[Joker44]

Das minute baad, jo das ghante jaisa laga, door se siren aayi. Pehle ek, phir doosri, phir ek van, aur Prakash ke bataaye hue officer ne aawaz lagayi, megaphone par, “Hathiyar neeche, CM office aur port commission ka order hai. Hathiyar neeche, haath dikhao.” Shekhar ke log bhaage, ek van ulat si, ek aadmi pakda gaya, do scooter mitti mein reh gaye, aur jo awaaz bachi, woh siren ki thi, goli ki nahi. Officer ne van ke kareeb jaa kar number padha, Raka ko ek taraf kiya, aur Srivalli ki gaadi ke sheeshe par ek baar dastak di, lekin Pushpa ji ne haath uthakar rok diya, jaise koi apni rani ko abhi un aankhon ke saamne na nikaalna chahe. “Andar meri patni hai, pehle main nikalta hoon,” unhone kaha, awaaz bhari, lekin seedhi. Officer ne sir hilaaya, “Theek hai, saab, statement baad mein, pehle aap dono safe nikaaliye. Port commission ka order saaf hai, cover rahega.”

Pushpa ji apni pistol neeche karke Srivalli ki gaadi ke darwaze par aaye, maathe par mitti, kali shirt par dhool, aankhon mein wohi junoon, lekin jab unhone usko dekha, neeche dabi, pallu kaisa, to unka chehra ek pal ke liye sirf pati ka reh gaya.

Unhone darwaza khola, haath uske kandhe par, uske chehre par, jaise ginti kar rahe hon, kaan, maathe, pallu ke neeche, “Rani, theek hai tu? Lage to nahi? Bol, rani, mujhe dekh, theek hai tu?”

“Theek hoon, Pushpa ji,” usne kaha, awaaz kaanpti thi, lekin tuti nahi. Woh seat se uth kar unke haath mein aa gayi, mitti uski saree par, unki shirt par, dono par ek hi raste ki khushboo. “Aap ghayal to nahi? Munna, Raka? Main Naidu ji ko phone kar chuki hoon, isliye security officer aayi. Yeh meri politics thi, aapki goli aapki, dono kaam aa gaye. Munna ko dekhiye, woh kisi ko kheench rahe the.”

Unhone usko baahon mein kas liya, beedi ki khushboo aur baarood ki khushboo ek saath, aur unki awaaz uske baalon mein giri. “Meri sherni, tu ne phone nahi kiya hota to der ho jaati. Munna theek hai, ek saathi ka haath kata-phata hai, lekin chalega, clinic bhej rahe hain. Yeh Shekhar Goud ab meri list mein hai, rani, main usko chhodunga nahi. Tu ghar chal, campaign kal, aaj nahi. Aaj teri saree mitti mein hai, meri jaan bhi, ab bas.”

Srivalli ne unki shirt par haath rakha, mitti lagi hui, aur sir hilaaya, unki aankhon mein dekhte hue. “Ghar chalegi, lekin campaign kal rukegi nahi. Unhone meri pehli subah par goli chalaayi, to main doosri subah stage par hi khadi houngi. Aap unko dhoondhiye, main apni file sambhalungi. Naidu ji ko main khud shukriya kahungi. Aaj meri pehli taali thi, meri pehli goli bhi, aur dono ko main le kar chalungi, aapke saath, aapke peeche nahi chip kar.”

Unhone uska chehra dono hatheliyon mein liya, maathe par mitti ki ek lakeer, aur kaha, “Chalo, jeep doosri wale se jaayegi, yeh darwaza ab kaam ka nahi. Tu meri rani hai, tu meri sherni hai, aur aaj tu meri neta bhi dikhi. Ghar chal.”

