuse!

Image courtesy: Google.

ट्रैफिक हवलदार, केले वाला और राजू

समय : शाम ४ बज कर १० मिनट
स्थान : पुणे शहर का एक प्रमुख चौराहा
पात्र: ट्रैफिक हवलदार, केले वाला और राजू


राजू तेज गति से अपनी धून में अपनी दुपहिया गाडी पे कानो में हैडफ़ोन लगाकर चला आ रहा था, सामने चौराहे पर लाल बत्ती होते ही तुरंत ब्रेक लगाकर जैसे ही साइड में खड़ा हुआ, एक सिटी कि आवाज़ और डंडे कि फटकार सुन कर उसने कान से हैडफ़ोन निकाले और देखा कि सामने खड़े ट्रैफिक हवलदार ने उसे सड़क के किनारे लगे पेड़ के निचे बुलाया है । राजू चुपचाप अपनी गाडी धकेलता हुआ जा पंहुचा उस हवलदार के पास।

लाइसेंस, इन्शुरन्स, गाडी के कागज और PUC  हर चीज मुकम्मल करके हवलदार बोला, रेड लाइट में ज़ेबरा क्रासिंग पे खड़ा था भाउ तू, चल चालान भर, ८०० रूपया लगेगा। राजू एक  सीधा साधा, और तुलनात्मक रूप से ईमानदार आदमी है, इसीलिए अपने सारे डाक्यूमेंट्स रेडी रखता है, आज तक जब भी पकड़ा गया है बिना पैसे दिए ही छोड़ा भी गया है, बिना कोई धौंस -डपट के।
राजू के कोई रिश्तेदार पुलिस में, सरकारी नौकरी में या राजनीती में भी नहीं है, ताकि वो कह सके कि "जानते भी हो किस से बात कर रहे हो तुम ?" या फिर अपना फ़ोन निकाल के किसी को फ़ोन लगा के कह ही सके कि तेरी बात करवाऊ S.P  साब से ? वो तो एक आम आदमी (AAP  वाला नहीं ) है।

फिर राजू ने पूछा कि कहा है ज़ेबरा क्रासिंग जिस पर में खड़ा था ? यहाँ तो कोई क्रासिंग नहीं दिखाई देता, तभी हवलदार ने अपनी आवाज़ में टाटा टी कि कडकनेस घोल के कहा "अब तू हमें ट्रैफिक रूल सिखाएगा ?, भाउ प्रेम से चालान कटवा ले नहीं तो खड़ा रह, मेरे को और भी काम है" (मतलब मेरे को और भी बकरे पकड़ने है ) .

कुछ जगहो पर हवलदारों के बड़े साब भी मौजूद होते है, अब अगर बड़े साब हो तो "कद्दू कटेगा, सब में बंटेगा" वाली कहावत चरितार्थ हो जाती है, इसीलिए हवलदारों ने चौराहो पे ठेलागाड़ी (रेड़ी ) लगा के बैठे फल वाले, चाट वाले अपने भाइयों को सेट करके रखा होता है। जैसे ही कोई "बकरा" बात चित शुरू करता है लेन -देन  कि तो हवलदार साब रकम फिक्स करके "बकरे" को कह देते है कि जाके केले वाले या चाट वाले को देदो और निकल जाओ।

हमारे राजू के केस में भी ऐसा ही कुछ था, राजू ने सोचा कि अब बात बिगड़ने से अछा है कुछ ले-देके मामला निपटाया जाये, उसने पहल करी, "सरजी ८०० तो बहुत ज्यादा है , इतने तो है भी नहीं मेरे पास, और अगर रसीद ना लेनी हो तो कितने लगेंगे ?"
इसी बात कि तो बाट  जोह रहे थे हवलदार बाबू, उन्होंने बिना कोई समय गंवाए राउंड फिगर में ५०० का प्रस्ताव रखा, इधर राजू भाई साहब ने अपना चमड़े का दबा कुचला बिल्कुल भारत देश के आम आदमी कि दशा को प्रदर्शित करता बटुआ अपनी जीन्स कि दाई पॉकेट से निकाला, खोला तो ढेर सारे छोटे बड़े कागजो, विजिटिंग कार्डो, ATM  स्लिपों के बीचोबीच १०० - १०० के २ और १०-१० के ३ नोट मिले, उसने हवलदार साब को अपना पर्स दिखाके विनती कि " सर अभी २०० में काम चला लो, अगली बार पकड़ो तो पुरे ले लेना" , हवलदार साब ने भी दरियादिली का परिचय देते हुए कहा, ठीक है जा  रोड क्रॉस करके सामने केले वाले को देते हुए निकल जा, में यहाँ से देख रहा हूँ उसको इशारा करता हूँ।

