Scattered Fates by Ram Garikipati (best affordable ebook reader txt) 📕

‘It did not go very well. Anna and Karunanidhi have different ideas. Anyway, we will have a huge meeting on Marina Beach at six where they will announce the future course.’

‘I don't want to come, I hate these political meetings.’

‘As you wish, you can listen to songs on the radio. Moon you should come, it will be a good experience for you.’

‘Of course sir,’ he reluctantly replied, remembering the earlier boring meeting on Marina.

‘You were saying all the foreign students have also left?’

‘Not all, most of them. Some have got a transfer to Delhi University and one to Yale.’

‘Oh, I see. It is too late for you to transfer now, the deadline was last week one month after classes begin. Why didn't you tell me before?’

‘I did sir, you said there would be no problems here.’

‘Well, the situation has changed now, be prepared for the worst.’

‘What do you mean?’ Malathi intervened.

‘This time everyone in South India is going to protest. All the other parties in Andhra, Mysore and Kerala are supporting us.’

‘So there will be violence everywhere?’

‘No, not this time, we will have peaceful protests for one week and check the response.’

‘What if there is no response?’

‘There will be. Seeing us, other states may also join.’

‘What if they don't?’

‘Malathi, please relax, we have it all worked out. Anna has been in politics for decades, he knows how to push the buttons.’

‘I have a bad feeling about this. I told you to take that job in Andhra University.’

‘Please stop this negativity. Just like your mother,’ Subbaiah raised his voice, shutting her up.

‘Sir, what do I do if the hostel shuts down?’ Moon asked, diverting the heat.

‘Tolerate life if it drags you downhill. Whatever happens, happens for the good. You can stay here, as I mentioned earlier,’ he said looking at his wife for approval. She was still upset. ‘Remember, you will get only Malathi's cooking, you still have time to escape.’

This time she responded with a grin. ‘He loves my cooking, don't you, Moon?’

‘Yes, Maam. It is different from Corean food, but much better than all the restaurant food.’

‘That settles it then, you are staying here.’

‘What if the agitation drags on for weeks?’

‘In that case I can lend you some money and buy a flight ticket. You can return it after you are safely home.’

‘Thank you sir, I feel much better now, you and maa’m are very kind.’

‘Hey, don't mention it, it is our duty, you are like a son to us.’

‘Moon, you never mentioned what your parents do,’ Malathi asked.

‘My parents passed away during the April Revolution and I was raised by my uncle who owns a restaurant in Seoul.

‘April revolution?’ Subbaiah asked.

‘I am sure you know of our first President Synghman Rhee?’

‘I do, he was the first elected President of south in 1948 and was once again appointed President after the war unified your country.’

‘We had a Presidential form of government like America and he was very autocratic and corrupt. He declared martial law and jailed many members of parliament to push through constitutional amendments to get reelected. He kept rigging elections and won for four terms in a row, but the students were against it and there were violent protests.’

‘Just like our anti-Hindi protests.’

‘I was not here in January sir, so I do not know, but the agitation in 1960 is known as the April Revolution. It was violently repressed.’

‘Your parents could not have been students?’

‘No, they were not, both my parents were not educated. They had a small provision store in Masan, close to Pusan city.’

‘Pusan...isn't it the same city where President Rhee ran away when forces from the north invaded during the war?’

‘Yes sir. Masan is around 35 kilometers from there. The spark for the April Revolution was ignited in my hometown. On March 15th, there were violent student demonstrations and the police started shooting at students. After nearly a month, a body was found on the beach, the authorities claimed that the death was due to drowning, but some protesters forced their way into the hospital and found that the school kid was badly injured with a grenade. When newspapers published the photo, it shocked people.’

‘Naturally.’

‘More than 40,000 residents, including my parents staged huge protests and clashed with police, who opened fire killing many.’

‘What a sad story, I am sorry’ Malathi said.

‘I am actually proud of my parents. After their death in the demonstration, Rhee had to resign and we had true democracy.’

‘It is now a parliamentary democracy like India, right?’

‘We call it the second republic. Rhee had made it a Presidential system to remain in power, but the system is not fit for a country like ours. We need a parliamentary democracy, where no one has absolute power.’

‘That is not entirely true. Even in a parliamentary system there are ways to get absolute power. Look at Indira, she has absolute power in India, moreover the US is a Presidential system, and there are always checks and balances,’ Subbaiah said.

‘Sir, are you against a parliamentary system? It has worked very well in the United Kingdom.’

‘All systems have their merits and demerits, but I feel a Presidential system is better. In India and Corea, there is a fusion of powers between the executive and the legislative branches, but its success will depend largely on reforms in the political and electoral systems. Otherwise we are in danger of having a very corrupt government and policy paralysis.’

‘Isn't a Presidential system more appropriate for homogenous countries like USA and not India where you have so any different cultures and languages?’ Moon asked.

‘Good point. Corea is homogenous, and should have remained a Presidential system as it would have benefited your future growth. I am surprised that although America helped you in the war, your country chose a parliamentary system.’