Woh doosri jeep mein baithi, pallu god mein, Pushpa ji uske bagal, Raka driving, aur raste par dono kuch der chup rahe. Mitti ab bhi uski saree par thi, lal border par dhool ki lakeer, aur uske haath ab itne nahi kaanpte the jitne gaadi ke andar kaanpte the. Munna pichhli jeep mein tha, window se usne ek baar haath uthaya, jaise keh raha ho theek hoon, aur Srivalli ne sir hilaaya, honth par koi muskaan nahi, sirf ek saans jo ab seedhi thi. “Raka, clinic pehle, haveli baad mein,” Pushpa ji ne kaha, aur Raka ne sirf “Haan, bhaiyya,” kaha. Clinic ke bahar woh utri nahi, sirf khidki se dekha ki Munna ke saathi ko andar le jaaya ja raha hai, phir jeep haveli ki taraf mud gayi. *Aaj meri pehli speech thi, aaj meri pehli goli thi, aur dono ek hi dhoop mein nikal gayi. Kal main wapas stage par houngi, is mitti ke saath nahi, is hisaab ke saath.*

Shaam ko haveli mein maa ji royi, pehle usko dekh kar, mitti lagi saree, pallu bigda, phir khana garam kiya, paani garam kiya, aur baar-baar yahi poochti rahi ki baal to nahi kate, haath to nahi lage. Srivalli ne unke pair chhue, unko baithaya, aur kaha, “Maa ji, theek hoon, sirf kapde kharab hue hain, main nahi. Aap roiyega mat, kal phir speech hai.” Usne andar jaa kar woh safed-lal saree utari, blouse ke hooks khole, mitti wale kapde ek alag tokri mein daale, aur nahaa kar ek naram off-white cotton ki saree pehni, pallu simple, mangalsutra wapas, sindoor theek, jaise ghar ki rani wapas aa gayi ho, stage ki mitti utar kar.

Kaveri college se aakar, bag kandhe par, simple salwar-kameez mein, darwaze par ruki aur poocha, “Mami, theek ho aap? Sheher mein awaaz hai, goli chali, log keh rahe the aapki gaadi par… main dar gayi.” Srivalli ne uske maathe par haath phera, jaise subah karti hai, koi khaas dabao nahi, sirf ghar ki badi, aur kaha, “Theek hoon, beta. Tu andar ja, kha le, zyada pooch mat, sab sambhal gaya. Aaj ghar mein shor nahi chahiye, tu apna kaam kar, kal apne lectures dekhna.” Kaveri ne ek pal aur dekha, jaise kuch aur kehna chahti ho, phir andar chali gayi. Srivalli ne uski peeth dekhi, ek buddhi si chinta si uthi, jaise is ghar ki har aurat ke peeche koi apni kahani ho, phir usne nazar hata li aur phone uthaya.

Prakash ne khud call nahi kiya, ek short message bheja: “Aap theek hain to kaafi hai. Kal meri office, das baje, official statement ke liye. Zaroorat ho to aaj bhi. Jo aadmi pakda gaya, uski file khul gayi hai.”

Srivalli ne verandah par jaa kar Pushpa ji ko kaha, jo ab naha kar saaf kurta mein the, lekin aankhon mein ab bhi raste ki dhool thi, “Naidu ji ne official statement ke liye bulaya hai, kal subah das baje, party wala kaam, meri file. Main jaaungi, aap chahiye to baad mein thana dekh lijiye, aaj nahi. Aap khao, thoda let jaaiye.”

Unhone haan kar di, ab bhi us phone wali rani par proud, aur uska haath pakad kar kaha, “Tu kal unko shukriya keh dena, meri taraf se bhi. Jo der nahi hui, uski wajah tu hai, rani. Main yeh baat nahi bhoolunga.”

