Advocate Ansari : Professor! Have you seen the news item about a marriage case in Bombay ..... the accused was committed to the sessions.

Doctor Damu : I usually skip over the court news item .... they are not much too important....

Prof. Pandu : That Sir, is an erroneous impression. These items about the court proceedings are important and interesting ..... that is why they are published .... not all, you see .... but the most important of them. Some are very instructive....

Advocate Ansari : Particularly this one, Doctor. This concerns an young man and the fraudulent marriage he contracted .... Well, I was simply furious when I read about that....

Doctor Damu : You can as well narrate it, Mr. Ansari ..... I realise, the item has kindled your wrath .... what is the fact.....?

Advocate Ansari : The usual thing at the beginning. They were neighbours-the boy and the girl. And there was the usual love making .... the girl as usual pined for this boy... the mother of the girl had to consent .... the bridegroom procured the services of the Registrar_the marriage was registered...

Doctor Damu : So far it seems to be of the regular sort. ..-there was the registration .... as a sort of safety measure I suppose ..... what then is the trouble.....?

Advocate Ansari : Why Sir! Can't you imagine? After the first flush of happiness was over, this ungrateful boy began to neglect the girl.

Doctor Damu : That is too bad .... and that makes one ponder about the very theory of Love.

Advocate Ansari : The girl ought to have wept and pleaded .... the boy finally announced that he has married another girl ..... and what is more cruel .... this young man stated that his marriage with this girl was not at all valid....

Doctor Damu : You told me Sir? that the marriage was registered.....

Advocate Ansari : Yes, it was registered - but the registrar was not really a registrar. He brought one of his friends, to act as the registrar, fraudulently.....

Doctor Damu : What an atrocity! And this foolish young girl believed in that feller......

Advocate Ansari : Yes, Sir, she was in love, you see, and so blind. The news came as a shock, and she filed a suit against this young man.

Doctor Damu : Poor girl, the incident ought to have broken her heart......

Advocate Ansari : Doctor! The incident took her very life ... some time after filing the case this girl died .... heart-broken we can well imagine. But this girl's mother carried on the struggle and the magistrate committed this man to the sessions - for this bogus marriage. And what are you thinking about Professor? What is the impression that you get, out of this incident....?

Prof. Pandu : Out of this incident Mr. Ansari? Well, I realise that the mother of the girl had the fortune to get the services of a good lawyer....

Advocate Ansari : Taunt apart, Professor! What do you think about the whole incident........?

Prof. Pandu : Sir! This is part of the age-old tyranny and duplicity carried on by fraudulent people. Our marriage laws need reshaping .... I understand that in Kenya, jurists and social reformers are attempting to bring about radical change in the marriage system there. Polygamy has been in existence for a long long time and now there is such an awakening amongst the women-folk there that they have risen in revolt against polygamy. New laws are being drafted to do away with this system.

Doctor Damu : Girls are bought I am told, in certain African countries...

Prof. Pandu : .... and hasty critics term it as a barbarous custom .... forgetting that in our own country there is the system of 'Vara Dakshina' and inspite of all our tall talks about social reform, the evil persists.

Doctor Damu : True, True .... which goes to show that evils cannot be annihilated by legislation .....! We have seen for instance the grim tragedy .... I am referring to the 'Varnish Death!' That tragedy proves only the sad truth that evil cannot be annihilated by law. We have prohibited the evil of drink by passing a law, and yet the evil is there ..... ready to take its toll.... and coming stealthily.....

Advocate Ansari : One cannot but be shocked by that tragedy. All of us are of course moved....

Doctor Damu : But not the people in power.... they refuse to reconsider. No rethinking on the prohibition question, they say....

Prof. Pandu : Do you mean to say Doctor, that prohibition should be scrapped just because of the Varnish death? It is neither logical nor humanitarian ... Those responsible for prohibition never recommended varnish a substitute for attack. If addicts turn to such poison, is that the reason for scrapping prohibition? We should with far more logic plead for the prohibition of varnish manufacture... especially varnish with poisonous contents. To urge for the scrapping of prohibition because of the varnish death, would be as meaningless as asking for closing down Tirupathi temple because of the death of nearly twenty devotees due to stampede. Sir! Stampede should be controlled and regulated; the remedy is not in closing down Tirupathi temple.

