PEOPLE ON THE MARGINS
Thakur Ripudaman Singh was restlessly strolling around his Chaupal. There were expressions of worry and irritation on his face.
For generations, the people of Ramangala had been working as labourers on his farms. Whatever Thakur Sahab gave them; they took it and never complained. But the wind had changed since the last election. In all the elections that have been held to date, the people of Ramangala blindly supported the candidate for whom Ripudaman Singh gave orders. But in this election, despite Ripudaman's repeated threats, they did not vote for Ripudaman's candidate but voted for a candidate from their community. Ripudaman Singh was left swallowing a bitter pill. He had not yet been able to properly digest this insult that the people of Ramangala had thrown another challenge to Ripudaman Singh's sovereignty.
This time when the work on the fields started, the people of Ramangala refused to work at the old wage rates. Thakur was left rubbing his hands. The time for transplanting paddy was slowly passing by. But the labourers of Ramangala were not budging.
Ripudaman Singh had understood very well that all this was happening at the instigation of Ramangala's head Ramvachan. Ramvachan was on cloud nine these days. Due to the recent elections, he had started considering himself a leader. Earlier, Ramvachan, like other people of Ramangala, used to work in Ripudaman Singh's fields. But ever since Ramvachan's son got a government job, Ramvachan had stopped working in Thakur's fields.
Five-six years ago, Ramvachan had bought a field of five bighas and started farming on it. With his hard work, Ramvachan had now increased his land and acquired twelve bighas of land. His son also helped him with money from time to time. Therefore, Ramvachan's family had become a well-off family in the community.
By staying with the party leaders, Ramvachan kept getting information about new things, which gave him a unique self-confidence. Although Ramvachan's candidate had lost the election, there was no decrease in his enthusiasm. He still went from village to village and explained to the people of his community.
These things fell on Ripudaman Singh's ears like molten glass. He hissed like an injured snake. He had tried a lot to stop the growing influence of Ramvachan and to create a rift among the people of Ramangala, but he did not succeed in it. Now he was looking for a way that the snake would die and the stick would not break.
Ripudaman Singh was lost in these thoughts when his servant came and informed him about the arrival of the inspector. Ripudaman Singh got up and came out and welcoming the inspector said- 'Come Inspector Ji, how did you forget the way? I have not seen you for a long time.'
'Yes, I have not been here for many months due to the elections. Today when I came here, I thought of meeting you.'
'You have been very kind. Tell me how you are?'
'Everything is fine. Tell me, Thakur sahab, you seem a little worried, what is the matter?'
'No, no, there is nothing like that.' Ripudaman Singh said while hiding his feelings.
'Well, if you do not want to tell, it is okay.' Inspector Ji said while looking at Ripudaman Singh from the corner of his eyes.
Thakur Ripudaman Singh was very close to the inspector and in fact, it was because of his association with the policemen that he had such a status in the village. Ripudaman Singh now thought it appropriate to tell everything to the inspector.
'Hmm... So the root of the entire quarrel is Ramvachan Singh.' The inspector said - 'The situation is a bit complicated. If we take any direct action, the matter can escalate. We will have to be very cautious. Still, there is nothing to worry about, some solution will come out.'
Then, the inspector and Thakur Sahab kept whispering for a long time. Both kept conferring for a long time. Ripudaman Singh arranged a feast to celebrate the arrival of the inspector. The drinking session continued till late at night.
After midnight, the inspector left. After seeing off the inspector, Ripudaman Singh made and drank one more peg. Now the tension on his face had gone and he looked quite confident.
On the other hand, oblivious to all this, Ramvachan was lying on his thatched roof and smoking hookah.
'Put some more tobacco in the hookah' Ramvachan called out to his wife Morkali.
"It's so late... haven't you slept?" Morkali said while putting tobacco in the pipe.
'Yes, I am not feeling sleepy today.'
