ARJUN vs ZAHEER

[Greenwood]

Update 88




Subah ka waqt tha. College ka mahol hamesha ki tarah shor sharabe se bhara hua tha, lekin aaj us shor me ek alag hi rang tha. Har taraf naye posters, naye flags aur nayi energy phail rahi thi.
College ke main gate ke bahar sabse bada poster lagaya gaya tha — Arjun Singh ki tasveer, neeche bold aksharon me likha hua “Naya soch, naya hausla – Arjun Singh”. Gate ke andar jaate hi har diwar, notice board aur pillar par uske naam ke nारे, slogans aur flags latka diye gaye the.
Supporters ke groups loudspeaker ke bina apne gale ki awaaz se nारे lagate ghoom rahe the
Supporters
Arjun Singh zindabad!
Arjun Singh ek hi naam!
Unke haath me flags the jo hawa me jhandon ki tarah lahrate ja rahe the.
Campus ke andar students ke beech me halki halki garmagarmi thi. Kuch log bahut excited the, kuch thoda irritate, aur kuch bas curious the ki yeh sab kis taraf le jaayega.
Ek ladka apne doston se bola
Yaar, is bande ne to sach me hawa bana di. Dekh, college ke andar hi campaign start ho gaya. Ab to lagta hai election interesting hone wala hai.
Dusra friend hansta hai
Interesting? Bhai, ab to lagta hai election ek taraf ho gaya. Arjun ke supporters ki energy dekh…
Is beech se Arjun khud aata hai. Safed kurta-pajama pehne, ek halka sa confident smile uske chehre par. Jis taraf se guzarta hai, log khud hi jhuke bina ruk nahi pate. Koi haath milata hai, koi shoulder tap karta hai.
Arjun bas seedha chalta ja raha tha, lekin uske supporters ki awaaz aur tez hoti ja rahi thi.
Supporters
Humara neta kaisa ho – Arjun Singh jaisa ho!
Iss poore jazbati mahaul ke peeche, ek corner me Zaheer khada sab kuch observe kar raha tha. Uski aankhon me ek ajeeb si khamoshi thi – na to wo cheer kar raha tha, na hi ignore. Bas door se dekh raha tha ke kaise Arjun college ka centre ban chuka tha.

Campus ke andar posters aur slogans ki goonj abhi bhi hawa me gungun rahi thi. Subah ka dhoop puri tarah se chadh gaya tha, aur flags hawa me jhoolte hue aur tez chamak rahe the.
Ammu apni books lekar canteen ki taraf ja rahi thi. Har taraf Arjun ke naam ka shor sunai de raha tha. Uske supporters josh me slogans chillate ghoom rahe the.
Supporters
Arjun Singh… zindabad!
Arjun Singh… ek hi naam!
Ammu ek pal ke liye ruk gayi. Uski aankhon me wo sham ki tasveer ubhar aayi jab usne Arjun ko gundo ke saamne khade hote dekha tha. Uska jazbati, ziddi aur khud ko khatre me daal dene wala roop. Dil hi dil me uska ek ajeeb sa darr phir se jaag gaya.
Usne dheere se apne dupatte ko aur kas ke khinch liya aur seedhi taraf chalne lagi, par har slogan jaise uske dil ki dhadkan badha raha tha.
Ammu apne aap se hi dheemi awaaz me boli
Yeh sab… yeh Arjun ke liye theek nahi hai. Uske liye yeh jagah hi galat hai…
Uske kadam tez ho gaye. Lekin jahan bhi dekh rahi thi, usi ke posters chipke hue the. Uska chehra, uski tasveer, uski aankhon ka wo confident look. Usne ek poster ke samne apne kadam roke, thoda der us tasveer ko dekhti rahi.
Uski aankhon me darr ke saath ek aur ehsaas tha – ek chinta jo usne kisi se bayan nahi ki thi.
Ammu dheere se fasaana jaisi awaaz me boli
Arjun… tu khud ko samajhta kyun nahi… yeh rasta teri rooh ko cheen lega…
Ek taraf slogans ki goonj aur supporters ka josh, dusri taraf Ammu ka khamosh darr – dono ek hi waqt me college ke hawa ko bhar rahe the.
College ke lawn ke paas Zaheer aur uske do-teen doston ka chhota circle bana hua tha. Aas-paas Arjun ke supporters posters chipka rahe the, flags lagaa rahe the, aur slogans chilla rahe the. Hawa me ek political campaign ka shor tha.

