Prof. Nutan Kumar Resutra
In the decades of eighties and nineties when art movies had started invading the box office, I categorically remember one movie that was titled: Albert Pintu Ko Gussa Kyoon Aata Hai. I know the answer to the question why Albert Pintu gets angry; but I just fail to understand Rahul Gandhi ko bura kyoon lagta hai! But then this is nothing new as far as the actions of LOP are concerned. Since 2014 when Congress lost power, these utterances have become a routine matter for him: abusing the Prime Minister, abusing his mother, demoralizing Armed Forces, degrading constitutional institutions, and what not. And this happens more frequently and vociferously when Rahul Ji is on foreign soil. He misses no opportunity in a foreign country of abusing his own country, his own motherland- if I am permitted to use the term ‘Motherland’ for him. And why does he do so? When I tried to understand logic or reason for this, I am recalled of a story that I heard in my childhood days. I am sure my esteemed readers will also like this story which goes like this:
This incident happened in the times of Raja Ram Singh. In those days, it was a common practice that Kabuliwalas also acted as local money lenders. Kabuliwalas were the traders from Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan who would bring dry fruit and other items from their native areas, selling them all across India. We find a beautiful picturisation of these Kabuliwalas in the story with title Kabuliwala by Guru Rabindranath Tagore; later played by the legendry actor Balraj Sawhney in the movie with the same title. Often, they would also lend small amounts of money to local persons who needed them for short periods, of course at some higher rates of interest.
One day, a Kabuliwala lent some money to a local shopkeeper in remote area of now Pakistan Occupied Kashmir on the condition that money along with interest would be returned after a short time. On the agreed day, the Kabuliwala went to the shopkeeper to take back his money. To his utter surprise, the shopkeeper flatly refused to pay him money. On persistent asking by Kabuliwala, the trader would not budge even an inch and straightway said that he would not return even the amount borrowed, not to talk of interest.
At last, the Kabuliwala went to the Court of Raja Ram Singh and prayed that justice be done to him. On enquiry by the King, the Kabuliwala narrated the whole incident. Raja Ram Singh was very surprised to hear that people in his reign were behaving in such trickster manner. He immediately sent two constables with Kabuliwala to the trader to redress his grievance. In those days, going out of the Royal Cops for settling a case was something that was very extra-ordinary.
On reaching the shop, Raja ke Sipahi conveyed him the orders of the Raja to repay Kabuliwala. But the shopkeeper still daringly refused to return the money. Astonished, the Royal soldiers caught hold of him and took him to the Royal Court. When the shopkeeper faced the Raja, he started crying and trembling and also admitted his fault. He vowed before the Raja that he would return the full amount along with interest as soon as he reached back since money was lying in his shop. Raja Ram Singh sternly directed him to return money to the Kabuliwala. Agreeing and trembling, the trader left the Raj Darbar.
When they reached back at the shop, the trader stood in his shop and said: “I care two hoots about your Raja or his orders. I am not going to pay even a single paisa. Do what you like, but I will not give anything to this Kabuliwala !”
Highly astonished, the Raja ke Sipahi rushed back to the Court and narrated the whole thing before Raja Ram Singh. Every-one was dumb struck. How anyone could dare defy Rajagya (the Royal Dictate), they all wondered. Now, the trader would surely be given death sentence; was on everyone’s mind.
But Raja Ram Singh was very sensible. He pondered for some time. And then he ordered that not only the shopkeeper be arrested, but the roof of his shop be also broken and brought back to the Royal Court. Now this was a very strange order: arresting the trader was understandable, but uprooting the roof of shop and bringing that also to the Darbar was something beyond imagination. But then who would question the orders of the King!
A ‘motorcade’ of Royal force and ponies went to the area. They arrested the shopkeeper and uprooted the roof of the shop. While the shop was being broken, the trader cursed, abused and shouted; but no one would listen to him. The arrested person was put in jail for the night and on the orders of the Raja, the debris of shop was put on the open ground outside the Royal Court covering it with a carpet.
The next morning, the shopkeeper was brought before Raja Ram Singh. The Raja asked what he intended to do. Fearing for his life, the trembling shopkeeper said that although his shop had been broken and he was financially in doldrums, still he would repay the debt of Kabuliwala as soon as he reached back home. And then, the Raja asked him to stand on the carpet hiding shop debris and repeat the same thing.
When the shopkeeper stood upon the mound, he said: Raja Ji dukaan te meri tod ditti; hun hor ke kare lege? Aaun te ik paisa ne dega, jo karna hai kar lo. (Raja Ji, you have already broken my shop; what else can you do? I will not give even a single paisa, do what you like!)
Raja Ram Singh laughed loudly. He said to the Kabuliwala : Is ki to mitti mein nuks hai ! He will not give you anything.
At the end, the shopkeeper was punished as per law and the Raja reimbursed the Kabuliwala out of government funds!
The story has remarkable resemblance with visits of Rahul Gandhi to foreign countries. Whenever he is on foreign soil, on videshi mitti,he always abuses, curses, degrades and demonizes Mother India. And now I have understood the reason:
Is ki to mitti main nuks hai !!
