Before the Big Bang       Chapter  Twenty Seven

 

   Ratnakar was under the impression that his mission of informing the senior Party comrades  would take a chunk of substantial time because for all he knew they might not be available in the office when he reached there .In which case he had to wait for them and the wait,who could tell , might be prolonged .It therefore gave him a measure of satisfaction that he had been able to accomplish the job within half an hour of reaching the office and was free now to go back to the college where the battle was .

                  He felt hungry but frankly he didn’t have the stomach for it since the process of eating , particularly at home , was time-consuming and time was precisely the commodity he didn’t have at that moment .He must return to the college immediately and join his friends and let the thought of food go to hell for once .He ran the cycle furiously and covered the 2-mile + stretch to college within 15 minutes .

                        Naha was surprised to see him back so soon.”Did you inform Mishra da about the happening ? Wasn’t there any other senior comrade there ?”He sounded alarmed .

“I talked to Mishra da and others too.”He dispelled Naha’s concerns and anxieties and then narrated what passed between him and the other comrades .

Updated ,Naha said ,”Some protesters must go to the Party office ,particularly those from Netajipally area , to put their views in the meeting .But a few must remain here to continue the movement in the night section.”

              While they talked about not letting the thread of the agitation break till the night students came the scene of the day college presented a satisfactory aspect of the story in that all classes looked desrted .Processionists continued to shout slogans without showing any sign of fatigue .Those who didn’t join them strolled in groups of threes and fours .

     It was a measure of enthusiasm and a commitment to ideology that Malini,Shreya,and Surinder Kaur and the recent find Swapna Jana ,who were not expected to face commerce students ,also sat in the meeting to chalk out a strategy to persuade them to help their cause of protesting the undemocratic and authoritian suspension of Ratnakar .There was good reason to believe that night students would be discerning enough to find fault with the Principal’s unwarranted action. But political matters are not judged on the basis of their  merit,truth or righteousness and Ratnakar’s suspension could be politicised the moment Chhatra Parishad came out in support of the Principal . Which would mean divided opinion in terms of majority-minority. Ratnakar and his friends could not avoid this prospect.

                 The next day ,it was decided by the college SF unit , there would be a dharna in front of the Principal’s office which was expected to be joined by about 100 students  and ,on day three, a strike call , in case the authority did not countermand the questionable notice even after the dharna , was given . A leaflet was accordingly prepared questioning the rationale of Principal’s action and much more to be distributed among students before evening .

                             The sit-in drew a large number of girl students which indicated their growing consciousness about politics .This also symbolised at a different level their new-found language of protest against injustice . By noon the number of the participants increased and so the decibels .The sit-in looked more like a gherao than anything else .

       The spontaneous support for Ratnakar put the injustice to him in so glaring a light that perhaps none could remain unaffected except the diehard sympathisers of Chhatra Parishad .There were others too of a different kind who despite detecting fault in the Principal confessed to their helplessness before him . Clearly, the whole of the college –ranging from the staff to administration to Chhatra Parishad – were aligned with him .

           In a situation like this there was no way left but to fight hard to remain afloat .If there was any doubt lurking about polarisation on political lines SF’s leaflet , in Bengali and English ,detailing Principal’s arbitrary and high-handed acts including the latest firing shot ,dispelled it . That he had been sitting over the just demands of students for about a year now stemmed from his ever-present  hostile attitude .There was nothing in the printed leaflet that could cheer the head of the college . 

            Highly  disturbed at the Principal’s unsympathetic silence , a section of students decided to go at it hammer and tongs to make next day’s strike a grand success .The sit-in was at once stopped to make necessary spadework for the real object .Only a few students were asked to come to the Party office .

                           Jayanta was too tired to go to the office straight from the college and wanted leave to be refreshed with a bath at home to feel fit for the meeting .Everybody agreed with him looking at his crumpled dress and perspiring face though their state was no different . 