राजू पलक झपकते ही रोड के उस पार केले वाले कि दूकान पर खड़ा था, उस पार से हवलदार ने सिटी बजा के केले वाले को अपनी हथेली कि २ उंगलियां इस अंदाज में दिखाई जैसे कोई नेता अपनी विजय रैली में विक्ट्री सिम्बॉल दिखाता है। केले वाले ने भी अपनी मुंडी OKAY  SIR के अंदाज़ में हिला दी।

स्थान: रोड के दूसरी तरफ केले वाले कि दूकान
समय: शाम के ४ बजकर २० मिनट
पात्र : राजू, केले वाला और ट्रैफिक हवलदार

राजू: भैया वो साब ने २ दर्जन केले मंगवाए है। उनकी तरफ देखो वो शायद इशारा करेंगे।

केले वाला सिटी कि आवाज़ सुनकर  हवलदार कि तरफ देखता है, हवलदार २ का इशारा करता है। केलेवाला OKAY SIR कि मुद्रा में मुंडी हिला देता है।

राजू जाते जाते २ याने कि विक्ट्री का इशारा हवलदार कि तरफ करता हुआ अपनी तेज़ गति में, हेडफोन्स कानो में लगाये उस चौराहे से ओझल हो जाता है।

तात्पर्य, बईमानी का जवाब थोड़ी से बईमानी करके दिया जा सकता है और यह थोड़ी से बईमानी मेरे हिसाब से वाजिब है , आप क्या कहते है इस विषय पर ? आपके पास भी कोई ऐसी कि घटना हो तो साझा कीजिये। 

Happy Queen Elizabeth

This is another story on Governance in India, for last few decades people of India have seen that India’s development graph is not steady and for last 9 years we have seen a steady rise in corruption, crime, inflation and insensitivity of government.

Okay I don’t talk about the government any more and start the story; this is a story of ancient India, when crime rate was not much higher, if someone steals a pair of shoes he used be called a big criminal, if any person stared a women for more than 2 seconds, immediately he was considered to be a big pervert and called a criminal by neighbors and rest of the society. In that era there used to be a person named Jagga, he was a thief by nature and profession, and was considered biggest criminal of that area where he lived.

He used to steal goats and hens and used to cook and eat them without leaving any evidences.

Actually no one could prove that he was the thief so “Panchayat” also used to set him free every time. People of his area hated him; they used to tell their children about Jagga that his is a criminal and not a good human being so do not talk to him.

From Internet

From Internet

Soon Jagga’s son Bhagga also joined him in his business; he was more claver and believed in perfection in his acts. Jagga was very happy that his son is also climbing steps on the same trail where he was leading.

Although Jagga was happy from outside but from inside he was very upset, one evening when he was sitting outside of his house and in the same vicinity children were playing and refraining themselves by coming near to his house by any chance.  That incident shook Jagga from inside, he started staying at home and he became ill and was bedridden.

One morning when Bhagga returned form his usual job with some grains and pair of parrots, he saw his father was counting his last breath. Jagga called his son and told him that now time has come,

 “I will not live now anymore, but before I die I would like to ask a promise from you”, “yes father tell me, I can do whatever you want”

“I was very bad citizen of this locality and was extremely infamous, no one wants to take my name on their tongue, I don’t want to die with this black spot on my name that I am the most evil person of this locality. You have to do something that after my death people do not say that I was worst, they should say that I was good. Then only I will get a sigh of relief in heaven.”

