I am not Mahatma by Harshavardhan C (i am reading a book TXT) 📕

trainees were yawning, unable to hear the stereo typed boring lecture on terrorism.

“Shall we break for few minutes?” He understood and suggested, rather tried to comfort them.

“Thank you sir” The sleepy got alert.

“Let us break for five minutes to have a cup of tea” He announced smilingly.

He took a cup of strong filter coffee, a typical south Indian taste.

Later, all the trainees re-assembled in the auditorium.

One of the trainees, apparently well dressed and smart in look raised his hand.

“Welcome my boy, what’s your doubt?”

“Sir, if you don’t mind, May I request you to share some of your practical experiences with us”

“Well, my child I have understood your problem. It is a proven fact that my lecture is not so impressive, as I am not a good speaker. A good cop can’t be a good teacher, but at the same time a good teacher can become a good cop also. In fact I too feel it better to share my experiences with you; otherwise the colourful evening may turn volatile”

“Sorry sir, we might have offended you”

“No, never, not at all my children, I always admire frankness. Anyway, this time I promise and I try my best to make you feel sensible”

“Excuse me sir”, In the meanwhile the Deputy Director of the Academy, while entering the conference hall draw the attention of the chief guest.

“Please—“

“Sir, the retired and the former DGP, Mr. Bodhi.IPS has just arrived and may I request you that he would be welcomed to take this session, if you don’t mind, and I request your good self to continue your lecture in the next session sir”

“Doesn’t matter it is okay. My dear children enjoy the meaningful speeches of Mr. Bodhi IPS, the retired and the former DG” Said Dr Adhikari and left the auditorium.

Chapter: 7

It was displayed through the L.C.D Projector.

“Is violence an ideology? If so where is it?

Who coined it? What great is achieved by the terrorists? Or have they gained anything out of genocide and fratricide? Is there any society ready to accept violence?

Let us presume that our teen aged children, brothers and sisters joined the militancy and then what shall be our reaction, rather feelings?

When death is at his/her next foot step, what shall you do?” There were a bunch of questions on the screen.

The trainees were silent and none could respond. It seemed instead of enlightening them the chief guest might have confused them.

He was first an IPS officer and after retirement, he became an ascetic and embraced Buddhism, and he was invited for the morning session to deliver his lecture on peace and non-violence.

“My dear children, and lovers of peace, any guess?” He said and waited for their response

The silence continued. Still they couldn’t.

“It’s okay, don’t brain storm yourself. Let all of your minds enjoy the bliss of peace” The chief guest took a pause.

“My dear youngsters, whenever any of you or anybody for that matter, finds any possible answers for the questions displayed on the screen, you can boldly say and that day will be the end of violence, and since then peace will restore in the world. And you are most welcome and you may try and get ready with the positive result, least the whole world is fast waiting to salute you. Any more questions please?”

“Sir, shall we ask you something pertaining to war and violence?”

“Why not you are most welcome”

“Sir, we are pained to study the case history and tragic end of the lives of the twins, James and Lilly, but we don’t know what happened afterwards, as some of the pages in the crime files are found missing, will you please sir?” One of the young officers anxiously asked.

“Yes, that is exactly what I have been expecting from you dear”

“Please reveal it sir”

“As you wish, I will” He tried to reconstruct the crime scene.

“My dear youngster’s, the comrades who were present at the ghastly scene, observed few minutes silence as a mark of respect to the departed souls of the twins. There was not even one comrade at the scene, who had missed the painful experience of tears rolling in his eyes. And Dr. Glady D’souza, the lady commander, who came across so many deaths in the name of the ideology, moved with the tragic end of the lives of the two innocent and upcoming minors. Henceforth the story of terror in the state had taken different turns, which could be better explained by my successor Dr. Adhikari. IPS, who was also retired from service, but still associated with you as permanent guest faculty”

“Sir Will you please enlighten something more on the conduct, character and individuality of the leaders of the militancy?”

“Sure, sure, but except there is a great divide between the hearts of the men in olive coloured uniform and the hearts of the women with the same uniform, I could find some leaders who are active and fire brand. But, once the leaders are caught or surrender before cops, I can’t say that they behave like lions in the caves or cats in the cages. But, I certainly salute those who laid their lives, for their ideology. Such militants could be found very rarely, and they are really greater than the patriots. I said patriots because, if such people are really won over by the state, and are pressed into action to fight for their country, they may even excel the Army, and their patriotism knows no bounds. Well my children, with this I conclude with my final message, ‘No human being has the right to kill living beings, as they couldn’t turn the dead alive. And thank you my children for patient hearing”

Mr. Bodhi IPS, the retired DGP and one of the Buddhist monks, was honoured with a shawl and a bouquet by the Joint Director of the Academy and by the faculty.

The retired officer cum pious monk bid farewell to the trainees and left the conference hall.