              When Ratnakar found Jayanta waiting for him on the day of the strike ,he was agreeably surprised as it was the first time he didn’t have to wait for him to get into the dress for the occasion .Ratnakar would have opportunity to remember him not only as a helpful friend but also as a responsible leader .There was  a freshness oozing out of him , and he looked a mass of bubbling energy , right then .They sped towards the waiting rickshaw .

            Their antennae were up when they spotted Mustafa , the Chhatra Parishad leader,near the gate of the college which appeared closed . A dhoti-clad man was standing on the other side of the gate with the key along with a dozen others who resembled neither employees nor students guarding it .They got off the rickshaw and were moving towards the gate when some students came running towards them from nearby tea-stalls . Dulal was the first to speak to them :”Some strike-breakers had already entered into the college when the gate was open . Isaw some staff members also getting inside it much before the college hours . The inside information is that Principal asked them to take the classes whatevet be the number of students present .Just to break the strike .”

“This is not a strike for the staff . Their attendance does not matter , but students’ entry does .We must request them to come out of the classes .” Jayanta said calmly ,pondering the situation .

“Open the gate .”Ratnakar shouted at the man who had the key of the lock .

“We shall not open the gate . Principal had ordered us not to allow you to enter the college as you are suspended from it .” The reply was given by his companion who seemed to be the leader of the group manning it .   

                              It was clear as day that the Principal in league with Chhatra Parishad had taken up position of confrontation much earlier than their arrival . Jayanta got furious at Principal’s coming down to this level in which he didn’t mind using outsiders to put obstruction in their way of entry in the college just to break the strike .The effect of all this was that the news of forcible stopping of Ratnakar and Jayanta and other strikers spread fast and in half an hour’s time some 50 SF supporters rushed to the spot to strengthen the agitation . 

“Open the gate.” Jayanta commanded those standing on the other side of the strongly-built wooden gate with rods jutting skyward.”This is a democratic movement ; Principal cannot get the gate locked and bar Ratnakar or any other student in this manner .” 

“But we’ve orders not to allow Ratnakar inside the college .You can go back or continue your slogans .We’re here to execute Principal’s order .”The same man made this acid reply .

                  The other students continued the slogans in a rhythmic manner .Naha in the midst of the noise said to Ratnakar ,” We’ve to use force  There’s no way we can get in without doing something of this sort .”

“Agreed .Let’s push it and break it .” Ratnakar replied clearly.

                      Naha rushed back to the gate and started using force against it . The other students got the cue and the strength of  students which doubled in the meantime clashed with that of a dozen or so mercenaries who tried to stop the wave of the ocean .It was a matter of minutes before the gate fell in two parts .Ratnakar’s hands were on the gate just as Naha’s but they somehow escaped falling along with the gate . There were minor injuries on both sides but the strikers didn’t care .They were jubilant at the fall of the symbol of resistance and resumed their slogans and marched forward . 

          There were certainly some students in a couple of classes and the teachers were taking lessons . But as soon as they got wind of the breaking of the gate the students came out of the rooms ,maybe, because of curiosity or fear or sheer shame .They might be Chhatra Parishad supporters for all one knew .But SF members were glad they didn’t have to use persuasion or force to get them out of the classes .Considering mighty factors arrayed against them , the strike might be called a mild success so far as the day college was concerned .

                         The night section students were still quite a way off and might pose a problem as they always did in the past .But the breaking of the gate was a big story and it had its own message , even for commerce section .They decided to take rest before the Principal’s office . The Principal this time did not come out to threaten them with disciplinary action . Those who were guarding the gate also couldn’t be seen anywhere in the college . A strange silence seemed to grip the college .

             But CP leaders were not exactly sitting idle , having failed during day to stop the strike from being a success it was . Sitting in the Congress office with senior leaders , they devised a strategy , as it transpired later , of sending their local leaders to homes  of commerce students with the mesage to stay away from the strike in their future interest .They put pressure on them pointing out the fact the IB report might go against them or their parents .