“Yes father, I will do it, I will make your name good”.

Bhagga promised and Jagga died.

Now Jagga was worried, day and night he was thinking that how he can put his father’s name in the good books of the people.

Finally Jagga got an idea and he started stealing each and everything from the house where he entered, if something he can not steal he used to destroy it, he made it sure that when people of that house wake up they were stunned.

Earlier the father-son duo used to steal live stocks of Goats and hens and used to cook them and eat, and leave no traces behind. Now since Bhagga could not eat so much, so he started killing the animals and dumped them in the front of resident’s doors.

Now inhabitants of that locality were dismayed and felt it very painful, since everyone knew that it was Bhagga, but could not produce the evidences so again Bhagga was freed.

Now everybody was heard saying that Bhagga has crossed all the limits, Jagga was even better, Jagga was not that bad man, and he was very good in comparison to Bhagga.

When Bhagga came to know that people are talking like this, he was extremely happy, he kept his promise and now his father’s spirit would be in rest; his father would take a sigh of relief in heaven or hell whatever.

This story ends here. But there is a message lies in the story, what is that?

Do you know, British Government ruled India for almost 200 years and they were very rude and villainous amongst the modern people of India so in 1947 when British government handed over the country’s responsibility to Congress, they took the same promise from Congress’ President which Jagga took from his son.

And you see, today we often say that British-raj was much better than today’s governance.

And you see, Queen of Britain is very happy today …..

Golden Jubilee Celebration

Today Gandhi Hall is jam-packed since morning and one can see a sea of people at common ground, one corner of the ground is equipped with decorative bar with varieties of branded drinks, this area is restricted, the other corner is filled with dining tables and one can smell the aroma of delicious food. All these arrangements were done for the VIPs and VVIPs. Common people were sitting on ground, around 20 meters far from this VIP Zone and stage. Mr. Rajeev the MD of “Jaihind” group and elder son of Late Ramesh Chandra ji is very happy today.

India’s top media group “Jaihind” is celebrating their golden jubilee today. This group has started 50 years ago with their Hindi daily news paper “Jaihind Dainik” from New Delhi, when Ramesh Chandra ji started this news paper, no one knew that it would complete not only 50 years but would become one of top media group of India. This group has a strong hold not only in Print but in Electronic media as well. Today they are publishing 2 Hindi, 7 regional, 3 English daily news papers and 3 weekly and one monthly magazine. And if we talk about electronic media then here also they don’t have a lose end, they are numero uno with 6 national news channels and FM network in 9 cities of India on air.

Today a Union Minister is chief guest for this celebration; he will be sharing stage with the CM of state.  It’s 11:40, but minister hasn't arrived yet, although the time given was 10:00 AM, meanwhile on stage we had colorful cultural programs organized by “Jaihind” Media.

Jaihind Group is considered  to be a very loyal media group during each government, they have grown rapidly in recent years, and why not, their tagline says “fast and focused”, and they really are.

All of sudden all people in luxury suits were running here and there, seems minister has arrived, yes Minister jee was walking out of a super-luxury car, surrounded by 4 gunmen, minister jee entered in VVIP zone and disappeared. 

Stage is ready with 7 chairs, now people are coming to fill those empty chairs, the middle one is the bigger one, surely for union minister, adjacent one is for CM, and rest 5 chairs were occupied by senior board members of “Jaihind” along with Mr. Rajeev.

The front 2 rows of VIP zone are filled with some renowned builders and industrialists who were enjoying their share of drinks.

Now a round of garlanding was started, Rajeev jee was holding a garland in both of his hands, all of a sudden he hears some voices from right side of the stage, he saw that some 5-6 farmers gathered their, they wanted to talk to Minister. Rajeev signaled his guards and they took action.