Zaheer apni jacket ki pocket me haath dale khada tha, aankhen seedha Arjun ke banner pe tikki hui thi jisme bold letters me likha tha – Arjun Singh for President. Uske chehre par ek kadwi muskaan thi.
Doston me se ek bola
Yaar Zaheer… dekh kitna tej ho gaya hai ye banda. Kal tak football… aaj politics.
Dusra dost thoda sarcastic hansi ke saath
Aur supporters bhi dekh… pura stadium bhar jaaye itne hain. Lagta hai election aasan si baazi ban gaya uske liye.
Zaheer ne halki se gardan ghumayi, uski awaaz me ek rough intensity thi
Aasaan? … Iske liye? Haan, dikh raha hai sabko. Lekin tum log ye samajh lo, agar koi isse rokne wala nahi mila… to kal tak college iske posters se hi saans lega.
Usne ek lambi saans chhodi, aankhen thodi naram hui jaise andar hi andar kuch soch raha ho.
Zaheer dheere se bola
Mujhe pata hai Arjun ko underestimate karna galti hogi. Par… wo kahan ja raha hai, ye bhi wo khud nahi samajh raha.
Ek dost mazaak me hansi karte hue
Tujhe kyu itna tension hai bhai? Tu kyu apna sir dard bana raha hai is bande ke liye?
Zaheer ki aankhen tez ho gayi. Usne thoda jor se bola
Tension nahi hai. Bas… main use sabke saamne girte hue nahi dekh sakta.
Ek awkward khamoshi chhayi. Uske doston ko samajh nahi aaya ke Zaheer ka matlab sach me concern hai ya ek dusre level ka ego.
Zaheer ne apna bag uthaya, thoda door chal diya. Piche doston ke chehre par confusion tha, par uske chehre par ek ajeeb sa mix tha – gussa, concern, aur andar hi andar ek khud se ladaai.

College ke piche ka garden hamesha se shant jagah maana jaata tha. Pedon ki ghani chhaya, mitti ki halki khushboo aur door se sunai deti kabootron ki awaaz… sab kuch shaant tha. Lekin us shaanti ke beech, ek kone ki bench par Shanu akeli baithi thi, sir jhuka kar apni ungliyon se bench ke lakdi par bina matlab ke lakeeren banati hui.

Kal raat ki baat abhi tak uske dimag me goonj rahi thi. Zaheer ka rough tone, uska accuse karne jaisa tareeka… Shanu ko chubh gaya tha. Usne socha tha ke shayad wo uski taraf samajh se dekhega, lekin ulta usne hi usse doshi jaisa treat kar diya.

Uske dimaag me ek hi line baar-baar chal rahi thi — tumhe sab maloom tha, hai na?
Uske dil ko thoda tod diya tha.

Aankhon me nami thi, par usne aaspaas dekha aur palak jhuka li. Koi na dekh le, isliye apne aansoon ko aankhon ki kona se anguli se chhupke se saaf kar diya.

Usne ek lambi saans li aur socha… main hi kyu har jagah atak jaati hoon? Jab main kisi ka saath dena chahti hoon to wohi shak karte hain. Aur Arjun bhi… uske karan mujhe hi sabke saamne embarrassment uthani padti hai.

Garden me hawa tez chalne lagi. Shanu ke baalon ki kuch lattein uske chehre pe chipak gayi, usne haath se hataa di, lekin uske chehre ka udaaspan aur thoda gehra ho gaya.