                                  As a result of their day-long labour many night students came to the college but when they saw the state of the college –broken gate lying along the sides ,slogan-shouting students distributing leaflets to them—some of them preferred return to arguing with them . Those who stayed did go to the class-rooms only to find ,instead of the lecturers , goats fastened to the teacher’s tables  .

       

Before the Big Bang       Chapter Twenty Six

 

Since the time Ratnakar joined 3^rd year (1^st year BA) he had begun to detect a tendency on the part of the Principal  to be partial to Chhatra Parishad leaders which became  evident in his going out of his way to meet some of their demands, significant or otherwise ,  promptly ; in his giving a patient hearing to the narration of their problems ; in his departing from the standard practice of admitting students on accepted criteria to permitting admission of ineligible students on their recommendations. It wasn’t his imagination: he could lengthen the list .Not all of these meets or confabulations between CP and the Principal, it was understood, were open .Clearly there was some unseen force which was making him act the way he did. Though these acts did not fit in with his reputation as a scholar and administrator, the reality could not be ignored .And that was the rub. 

                                It so happened that All-India Students’ Federation gave a strike call next week in support of their charter of demands based on reports from different State organizations. Shreya, Malini and some others were enthusiastic about making the strike a success. They had called students under their influence to the swimming pool side to hold the meeting to discuss the strategy for strike .It was supposed to be a small group meeting but the gathering became unexpectedly bigger .When Ratnakar was speaking to his audience taking one by one demand from the charter, some messenger came from the Principal’s office and said to Ratnakar :”Sir is calling you . You can’t hold this meeting here.” 

“But this isn’t a meeting. We’re merely discussing our problems .This does not disturb any class.” Someone among the students argued.

“I can only say Principal is very angry. Ratnakar must see him immediately.” The messenger affirmed.

“You’ve conveyed Principal’s message .Now you can go.” Ratnakar said politely but firmly.”Please don’t mind .I’ve no quarrel with you.”

 

                 Ratnakar did not meet the Principal. He continued explaining the demands but shortened the matter. The attitude, however, hardened on both sides.  

           Malini remarked in Pulin da’s cabin:”Principal’s cleverness is nowhere as evident as in the making of students’ union constitution which could be manipulated and interpreted to bail him out of any embarrassment. It’s a pity you couldn’t bring any change after last year’s election.” It was a fact no time or thought was given to amending the constitution to meet present requirements during the last year .The election of the vice-president from students for which only senior students were eligible to be candidates drew political attention much beyond the boundary of the college. Considering the smallness of the town which depended entirely on the railway for its sustenance ,it was not surprising , particularly after the emergence of the CPI as a political force in the non-railway part of the town , people attached considerable importance  to this event for which the whole student community constituted one big electoral college .During this period the college went in an intellectual ferment and the people were eager to know what the reading generation thought about the current affairs . They watched which way the wind swayed- left or right . 

Shreya added to Malini’s remark:” The constitution is delightfully vague about the mode of this election and its timing .Isn’t it?”

“If girl students continue to be deprived of their voting rights in this manner what’ll happen to Ratnakar da who is going to be our vice-presidential candidate .We must do something to change 3pm-8pm to 10am-8pm time to facilitate girl students to use their voting rights.” Surinder made this strong plea . 

Malini said ,”But first things first . The question of his election would come after the withdrawal of Principal’s notice of suspension . Talk of the next day .”

            The next day it was arranged, to begin with, that Ratnakar would move from room to room and make use of the time between the end of a class and the beginning of the next to appeal to students to help make the all-India strike of Students’ Federation a grand success specifically pointing out that the realization of the demands would benefit them immensely. When he entered a class-room as soon as the prof’s lecture was over, he requested the students to allow him to speak a few words to them, most of the students remained stuck to their benches which implied the groundwork was already laid by SF supporters. But he had only 10 minutes to convincingly explain demands to them .Ratnakar was precisely doing this with utmost concentration when the Principal stormed into the class.

