PXylem

NEW DELHI,INDIA

All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.

It came as a complete revolution, an U-turn in the life of Sanjay Dutt, a Bollywood actor, and present day Munna Bhai MBBS aka Lage Raho Munnabhai. He was sent to the place, where he had been 13 years ago – jail.

He was sentenced for an act he did 14 years ago buying a 9 mm pistol and an AK – 56 rifle from people who a month later unleashed the 1993 Mumbai blasts that killed 237 people.

By now, you would have started thinking this is not an exclusive news what I am describing since the electronic media especially has been updating on it in splits of seconds, and not to mention everywhere-anytime websites creating a crescendo like phenomenon of it.

OK fine!! That person Sanjay Dutt has been convicted for what he had been accused of after prolong legal battle that ran a plus decade becoming the world's longest running terrorism case. How his conviction cast any distant affect on us? It cannot be!! In a country where thousand of convictions take place this is not the first and the last.

Sanjay Dutt's roller-coaster life is crystal clear; we know his ups and turns, his success and failure, and almost everything about him. Have anyone ever spared a thought to explore where we have been, what we have been doing, when his name was first time dragged into the case, and was sent to jail under the draconian law – TADA.

No movie could be as dramatic, as involved, as imposing as the life of Sanjay Dutt's portrayal in his real life.

I suppose few have put their memory-clock back asking what they have been doing just 13 years back. One thing is clear - people have changed and so is the time. I have also changed in my internal fabric. I have changed place, changed friends and what not. In this arithmetic progression of life, I started losing something while gaining something in return.

I remember, 14 years back when Samju's name came to limelight for assisting terrorists of Mumbai bomb blasts, I went along with one of my Delhi friend, who had come to Kashmir first time, to an undisclosed place only to watch the hardcore "terrorists". Though it was his wish to see this elements in real life, I was not at all interested as I have encountered them many times in "captive" or "free".

While reading the conversation that took place between Judge Pramod Kode and Sanjay Dutt. I felt how helpless a man finds when he encounters his past deeds, which has not been filled or leveled with in the ebb and flow of time. How a men heap together the mistakes of their lives, and create a monster they call Destiny, and Sanju destiny was almost sealed with the pronouncement.

In the conversation Sanjay Dutt begs to the Judge allowing him to make a call and grant him time to surrender. He says, "I will return day after tomorrow. I have some family matter to settle and my sister is also pregnant. Sir, in the last 14 years you’ve known me better than my own family. Please give me relief". Read the full conversation.

Sahi He Biru..chinta nahin karne ka. "Nothing can harm a good man, either in life or after death."

Coming to our visit that we made to watch out the terrorists. As we zoomed into the highest security jail near the famous Dal Lake, Kashmir. What I saw a sea of kashmiri people, majority of them old and young women had gathered near the fortified gate. There were no young male figure visible. Astounded to see such massive gathering I asked the guard "What this gathering is all about?" He said that they have came here to meet the "terrorist".

And as soon as we got down from our bullet-proof gypsys, I was flocked by the mass of the people, begging with clasped hands expecting me as a big "Indian" shot who could allow them to meet their sons and brothers. I was completely taken aback seeing old men who couldn't even walk properly praying me and young women weeping in front of me . I was speechless and dead as a doornail unable give a reaction. At last the the congregation was forcefully dispersed by the guards.

While my friend's father had already communicated of our arrival at the place where terrorists were holed up. There we were welcome by an officer. My new friend was looking very inquisitive to know everything about the captured terrorists, how they are being treated and where do they sleep, almost everything. I was not much interested to know all this stuff.

While we were offered kawa (local tea) the way the person quoted me with "sir" jerked me from inside. Much bewildered to listen "sir" from someone who is triple of your age. I instantly looked at the person offering tea and I immediately recognized him as a terrorist who has been given the task of helping official task.

The officer coming to know that my friend is interested to know about terrorist instructed the guards to pull off a purdah that was enclosing the next room. There I saw an old man in the kneeling position sitting covering his face. The officer told us that he is a terrorist. He is a professor.

Then the officer asked by friend to enter the room where they were kept. Upon repeated insistence I went along with him. While we were entering the room, dozen of terrorists were smilingly saying "Hey! You came hear to see us. See us." They were all smiling at us, laughing at us that we have gone there only to see them as we all go for watching animals in zoo.

It was suffocating, very much inhumane on my part since my brain was not able to absorb what I was seeing. At last the time came when we parted the officer. When we came outside the complex I saw barricades were put up, one side occupied by the families and the other side by the parents.

As if I haven't seen anything I quietly sat in the gypsy and zoomed back to my house.


Life is a matter of a miracle that is collected over time by moments flabbergasted to be in each others presence.

NOW after 14 years I remember and feel for that old professor who was newly brought in the jail (read concentration camp)and I saw him crying. Has he been released or still languishing in jail? ...Who knows...Hope lingers...

DO COMMENT and SHARE what you have been doing when the news broke out 14 years ago.

Pal Pal Har Pal - Lago Raho Munnabhai