Bas wahi akeli, pedon ke beech chup-chap bethi thi. Jaise uske andar ek bada sa bojh daba hua ho jo kisi se keh bhi nahi pa rahi thi.
Canteen ka mahol usual shor sharabe se bhara tha. Students ke chhote chhote groups idhar udhar table par baithe baatein kar rahe the. Ek kone wali table par Ammu, Shanu, Zaheer aur Taz pehle se hi baithe the, apni apni baaton me doobe hue. Lekin jaise hi canteen ka darwaza zor se khula, sabki nazar ekdum us taraf mud gayi.

Arjun andar aaya. Uske aate hi jaise hawa me ek alag si energy bhar gayi. Uske chehre par wahi confident, thoda careless si smile thi. Direct sidha ek table ki taraf gaya aur bina kuch soche uspe chadh kar khada ho gaya.
Sab students ekdum se hila gaye, pehle halki si silence hui, fir dheere dheere ek bheed uske aas paas ikatthi hone lagi. Jaise kisi neta ke speech ke liye janta bheedti ho.
Arjun ne apni awaz buland ki
Arjun
Chalo… batao apni apni problem kya hai. Main yahin hoon. Tumhara hi bhai hoon, tumhara hi dost… aur tumhara hi neta bhi.
Canteen ekdum se slogans aur shor se bhar gaya. Kuch ladke chillaye Arjun bhai zindabad! kuch ladkiyan haste hue mobile se record karne lagi. Ek ladka aage badh kar bola ki hostel ka khana bekaar hai, dusra bola ki teachers attendance me unfair hai, teesra bola ground ki facilities ke khilaaf shikayat karne laga.
Arjun har ek ki baat ek neta ke jaise haan me haan milakar sun raha tha, beech beech me apne strong expressions dekar kehta
Arjun
Bas, yehi to hai mera kaam. Tumhari awaaz uthana. Tumhari baat aage tak pahunchana.
Uske tone me ek ajeeb mix tha — ek taraf ek real leader jaisa jazba, doosri taraf ek film hero jaisi style.
Canteen ke ek kone me baithe Zaheer ke chehre par khamoshi saaf tha, uske haath table ke niche ruk gaye. Shanu ka chehra serious aur thoda thaka hua tha, uske liye ye sab ek natak lag raha tha. Ammu bas chup thi, uski aankhen ek pal ke liye Arjun par ruk gayi, phir usne apni nazar neeche kar li.
Aur Taz, jaise hamesha, Arjun ke dramatic entry par impress ho gaya tha aur apne style me doston se bol raha tha… yeh banda to asli hero hai yaar.
Canteen ke andar ka mahol ab ekdum election campaign jaisa lag raha tha. Posters ke beech, slogans ke beech, aur sabke faces par curiosity ke beech, Arjun ek table par khada tha… bilkul waisa hi jaise koi apna stage capture kar leta hai.
Canteen ka shor abhi tak khatam nahi hua tha. Students abhi bhi Arjun ke slogans me busy the. Wo table se neeche utar kar crowd me ghulne laga, log use ghurne lagte, kuch uske kandhe pakad kar apni baatein karne lagte.