Minister jee now on the podium and started his speech, “Bhaaiyon aur bahano, mein Jaihind ki kitni bhi tareef karu, kam hai, aaj hamara desh jo bhi hai, wo hamari party ki vajah se hai aur isme Jaihind ka bahut bada yogdaan hai, loktantra ke 4 stambho me se ek…..” minister jee stopped when he saw the group of farmers besides his stage, they gathered near stage again and were agitated and asking about their land, they were shouting slogans against a builder siting in front row, they said, hamari jameen wapas karo, hamari jameen wapas karo….

actually few month back, a reputed builder has duped the nearby villager's farmers and captured their precious fertile land at cheaper rates on the name of some government schemes, builder promised them to give a lavish big house to each farmer and now he is not even recognizing them.

Again police force has to intervene and farmers had to be stopped, but minister also concluded his speech soon, and left the stage in haste.

Ashtbuddhi, a local MLA came to farmers and asked them, what they want, farmers said that, we wanted to talk either to CM or to minister; we want to talk about land mafias who illegally captured our farms on the name of Government schemes. MLA heard them and politely said, today minister is very busy and CM is also having important commitments, so they can not hear you. Go and take rest today and come on some other day.

At the same time, in VIP Zone, minister was having chitchat with CM and Mr. Rajeev holding a glass of branded whisky in one hand and a cigarette in another.

Meanwhile on all the Jaihind news channels, anchors were praising Minister’s speech, CM’s work in state and they were running that video in loop where minister praised Jaihind’s contribution towards nation’s development. Anchore said, stay tuned to our channel, we will be back in a minute. 

Then a jingle played the tagline, "you are watching Jaihind News, the fast and Focused...."

Image courtesy: Internet 

What is Corruption ?

No no , don’t think that I am going to tell you any theory about corruption or any philosophy of corruption, “what is Corruption?” is title of a story, yes today I am going to tell you a story of a King, who was known for his excellence ruling system.

Long time ago, there was a democratic state where people themselves would like to chose who would become next king from the Royal family, there was a situation when King was no more and people have to select their next king but Prince was very immature to become king and Queen was from other state so people decided that royal family’s most loyal and most honest minister should be crowned as king, and they did.

King was ruling the state under the guidance of Queen; meanwhile Prince was becoming young and playful, he was popular amongst other loyal friends of Royal family.

Everything was going fine, but suddenly there was a massive chaos in the state about corruption and scams. Everywhere people were saying that Corruption is increasing day by day and everywhere it is causing problem for common man.

One day King held a meeting with all courtiers, discussed with them that people are crying about corruption, people are saying that they see everywhere corruption, I haven’t seen yet, have you seen ever? If anybody of you has seen corruption then tell me, how it looks like? Is it a worm, virus or a bacteria or it is something sent by our enemy states?

All courtiers said in one voice, “my lord, when it is not visible to you then how we can see it?”

King said, “No, it’s not like that, sometimes something which is not visible to me, you might see, such as I don’t see any nightmare but you must have seen.”

Courtiers said, “Yes we see nightmares but that is all about dreams, here it is reality sir.”

King said, “all right then, go and search for Corruption in whole state, if you find somewhere then bring a sample for me, I want to see how it looks like.”

Then one Minister said, “Sir, we will not be able to see corruption, we heard that it is very small and you know that we all are working under Queen’s big umbrella, and her personality is so huge that we are used to see huge things only and we can not see small things.”

Then another minister interrupted, “by chance if corruption comes in front of us even then we will see only madam’s image in it, we could not see anything else.”

one of the courtier said that he knows the solution, he said, “sir, I know there is a species called CBI in our state, they are able to find such small things, they are expert so I request you to invite them and ask them to find CORRUPTION.”

King did the same, he appointed 5 people from that special tribe called CBI, he asked them to find out about corruption and scam, and if they find it then bring a sample to court room. CBI people started finding the desired thing; they kept for searching for 2 months and then returned to King.

King asked them, “Experts, have you finished your enquiry?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Did you find corruption in our state?”

“Yes, we found lots of CORRUPTION in your state.”

King extended his palm towards them and asked, “Give me a little bit, let’s see, how it looks like?”

Experts said, “sir, you can not hold it in your hands, it is not substance, it is Imperceptible, inapprehensible and supersensible, but it is omnipresent, which can not be seen, and not be touched you can only feel it, smell it.”