Doctor Damu : That may be logic, Professor! I do not deny the logic in your argument... but when such a colossal tragedy has happened.....

Prof. Pandu : People are bound to rush to hasty conclusions and seek remedies worse than the disease ....! but surely as a seasoned Doctor, you won't allow that .... Why an ex-Minister thundered forth, that the DMK Chief Minister should forthwith resign ..... because of the varnish death .....

Advocate Ansari : His reasoning Professor, was this .... The DMK people, it seems demanded this ex-Minister's resignation when there was a Railway Accident ... and tit-for-tat he is now asking the DMK Chief Minister to resign....?

Prof. Pandu : Sir! Did this ex-Minister yield at that time, to the demand for resignation....?
Advocate Ansari : Of course, not. He did not resign....

Prof. Pandu : What moral right then has he got to demand the resignation of the DMK Minister? None! Moreover Sir, if I remember right, there was a fearful railway disaster a couple of months ago. The Railway Minister is of the Congress Party. Did that Minister resign? No. Did this moralist with the righteous indignation demand the resignation? No! Why?

Doctor Damu : A very pertinent question, Professor! But the motive behind such a kind of speech is so patent, that none would take it seriously. Petulant and peevish .... that is the explanation for such talk.

Advocate Ansari : The Congress leaders, it is said are slowly and steadily mounting up steam against the DMK Ministry so as to create a hot atmosphere for them. The Congress wants to inflame the people's mind, just to cook up an opposition to the DMK Ministry.

Prof. Pandu : Sir! Apart from the tenability or otherwise of their scheme of things, what is it that they hope to get or gain by toppling the DMK ministry?

Advocate Ansari : Why .... if the DMK ministry is ousted there would be fresh elections.... and then the Congress could win... and form ministry.....

Prof. Pandu : Let us grant even that. Then, what? Will the DMK, then sit with folded hands? Will it not then raise up a storm from the opposite ranks? What then would be the state of affairs?

Doctor Damu : That cannot be overlooked. A party capable of capturing power if driven to the wall, will naturally retain strength enough to fight back....

Prof. Pandu : Which means this Doctor! There will be incessant fight on the political arena.... and no stability at all. Not a state of affairs to be commended at all. Sir! Democrats should give due respect to the verdict of the people and allow Non-Congress Governments to function for a full period..... and then place before the public at the time of the general elections, a balance sheet. That is civilised politics.....

Advocate Ansari : But that means, that for five long years, the Congress should remain without power.... position .... glitter and glamour .....

Prof. Pandu : Sir! I would put it this way. The five long years should be utilised for introspection, for cleaning the stable, for building up cohesion in the party, for constructive work.... not for digging tunnels nor preparing explosives. Sir! I am certain of one fact, the DMK will not lose an iota even if it is sent out of power and position. The victory registered by the DMK has established one salient truth, and that can never be lost. The Congress leaders thought and made the world to believe, that it is unassailable. Today it stands, beaten and bruised, discarded and damaged. And it needed that lesson very very much. And the people have taught that lesson. None could challenge our might, the Congress leaders declared, with dictatorial fan-fare. And they stand today humbled. Strong enough lesson I should say. And even if they come back to power, the warning will be ringing in their ears, 'Remember 1967!' Never again can that right royal air - that 'I am the state' mentality, persist. It is dead, for ever-never again to rise. Whatever achievements the DMK is going to get, I do not know -but as a democrat I cannot forget that the one big lasting and important lesson - the humbling of the haughty is due to the DMK, and all democrats should offer their thanks for that...

Doctor Damu : But Professor! Why this travel in the land of fantasy....? Who believes in the threat of the unseated .... the wounds are yet raw, the sword split, steps faulty, the very sight is defective.... for this warrior to brandish threats and planout schemes is a sight amusing .... that is all.....!