'What's the matter, you seem a little worried?' Morkali said while sitting beside him. 'You know Sukhpal's mother, I had written a letter to the boy to send some money for fertilizer, but it has been more than twenty days and he has not sent the money yet.'
'The poor guy must not have been able to send it. There are more problems in the household. And then inflation has increased so much... and on top of that there are expenses in the city.'
'That's fine but I am worried about how to apply the fertilizer in the paddy crop.'
'Borrow money from somewhere, we will return it when the crop is ready.' Morkali said while giving advice.
'I tried at many places but nothing worked out. Thakur is already angry because of the elections. Because of him, no one in the village is ready to lend money to the people of Ramangala.' Deep disappointment is visible in Ramvachan's voice was going on.
'Then what should be done?' Morkali took a deep breath.
'Can I say something if you don't mind?' Ramvachan said looking at Morkali.
'Yes, yes, say it.'
'Let's do this; I will mortgage your Hansuli. I will get a thousand or twelve hundred rupees. When I have money, I will redeem it.'
What objection could Morkali have to this? She said, 'Whatever you think is right.'
The next day, early in the morning, Ramvachan left for the city with the bullock cart. Ripudaman Singh was waiting for this. He also reached the city and started fitting his pieces.
In those days, there was a great shortage of fertilizers. There was a lot of black marketing of fertilizers in the city.
Ramvachan first went to a known shop and mortgaged Hansuli for fourteen hundred rupees, and then he set out in search of fertilizer. Ramvachan got tired of looking for it but it seemed as if the fertilizer had disappeared from the market. Most of the fertilizer shops were locked. The open shops also had a board saying 'Stock Nil'. It was evening when he kept searching for it. Then Ramvachan found five bags of fertilizer at the rate of two hundred rupees per bag. After paying the money and loading the bags of fertilizer, Ramvachan turned the bullock cart towards the village.
The evening darkness had started to set in. Ramvachan's village was ten kilometers away from the city. Ramvachan was driving the bullocks. He was getting worried about reaching home early. He was thinking that it was a night so it would be better if he reached home before darkness set in.
Ramvachan's bullock cart had just crossed the city limits and reached the road leading to the village when a police jeep coming from the front blocked its way. Ramvachan stopped the bullock cart and greeted the policemen. A sub-inspector got out of the jeep. He asked Ramvachan with authority- 'What is it in your cart?
'It is manure, Sir.' Ramvachan said in a very carefree tone.
'Manure! Where did you get the manure from?' The sub-inspector said in surprise - 'Search the vehicle.' He ordered the constables. 'There are five sacks of manure, Sir.' A constable said while searching.
'I see something fishy, Sir.' The third constable said.
The sub-inspector stared at Ramvachan from top to bottom and then asked sternly, 'From where did you steal this manure?'
'We are not thieves, Sir. We have bought this manure from the market.' Ramvachan said fearlessly.
'From whom did you buy it?' The sub-inspector fired the second question. Now Ramvachan got nervous. He realized his mistake. He had not asked the name of the shopkeeper while buying the manure. Still, somehow he gathered courage and said - 'I do not know the name of the shopkeeper, Sir.' 'Hmm.' the sub-inspector growled. Ramvachan was now getting nervous from the gestures of the sub-inspector. He was standing quietly. 'Can you take us to that shop?' the sub-inspector said while thinking something.
'Yes, yes why not sir.' Ramvachan said in an excited voice. Now he felt relieved.
'Okay, put these sacks in the jeep and you also sit.'
Ramvachan followed the sub-inspector's order. The sub-inspector ordered a constable to bring the bullock cart to the police station and himself took Ramvachan to the city.
The jeep, following the paths told by Ramvachan, reached the shop from where Ramvachan had bought Khadi. The shopkeeper became suspicious of seeing Ramvachan sitting in the police jeep. In a blink of an eye, he understood the whole matter.
The sub-inspector asked- 'Did this man buy these bags of fertilizer from your shop?