Ammu apni table se dheere se uthi. Uske chehre par ek alag si ghabrahat thi, lekin aankhon me ek determination bhi. Usne Shanu aur Zaheer ki taraf dekha, lekin kuch bole bina sidha Arjun ki taraf chal di.
Uski chaal me jaldi thi, jaise wo apna decision le chuki ho — aaj use Arjun se baat karni hi hai. Ye sab drama, ye sab netagiri… ye Arjun ka asli raasta nahi tha, aur Ammu yeh samjhana chahti thi.
Arjun us waqt bas ek ladke ki baat sun raha tha, jo library ke issues par chillaa raha tha. Tabhi uski nazar ek pal ke liye Ammu par padi. Wo seedhe usi ki taraf aa rahi thi. Arjun ke chehre par ek instant softness aayi, jaise sab shor sharabe ke beech usne bas usi ko mehsoos kiya ho.
Arjun apne kadam Ammu ki taraf badhane hi wala tha ki tabhi achanak ek aur bheed uske aas paas aa gayi. Dus–pandarh students ekdum se usse ghair liye, sab apni apni problems le kar. Kisi ne uska haath khinch liya, kisi ne uske kandhe ko jhatka diya aur chillane lage — Arjun bhai suno na! Arjun bhai idhar dekho!
Ammu bas do kadam door thi usse. Usne ek pal ke liye haath aage badhaya, jaise Arjun ko rokna chahti ho, lekin ek tez dhakka usse peeche kar gaya. Wo apni jagah par ruki, bheed ne uska raasta puri tarah band kar diya.
Arjun abhi bhi us bheed ke beech me atka hua tha. Uski aankhen Ammu ko dhoondh rahi thi, aur ek do baar usne zordaar awaz me kaha
Arjun
Ruko… zara side ho jao…
Uske chehre par ek clear concern tha — wo Ammu tak pahunchna chahta tha. Lekin bheed aur tez hoti gayi, slogans aur shor ke beech Arjun uske ekdum paas hote hue bhi Ammu se door hota gaya.
Ammu ab usse clearly nahi dekh pa rahi thi. Uski aankhen halki si nam ho gayi, jaise andar se kuch tut raha ho. Usne peeche mudkar ek thandi saans li aur dheere dheere bheed se door nikal gayi.
Aur Arjun, us bheed ke beech khada, uske chehre par ek ajeeb si bechaini thi — jaise usne apna sabse zaroori pal, sabse zaroori baat, us bheed me kho di ho.

Campus ke subah ka manzar ekdum alag tha. Har taraf bas Arjun ke posters chipke hue the. Bade bade flags hawa me jhul rahe the, slogans poster ke shabd jaise har diwaar se goonj rahe the. Canteen ke raaste se le kar library tak, har taraf ek hi chehra tha — Arjun ka.
Us bheed ke beech se do silhouettes nikle. Ek ladka, ek ladki. Dono ke chehre dhundh mein chhupaye hue, jaise aam students ki bheed me ghul mil jaana chahte ho.
Ladki ne ek poster ke saamne ruk kar dheere se dekha. Arjun ki muskaan, uske nara, uske supporters ki tasveeren… sab usse ek ajeeb si ghabrahat de rahe the. Usne apne dupatte ko kas ke lapet liya, aur halki si fufkar se kaha
Ladki
Yeh tezi… yeh hawa… mujhe samajh nahi aa raha, sab itna tez kyu ho raha hai…
Uske shabd almost ek kampan ke saath nikle. Uski ungliyaan halki si kaanp rahi thi.
Ladke ne ek pal ke liye uski taraf dekha, bina kuch bole uska haath apne haath me le liya. Ungliyon ki wo girah uski bechaini ko thoda rok gayi. Fir wo thoda jhuk kar uski aankhon me seedha dekhte hue dheere se bola
Ladka
Chup raho… aur yaad rakho, hum yahan apna kaam karne aaye hain. Aur ab peeche mudne ka waqt nahi hai.
Ek pal ko ladki ki saansein tez ho gayi, lekin ladke ki aankhon ki sakhti aur uske haath ki grip ne use ek ajnabi si himmat di. Dono ne ek baar aur charo taraf dekha — har taraf Arjun ka chehra unhe ghur raha tha.
Phir bina aur deri kiye, ladka uska haath mazbooti se pakad kar seedha chal diya. Dono sidhe ek hi raaste ki taraf badhne lage — Static Department.
Campus ki bheed unke aas paas chal rahi thi, lekin unki chaal ekdum alag, ekdum khaamosh thi. Jaise wo kisi aur mission me ghul gaye ho.