After hearing these many big words for corruption, king lost in his thoughts for some time and came back to experts, “you said it is omnipresent and impalpable, but these are qualities of god, so you mean corruption is god?”

“Yes sir, now corruption has become god for many people in your state.”

Then a courtier asked “but where it is, how it smells like?”

Experts replied, “it is everywhere, it is in this building, on the roads, gardens of your state, it is in bridges, it is in schools, in offices, in coal mines, in commonwealth games grounds, in railways, in administration, it is even in weapons, in the chair of queen, PM and you all courtiers it is also in shirt of the King.”

Is it in my shirt?? Where? King swiftly jumped out from his chair and stripped in the front of all courtiers.

Experts covered the king with a shawl and said,

“Yes sir, it is in your shirt, last time when you gave contract for all your dresses then the bill which was generated and presented in court was fake bill with 10 times increased price value. There are mediators involved in your government, they mostly eat money in between, and there is corruption in all your administration.”

King was very worried, he asked to experts about the remedy of this disease, can it be cured?

Experts said, “absolutely sir, it can be cured, you just need to change the system, you have to eliminate the opportunities of corruption, you have to speak against it sir.”

“what? I have to speak ? no no, I cant do that, madam will punish me.” King said.

Then Experts explained him that he has to speak to madam and not to the public, so King was ready to talk to madam.

“you said there are opportunities of corruption everywhere, how it is ? I cant see it.” King asked to Experts.

“sir, there are opportunities for example, if there are contracts then contractors and if there are contractors so there is bribe for bureaucrats in the same way if there are big projects under government then there is opportunity for the concerned ministry.”

King said to them “okay you submit your report to PMO, we will review and discuss in our ministerial meetings”.

King discussed the same with Queen Madam, madam was also worried that how to eliminate this corruption, people will not believe in royal family if they were unable to remove this bug.

Queen asked to her most qualified law makers on this situation, how to deal with it? People said,” madam, do not worry, people are used to of it now, they know that there is corruption, and it is part of their life now, so we should not worry, burn the CBI report and files. No one will ask what happened, we will say that corruption is like some black magic and it is imaginary.”

Other courtiers also said that to change the system is not possible it would be a new problem, everything will be turned down, all arrangements will be disturbed, we need such solution that we don’t need to change anything and corruption also can be removed.

Queen reciprocated the concern, “yes, I too wanted to find such solution, our ancestors knew some black magic to eliminate any problem, that is why they could rule this state for so long but what I do now?”

And here comes the master piece….

One of her family friend said “madam, we should do the same trick, what your ancestors used to perform, we should show the huge rich-poor gap to people, we should show sympathy to one specific group of people who are expanding day by day, we should declare them special tribe and we should feed them, give them land and security but not education and job, the other tribes will be jealous and instead of asking their right from us they will fight to the special tribe and all these fool people will fight each other and forget about CORRUPTION. This is the trick all your royal family used to perform, they learnt it from previous emperor, who did the same with this whole Ireland and divided it into so many small states.”

Queen was impressed with this solution, some courtiers objected then queen showed them the corruption report and threatened them that “CBI Experts” will find out more about you if you do not agree with me.

All courtiers agreed to madam, and they did what madam said.

Then once again the Royal family showed the Black Magic which is also called secularism, and the people of that state can be seen fighting everyday, they fight with each other, burn homes of each other, they abuse each other, they do not bother if they are unemployed, if they are uneducated, if they are hungry, but since their tribe is special, they will fight for it and here Royal family are having worry free and lavish dinner everyday which is cooked in the fire generated when these innocence and ignorant people torch each other's homes.

I am hopeful that One day this black magic will be exposed, and people will understand that fighting with each other is not the solution, but we have to fight against the hunger, unemployment, poverty and illiteracy.

Note: 

यह कहानी भारत की वर्तमान परिस्थितीयों से तथा श्री हरिशंकर परसाई जी की हिन्दी रचना "सदाचार का तावीज़" से प्रेरित है|

                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                               Images Sourced from Internet