'What are you saying Sir? I haven't had any fertilizer for the last ten-fifteen days. Look, there is a board saying 'Stock Nil'.' The shopkeeper said changing his tone.
'Seth Ji, why are you lying? Fear from God. Just two hours ago, I had taken fertilizer from your shop.' Ramvachan said in a hurt voice. 'Don't be fooled by his words Sir. It seems he has stolen the fertilizer bags from somewhere and wants to blame me if he gets caught.'
The sub-inspector stared at Ramvachan with fiery eyes. Ramvachan was terrified. He wanted to say something but the words got stuck in his throat.
The shopkeeper took the sub-inspector aside. Stuffing a few hundred rupee notes in the sub-inspector's pocket, he said, 'We are your servants, Sir. Why are you getting us into this mess?'
The sub-inspector smiled and coming towards Ramvachan said - 'Come, we will interrogate him only after going to the police station.'
On reaching the police station, the sub-inspector ordered to lock Ramvachan in the lockup. Then the sub-inspector reached the other room. Thakur Ripudaman Singh was already sitting there with the arrangements for the feast. The round of drinks started. The laughter of Ripudaman Singh and the sub-inspector was echoing far and wide. In the other room, the constables were beating Ramvachan with sticks and trying to make him tell the truth. On the pretext of search, the constables had also seized the remaining four hundred rupees of Ramvachan. Ramvatan fell unconscious on the ground while being beaten. When the constables saw that Ramvatan had no strength left, they stopped beating Ramvachan.
The sacks of fertilizer recovered from Ramvachan were sent to Ripudaman Singh's mansion overnight. In return, Ripudaman put some crisp notes of Rs. 100 each in the pocket of the sub-inspector.
When the news of Ramvachan's arrest reached the people of Ramangala, there was a stir. Some people ran to the city to inform their party leaders, but on reaching there they found out that the leaders were not in a good mood.
He has gone to the capital for work and will return in three-four days. The people of Ramangala tried here and there but when there was no option left, Ramvachan's wife Morkali reached Ripudaman Singh's mansion with some elderly people of Ramangala. Ripudaman Singh was sitting on a throne and brushing his teeth. Seeing Morkali coming with some people from Ramangala, he smiled to himself.
'Please free my husband Thakur sahab.' Morkali said pleadingly, holding Ripudaman Singh's feet.
The people who had accompanied him told Ripudaman Singh the entire story of Ramvachan's arrest.
'Hmm. The matter is serious.' Ripudaman Singh said pretending to think. 'Now everything is in your hands, sir.' The people who had accompanied him pleaded. 'Why, why don't you people go to your leaders to whom you had cast your votes?' Thakur Sahab said reproachfully.
'That was our foolishness, Sir.' Everyone said with their eyes down.
'Okay, you all go to work on my fields as usual. The paddy should be planted in two-three days. I will make arrangements to get Ramvachan released.' Ripudaman Singh said in a commanding tone.
'Very good, Sir.' Everyone said in one voice.
'It is a case of theft of fertilizer. The crime is serious. The police officer will not take less than ten-fifteen thousand rupees. Have you arranged for the money?' Ripudaman Singh asked Morkali.
'I don't have a single penny. After much bargaining, I had a Hansuli (a coin); we mortgaged that to buy fertilizer.' Morkali said tearfully.
'Then what should be done?' Ripudaman Singh again pretended to think.
'Now we have only your support, Sir. Only you can save us from this crisis.' Morkali pleaded.
'Okay, I will arrange the money from somewhere and by evening Ramvachan will be free. But in return for this, your fields will remain mortgaged with me for two years. After two years, when you have money, you can free your fields. If you agree, then tell me.' Ripudaman Singh asked looking at Morkali. Morkali got into thinking. Ramvachan had bought the fields with hard work. It was because of these fields that he had so much respect in the community. Mortgaging the fields meant mortgaging Ramvachan's freedom. But there was no other way to free Ramvachan.
She said- 'I agree, master.'
It was as if Ripudaman Singh had got his wish.