‘Sir, as a result of the war, freedom returned, and with it there was also an increase in political activity, driven by leftist and student groups who were instrumental in overthrowing Rhee. So we are now trying to distance ourselves from America and follow the middle path. In the long run it will help us prosper.’

‘You know Keynes said that in the long run we are all dead.’

‘True, but our children will benefit.’

‘You plan to marry soon?’

‘My girlfriend is in Corea and we plan to get married after I return from India.’

‘Good. Maybe we will visit you someday. Malathi has never gone abroad, and I have always been interested in East Asia.’

‘You are welcome sir.’

‘Well, now that lunch is over, I have to rush to the party office once again. A lot of arrangements have to be made. Why don't you go back to your hostel and take some rest? It will be a long night of activity.’

‘I will be there sir, but hope you will have time to translate what is being said.

‘Do not worry. I will be somewhere near the stage.’

#

The sun was still beating down on the sand, when Moon arrived at Marina Beach.

A huge crowd had gathered at the same place where he had attended the first meeting. This time the crowd was four times larger and included not just students but people from all walks of life. Many of them appeared to have travelled long distances, as he saw quite a few lorries ferrying people to the venue. Many of them looked like poor peasants from the hinterland.

A huge stage had been setup and the music blaring out of the loudspeakers was keeping everyone entertained. A couple of makeshift stalls had also been setup to provide drinking water and free food to all participants.

Traffic on the entire stretch of road along had come to a standstill as the crowd swelled and spilled over. The whole atmosphere was very festive with people shouting slogans and singing songs.

Moon had never seen such a big crowd in one place before. His parents had not taken him along for the April Revolution, and he had never participated in a protest movement before. If he had, he would have been prepared for what was likely to take place soon.

Thousands of policemen were keeping an eager watch on the crowd. They were fully armed with rifles and bamboo batons, standing in a combative position behind the stage. The crowd, however, seemed to ignore them. They were having the time of their life, waiting for their leaders to come and address them. Moreover, they had been told that Anna had given strict instructions to keep the meeting peaceful.

Professor Subbaiah said it would be a peaceful meeting. Why are there so many armed cops here?

It was nearing six, and the leaders had not yet arrived. Moon peered closely at the crowd near the stage but was still unable to locate Professor Subbaiah. He thought it best to go and stand near the stage so that he would have a better chance of bumping into him.

However, it was impossible to move an inch. The crowd was tightly packed and there was quite a distance to cover. No one was willing to give way, as everyone wanted to be closer to the stage.

Exasperated, he just stood staring at the stage, trying hard not to breath, since a powerful stench was hanging in the air, and it got worse as people raised their hands to shout slogans. Covering his nose with his hand, he tried to move a little further away, but was trapped between bodies of all sizes and shapes. There was no escape.

Instinctively, he put his palm on the back pocket of the trouser to feel his wallet, but had to suddenly jerk it away in pain.

‘Aigoo,’ he screamed.

He saw blood oozing out from a sharp cut on his index finger, and turned around to see a dark young man squeezing out through the crowd in a hurry.

Moon checked for his wallet again. It was missing. He had been warned of pickpockets in crowded places, but never imagined that he would fall victim. Luckily, he had very little money on him, the only loss was his University Identity Card.

It can be easily replaced.

Sweating profusely, he stood still hoping for the event to start soon. Anna and the others had not yet arrived and Professor Subbaiah was nowhere to be seen.

He suddenly heard a huge roar, as he noticed a police officer walk onto the stage and make an announcement.

The crowd turned restive and many of them started shouting slogans, the cops behind the stage were now slowly inching forward. The officer kept shouting into the microphone. He appeared to be giving orders, and his tone seemed unusually harsh.

The crowd was now getting agitated, many fists went up and people started angrily shouting slogans. Moon was slowly getting dragged along with the crowd, closer to the stage.

He watched in horror as the entire line of cops behind the stage now was marching in front, rifles lifted shoulder high.

They are going to shoot!

He tried escaping backwards, but the crowd would not allow it. Suddenly, he saw a couple of stones being hurled at the cops, the officer screamed something into the microphone, even as Moon tripped and fell, headfirst.

Luckily for him, the sand cushioned the fall. He protected his head with his hands and tried to lie still, but it was impossible, as he felt a few kicks at irregular intervals with more people stumbling on top. Gathering all his strength, he tried to get up again. It was futile. Piles of bodies just kept tripping around.

He could now smell pungent smoke and heard a stream of gunshots. His eyes were burning, and the smell nauseated him. Now the crowd was running back, as more people fell.

Moon was now lying underneath a pile of breathing bodies, all trying hard to get up and run away as fast as possible. He felt suffocated and the hot sand underneath him made it even more unbearable. He gasped for breath, as tears streamed down his cheeks. His energy started draining as he gasped for fresh air.

Within seconds he blacked out, as Professor Subbaiah’s voice echoed in his ears: ‘Tolerate life if