A bargain for future

Location – Palarivattom, Cochin.

Boisterous group of drunken 17-year-old kids, in a bus from South Kerala. Blue flags adorn the sides of the bus, representing a grand meeting of a famous students union to be inaugurated shortly in Cochin. Alcohol bottles kept swapping around in that bus. Suddenly, the intoxicated student union members notice a group of school going girls in the private line bus moving in the parallel lane. They proclaim their presence with swear words and filthy language. A group of student politicians extend their hands from their window trying to grab at the little girls in the bus. Groups of shell-shocked people sit frozen in the line bus. The girls gaze around for any retaliation from the crowd. No action from anyone. The boorish paranoia persists. Aged people, Family heads, Boiling young people of ethics and values – everyone remain silent in the bus, ignorant of what they were hearing, ignorant that one of those girls could be their immediate relative. The only thing that was fighting the ongoing licentiousness was the paralysis of our crowd. And among them, I see myself waiting for a spark to ignite. Everything goes dark. I too started to melt into a paralysis… spineless!! I was a lingering shadow.

In the background, I hear an announcement – “Welcoming you all to the footsteps of Gandhiji. Our ‘prasthanam’ of young people following the principles of Gandhiji invite you all to attend the all Kerala convention of QQQ followers. Join us and follow the footsteps of father of the nation”. Through the darkness in my mind I see a spotlight where a dhoti clad old person stared at me. He had tears in his eyes. He kept his hands open as he asked for mercy. I tried to shout. My brain switched off. Again…paralyzed. Everything was pitch dark. Nothing, but vacuum.

Student politics for the greater good of nation, it seems. Indeed, my dear leaders…. indeed! These young students are your future. Lure them to a path of darkness, and let Churchill’s half naked fakir weep. Let him beg for clemency.