Raat ko palang par unka haath uski kamar par tha, off-white cotton ke neeche, wahi garam, bhari, lekin unki neend der se aayi, aur uski bhi. Kamra shaant tha, pankha dheere chal raha tha, bahar kutta bhowka, phir sab chup. Srivalli ceiling ki taraf dekhti rahi, sindoor ab raat ke liye halka, mangalsutra nighty ke andar. *Aaj goli meri gaadi ke darwaze mein lagi, aaj maine Naidu ko phone kiya, aaj meri kursi ne pehli baar meri jaan bhi maangi. Kal unki office jaaungi, shukriya kahungi, aur jo file chalani hogi, chalaungi. Shekhar Goud, aapki goli meri pehli speech se sasti pad gayi, lekin yeh jung yahin khatam nahi hui. Pushpa ji, aap mere bagal mein so rahe ho, aur main aapki goli aur apni file dono ko ek saath le kar so rahi hoon, is farq ke saath ki aapko meri file ka poora chehra nahi dikha.*

Uske phone par, raat ke gyarah baje, ek aur message aaya, jis number ko usne mahino baad dekha tha, jiski English uske dimag mein cruise ki yaad le aayi, lounge ki, us pehli shart ki, us keemat ki jo ab uski kursi ke peeche chhoti padti thi.

Dave: I hear my queen is on a ballot now. I’m in the city in two days. We should talk. You know I always keep my promises — and I remember yours.

Srivalli ne screen ko thodi der dekha, Pushpa ji ki saans uske baalon mein gir rahi thi, unka haath uski kamar par, aaj ki mitti ab dhul chuki thi, lekin baarood ki yaad ab bhi kapdon ke peeche, yaad ke peeche thi. Usne message ko delete nahi kiya, sirf lock screen neeche rakh diya, aur ceiling ki taraf dekhti rahi. *Dave. Woh wapas aa raha hai, woh aadmi jiske saath maine ek raat mein apni keemat khud tay ki thi, jisne mujhe apni queen kaha tha jab mera pehla sauda hua tha. Is baar main uski pehli wali aurat nahi, ek ticket wali rani hoon, jiski gaadi par aaj goli lagi hai, jiski file mein Naidu aur Venkat hain. Main usse milungi, soch kar, apni shart par, kyunki bandargaah ki jung mein uska paise aur uski ships ka bhi hisaab ho sakta hai. Pehle kal ki office, pehle meri saans, phir yeh angrezi lafz. Pushpa ji, aap so rahe ho, aur main ek aur hisaab soch rahi hoon, jo aapki neend mein nahi aana chahiye.*

Usne unke haath ko apni kamar par rehne diya, aankhein band ki, aur honthon par koi muskaan nahi thi, sirf ek thaki, kadi si line, jo kal stage par wapas khadi hone wali thi.

Subah ki office ek saaf, thande corridor mein thi, jahan flags the, benches thi, aur Prakash Naidu apne khaki rang ke formal suit mein, table ke peeche, jaise kal raat ki goli unke papers par nahi, unki zimmedari par giri ho. Srivalli ne aaj ek saadi simple beige chanderi pehni thi, pallu tight, chhote tops, mangalsutra bahar, sindoor saaf, koi zari nahi, koi aashirwad wali dulhan nahi, sirf ek ummeedwaar jo statement dene aayi ho. Beige blouse ke sleeves kohni tak the, pleats saaf, chappal nahi, simple sandals, jaise koi asal office aayi ho, kothi se nahi. Unhone usko kursi di, paani diya, aur darwaza band kiya, lekin pehle ek clerk ko bahar bithaaya, taaki baat andar ki rahe.

“Aap theek hain, yeh dekh kar sukoon hai, rani ji,” Prakash ne kaha, awaaz file jaisi, lekin aankhon mein kal raat ka hisaab bhi tha, aur us hisaab ke peeche woh raat bhi thi jo dinner wali farmhouse mein unke beech guzri thi, jisko aaj dono ne naam nahi diya. “security officer ne ek aadmi pakda, van registered Shekhar ke aadmi ke naam par hai, seedha saboot abhi kam hai, lekin file khul gayi hai. Aapke phone ke bagair der ho jaati, yeh main record par nahi likhunga, lekin aapki yaad mein likh raha hoon. Statement yeh hoga ki ummeedwaar par hamla hua, state cover degi, campaign jaari rahegi. Koi aapki goli ka zikr nahi karega, koi aapke phone ka nahi. Aap sign kar dijiye, main aage bhejta hoon.”