The regular guest faculty Mr. Adhikari IPS, the retired DG again came to the auditorium to continue the second session.

All the trainees were eager to hear his personal experiences.

“As I promised to share my experiences with you, I do try my children” So saying the chief guest closed his eyes.

His mind book was opened, just like Pandora’s Box, and all his thoughts were revolving round the past incidents, the best and the worst, ready to gush out.

Chapter: 8

Andhra Pradesh is one of the important southern states in India. Vijayawada city, situated in the heart of the A.P state, is one of the first class business centres. The city has an important Railway junction, and it is always crowded with number of passengers.

A superfast train just arrived at platform No: 6. It was already late by an hour. It was not an uncommon phenomenon in a democratic country like India, where Rail Rooko was a simple way of protest by subjects against the state.

A young man got down from the moving train, and landed on the platform like a sports man. He straight ran towards one corner of the platform, where he could find a wheel chair. He unfolded it for ready use, and pulled it near to the compartment.

“Yes dear, I have got it” Dr. Arjun called his fiancée in a little jubilant manner.

“Thank you, we are ready” Dr. Honey told her fiancé while bringing their luggage near the door, in the sleeper class.

“Please, make way please…….” Arjun got into the same compartment with the wheel chair, requesting the fellow passengers.

They facilitated him as he was in urgency to attend a disabled. Arjun could shift the patient into the wheel chair, with the help of his fiancée. The patient is covered with a black veil from head to toes.

The wheel chair was pulled up to the out gate. The driver of a call taxi was awaiting there. Arjun occupied front seat while Honey and the patient sat in the rear.

The taxi passed about 15 km from Railway Station. On the way Arjun got down the call taxi near his accommodation.

“Good bye Honey”

“Bye Arju” She responded with utmost affection.

But the woman in black veil was silent. The taxi driver drove the car towards women’s hostel road. There were no street lights due to power-cut. The patient suddenly removed the black veil, while the taxi was nearing an isolated place, and threw it into the bushes nearby, as there was no illumination of light.

It was not only a surprise, but also created a suspecision to her. It was a shock to the driver, as he did see an old man after unveiling the black single piece covering dress (Buraka), instead a Muslim woman. Honey was seriously thinking why her mum suppressed it?

The old man abruptly stopped the call taxi, even before the driver could take them near to the girl’s hostel, as the vehicle was originally booked to drop them at the girls’ hostel. The old man tried to pay the driver the fare. But, she objected saying that she would get down at the hostel and clear the final payment.

The old man got down the vehicle, and thanked Honey and disappeared in the dark. Later, Honey got down the vehicle at her accommodation, which was a big bungalow.

Even before Honey paid the taxi fare, the driver left her without her knowledge. She couldn’t understand the unusual behaviour of the driver of the call taxi.

The driver of the call taxi while returning to railway station was subjected to checking as usual by the cops. But he didn’t reveal the old man’s episode, for whom the cops were hunt after. He simply put blank face before the cops, as he didn’t want to risk himself in between the customers and the cops.

But, the old man’s episode didn’t end with that. He was not an ordinary person, but he was having abundant knowledge. He was one of the members of central committee of CPI ML Prisoner’s War Group. He had no faith in Popular Democracy, and had been fighting against capitalism, who firmly believed that the destiny of the country was not in ballot boxes, but it was through the barrel of the gun. To carry out his secret mission, he had camped in the city.

Chapter: 9

It was a colourful and joyful evening.

The university grounds were beautifully decorated with festoons all around, and with flood lights and sound systems here and there. There were marvellous pieces of statutes of Hippocrates, the father of medicine to the winners of Noble prize in medicine till date, under the illumination of glittering lights of various colours.

The mankind’s future hope is the outgoing medico’s from the Medical University.

But the out goers had mixed feelings; one leaving their almamater and another one was shortly they would be conferred with degrees and few of them with medals.

The open air dais was filled with the artists, who were all medicos including seniors, juniors and of course their combination as well, performing various cultural events.

The front row was filled with V.V.I.P’s, the faculties, the head of the departments and Professors. The other rows were of course occupied by the medicos and their kith and kin.

Now it was the turn for the award ceremony and presentation of medals by His Excellency, the Governor of Andhra Pradesh and the Chancellor of the Medical University.

His Excellency, the Governor’s minute to minute program had been continued as per schedule and there was no change in it.

Dr. Arjun was declared as university topper; whereas Dr. Honey was the university topper from among the girls. There started already whispers and rumours that they both got married already. Whereas some of their close friends and classmates knew that they both were in dating. But, by and large, the entire college, including the faculty members felt that theirs’ was a good pair both physically and intellectually also and wishing them to marry and go abroad for higher studies.

The media was busy in covering the V.V.I.P’s and also the medal winners. The final part of the ceremony