Prof. Pandu : Doctor! You have given the correct diagnosis. Nor am I accepting the fact that the Congress will topple down the DMK from power! I was but arguing this fact ... even if the Congress succeeds in toppling the DMK, things won't become rosy.

Advocate Ansari : Of course.... the position of the Congress even at the Centre is not strong. They should first safeguard their citadel before they attempt to scale the walls of Fort St. George! I read in the papers that Mr.Vajpayee M.P. stating, that at the Centre the Congress will go the Bhopal way....

Prof. Pandu: That is a possibility and easier of achievement than the scheme of the Congress to scuttle Non-Congress ministries. But I am inclined to support Mr.Gurnam Singh's view that without being assured of a stable alternative government it will not be desirable or justifiable to oust the Congress Government at the Centre.

Advocate Ansari : And the funniest part of this state of affairs is the audacity commissioned by the Congress leaders-some of them at any rate - in announcing and giving false hopes to their followers that they are ready with a blue print for toppling non-Congress government.

Doctor Damu : But do you mean to say that there should be a political moratorium for the five years?

Prof. Pandu : No, Sir! None would advocate that. Intertia of indifference or inactivity is not to be encouraged. Even the ex-Chief Minister. Mr.M.Bakthavatsalam. is under the erroneous impression that the C.M. of our State wants such a moratorium. If I have understood the C.M.correctly, I should say that he pleads only for responsive co-operation wherever possible and responsible criticism wherever necessary. It is only the vindictive vendetta carried on by the Congress that he has objected to. Knowing the mind of the DMK people to some extent, I should say that they will not flinch to meet the challenge of the Congress. In fact, such an attitude of the Congress will only give the DMK, the much needed opportunity to keep the drums beating. Usually the propaganda carried on by a ruling party becomes dull and even dreary. If the Congress party indulges in vituperation and vendetta, the propaganda of the DMK, will naturally gather momentum, vigour and pep.

Doctor Damu : That is true. Already the DMK is vigorously propagating, the proposal for more powers for the States.

Prof. Pandu : And the vacillating policy of the Central Government as regards the language question, is already making the people gather around the DMK. If even the resounding victory of the DMK registered at the polls has not opened the eyes of the advocates of Hindi, then hope for concord is bound to get dim and damped.

Advocate Ansari : And at the Independence Day Rallies Congress leaders are going to be loud about National Integration.

Prof. Pandu : Independence should not mean and make one part of India to be in dependence to some other part. The unity and integration of India depends to a very large extent on how the Centre handles the Hindi problem. As somebody has stated very correctly there can be a United, Indivisible, Strong India but never Hindia!

Doctor Damu : And a true patriot will choose India in preference to Hindia...

Prof. Pandu : It is statesmanship to give up the idea of Hindia for the sake of maintaining the unity of India...

Doctor Damu : It is so simple and yet some of the Congress leaders refuse to realise this simple truth.

Prof. Pandu : Not because of their ignorance or inability, but due to their wrong notion that by supporting Hindi they could get the 'big stick' to beat the DMK down. The Congress people of our State are not devotees of Hindi, but they want to parade as advocates of Hindi, just to get a pat and patronage from the Centre and the powerful Hindi block in the Congress so that they can get power and position....

Doctor Damu : To my mind it appears that the urgent necessity today, the first problem today is to devise ways and means of making the common man, the average man happy and contented.... Hunger and poverty should be hounded out. The average man ought to be amazed at the urgency shown to enthroning Hindi as the official language.

Prof. Pandu : He, the average man would be wondering equally about the continuednegligence shown by the rulers for the past twenty years.