Srivalli ne papers padhe, dheere, jaise ticket wali file padhi thi, har line, har paragraph, phir pen uthaya, lekin sign se pehle unki aankhon mein dekha. “Naidu ji, kal raat aapki zabaan kaam aa gayi, isliye main aaj shukriya kehne aayi hoon, sirf sign ke liye nahi. Shekhar Goud rukega nahi, yeh main jaanti hoon, aur bandargaah ki taraf bhi nazar jaayegi. Jab file atke, main aapki taraf dekhungi, jaise aapne kaha tha. Aaj main aur kuch nahi maang rahi, sirf itna ki meri jaan aur meri campaign aapki cover mein rahe. Aur itna: jo aadmi pakda gaya, uski file meri nazar se bhi guzre, chhup kar nahi, saaf.”

Unhone sir hilaaya, pen neeche rakha, aur dheere kaha, “Cover rahega. File aapko dikhegi, jo dikhani chahiye. Aapki jaan ab sirf aapki nahi, party ki file hai, yeh bhi sach hai. Kal raat wali baat is office ke bahar nahi jaayegi, aaj wali bhi nahi, aur jo raat us se pehle thi, woh bhi isi hisaab mein band hai. Aap ghar jaaiye, rally rukiyega nahi, aur jo angrezi number aapke phone par aaya ho, us par bhi soch kar kadam rakhiye. Sheher chhota hai, rani ji, jahaaz bade hain. Main naam nahi le raha, lekin nazar rakhie.”

Srivalli ke honth ek pal ruke. Unhone Dave ka naam nahi liya, lekin baat nikal aayi, itni saaf ki uski ungliyan pallu par kas gayi. *Sheher chhota hai. Jahaaz bade hain. Main soch kar chalungi.* “Main soch kar chalungi, Naidu ji. Aapki file ka shukriya, aapki zabaan ka bhi. Kal meri doosri speech hai, aapki cover us par bhi chahiye, bina shor ke.”

“Bina shor ke rahegi,” unhone kaha, uth kar usko darwaze tak chhodte hue, haath nahi lagaya, sirf itna fasla jitna office ka hota hai. “Aap jeetiye, rani ji. Baaki meri file sambhal legi. Jo van pakdi gayi, uska paper aaj shaam tak aapke party office pahunchega, chhupa hua nahi, sealed. Aap padh lijiye, phir jalaane ya rakhne ka faisla aapka.”

Srivalli ne namaste kiya, pallu theek kiya, aur dheere kaha, “Main padhungi, Naidu ji. Aapki zabaan aaj bhi meri file mein hai, jaise us raat kahi thi. Farq itna hai ki aaj main shukriya kehne aayi hoon, maangne nahi.” Unhone sir hilaaya, kuch aur nahi kaha, lekin unki nazar ek pal uske mangalsutra par ruki, phir papers par wapas aa gayi, jaise office ka hisaab ghar ke hisaab se alag rakhna unka kaam ho.

Woh corridor se nikal kar apni gaadi mein baithi, haath steering par, beige pallu god mein, choodiyan ek baar bajin, phir shaant. Andar darr ab kam tha, hisaab zyada tha. Sheeshe mein uski aankhein thaki thi, lekin sindoor saaf tha, pallu theek tha, rani jaisi ban-than thi, jaise koi asal statement de kar wapas jaa rahi ho. *Goli nikal gayi, statement nikal gaya, aur do din baad Dave. Main uski taraf bhi soch kar jaaungi, apni kursi ke liye, apni file ke liye, apni ambishn ke liye. Pushpa ji site par honge ab tak, meri doosri speech kal hogi, aur jo angrezi lafz raat ko aaye, unka jawab main jaldi mein nahi dungi. Rani wahi hai jo dono chehre sambhal sake, aur jo goli ke baad bhi apni file hath se na chhode.*