Doctor Damu : Even the most uncharitable critic could say that there has been no progress at all under the Congress regime. Professor! I don't think that you will refute the claim of the Congress.
Prof. Pandu : Sir! I am not blinded by prejudice nor puffed up with party passion, so I do not refute the claim of the Congress. But, Sir, one should measure the progress achieved with a well-known yard stick. What are the materials placed at the disposal of the Congress and did we get the maximum out of this? - that is the question, basic and fundamental. No Government had been given so much of opportunity to achieve progress, as the Congress Government was given. And the question is, whether the dividend paid is adequate and commensurate with the capital put in. Whoever thought Sir, that twenty thousand crores would be at the disposal of the Government of India - for developmental purposes? Was there any period in the history of our country when help came from the four corners of the world in such an abundant volume as during these twenty years? Was there any ruler in India, to whom such colossal sum was given by the people by way of taxes as during the Congress rule? And did we get adequate returns from this massive finance procured? That is the question. And the answer is, that the achievement registered falls far short of expectations and the amount of money invested is very low. None should forget this fact and none could refute this fact.

Doctor Damu : That may be the opinion of experts and critics, but the view of the masses is one of gratification.

Prof. Pandu : Sir! You are wrong. Public opinion is shaped and reflected by the newspapers and they testity to the fall of the Congress. The Financial Express writes, "The present state of the country reminds one of the Moghul empire after the death of Aurangazeeb. The twelve musketeers could not keep themselves together to achieve the common objective; the musketeers of the cracking Congress empire are playing the same role today, All voices are being raised to ask, where do we go from here? No voice is heard to provide the answer!"

Doctor Damu : That is a rather scathing criticism... a bit pessimistic I am inclined to think...

Prof. Pandu : Sir! One should be optimistic, I admit - but that does not and should not mean to become blind to realities. And the real state of affairs today is not far different from the portrayal offered by the Financial Express! The lot of the average man has not been bettered. That is the verdict given by the fourth estate and the thinking section of the Congress are apprehensive of this verdict.

Advocate Ansari : But, the Congress leaders are not at all apprehensive about the average man.... they still hope to delude him by showing charts and quoting figures.

Prof. Pandu : Even that does not help the Congress party. Their own statistics speak, not about their brilliant achievements but their failures. But the average man is a type by himself. Somebody has given a picturesque description of the average man. He seems incredible but represents two-thirds of mankind. He lives in a hut. He cannot read or write. His energy is sapped by disease. He labours up to fifteen hours a day. He works on land he does not own. He and his family are usually hungry. He will die young. But he still has hopes for his children; that they will be able to read and write, will earn a good living, will know individual freedom in a peaceful world. This is the world's Average man.

Doctor Damu : That is a remarkably correct picture Professor, of the average man .... And he has the first right and the prime right to demand attention from any government.

Prof. Pandu : And it was Gandhiji's objective to raise up the level of the average man, to make his life worth living...

Advocate Ansari : And he wanted the Congress to look after the common man....

Prof. Pandu : That the Congress has not carried out the Mahatma's mandate none can refute. As a matter of fact, when some reporter approached Khan Abdur Gaffar Khan, the Frontier Gandhi as he is endearingly called, he had no hesitation to point out the truth. Of course it was with remorse, not with glee, that that Grand old man made that statement. The Congress was defeated at the polls, says the Frontier Gandhi, just because that party did not keep up the promises given to the poor. There was a woeful betrayal as we all know. Khan Abdur Gaffar Khan has pointed this out, as the main reason for the failure of the Congress at the polls.

Doctor Damu : If only that party realises and accepts this cardinal truth, the future can become hopeful and bright.

Prof. Pandu : No, Sir! The Congress leaders are in no mood for introspection. Instead they are vigorous in their advocacy of vituperation and vendetta... they are unable to tolerate the position to which they have been thrown, and Independence Day parades and speeches, exhibit clearly their thirst for power, and their hunger for position.

Advocate Ansari : Hunger, is a troublesome mood Professor! As a matter of fact, I for the past few minutes was struggling with hunger...

Prof. Pandu : And I offer you Sir, a delicious plate of pulav and a cup of hot tea, if you are gracious enough to accompany me to my residence. My new cook is an ex-cook at the Exel Restaurant.

Doctor Damu : And Professor! I need no special invitation for the treat. Aha! That is the horn of my car I am sure... Shall we then start.... pulav hot is pulav sweet.....

(Home Rule - 20-8-1967)