“Ratnakar ,you cannot address the students in this manner in the class-room . This is breaking discipline .I ask you to immediately leave the class.”Principal shouted at him.

“But I’ve not broken any discipline. As soon as I see a professor coming I’ll leave the room. I’ve no intention of disturbing the class in any manner.” Ratnakar was justifying his act, standing his ground. 

“I won’t allow you to propagate your ideology in the class-room. You’ve already broken discipline by not complying with my order. Am I the Principal or you? What should be done in the class-room is my province.” Principal was shuddering with rage as he was not accustomed to having a counter argument ever.

“But Sir, I’m requesting you for a little democracy in the democratic country.” Ratnakar thought this a strong point in his favour.”And so long as I don’t disturb any class, I don’t break any discipline.”

“You’ve challenged the Principal and breached college discipline. Action will be taken against you.” He left the room in a huff.  

             The stunned class recovered from the shock a moment or two after Principal’s departure. The situation for Ratnakar completely altered and the students dispersed in silence.

 

                   True to his words the Principal did not delay in taking action: he issued a notification to the effect that Ratnakar was suspended from the college for a period of 20 days with immediate effect. No sooner was it put on the notice-board than the commotion started. To say that students were not terrified by this bombshell of an announcement would be an error of judgment but it was equally true the fear was short-lived. It was replaced by a sober determination to fight. The rival Congress –affiliated Chhatra Parishad was watching students’ reaction with keen interest, concealing their glee at Ratnakar’s discomfiture. But the arbitrariness in the Principal’s measure against Ratnakar was too glaring to be missed by the dullest intellect. In some students’ view nothing could be more autocratic, authoritarian and undemocratic than the punishment handed over by the Principal to him .  

                         It was Jayanta Naha who first broke the fear line by organizing a procession in the college premises and its corridors shouting slogans against the Principal’s unjust action. “Withdraw notice against Ratnakar “, “Hands off democratic rights of students “were the slogans along with “Students’ Federation Zindabad “that were raised in the procession.

                        Malini,Shreya ,Sujata ,Surinder were not far behind in organizing a second procession predominated by girls shouting similar slogans . Before they organized the procession some of them came to him in a gesture of building his confidence and telling him that they would be with him till the last , come what might .All this generated a strange feeling in Ratnakar . This was a movement which was led entirely by others up to this moment .

As a leader of certain experience Ratnakar felt Principal would not have acted solely on the basis of immediate surcharged emotion in this manner without some calculation. Jayanta Naha’s and girl comrades’ response to Principal’s patently unjust move was in the right direction but he feared this might still fall short of persuading,forcing the Principal to retrace  his obnoxious step .He decided to apprise senior leaders of the Party of the grave issue of their direct confrontation on a political plane  with the highest authority of the college immediately .He left for the Party office after  telling Naha that he was going to meet Com Harinarayan Mishra and others for their advice . They could hold the fort without him .

                 He found Harinarayan Mishra busy as expected with a schedule of programmes lined up for him as MLA but when he heard of his suspension he stopped in the middle of his work and looked at him strangely . What he said was stranger still:” So you’ve done this time around something which attracted Principal’s action. Well done, brave heart. The Party is with you and since Principal has chosen this confrontation with us directly, we shall fight.” 

“We’re fighting with him at college level. Com Naha and Malini are at the moment leading processions right inside the college campus.” Ratnakar informed Mishra da. “But it appears unless there’s some powerful intervention from outside Principal might not withdraw the notice.”

“I’m going out right now.” Mishra da said. “But you call all those students who can come here in the meeting. The Party will take a decision as nothing is more important at this moment as your suspension.”

“To complicate matters students’ union election falls within the period of my suspension.” The last sentence from Ratnakar would make Mishra da think of the grave implications of the present issue.

“We shall discuss this also in the meeting in the evening.” Mishra da said before departing.

 

 

Before the Big Bang   Chapter Twenty Five

 

  It would appear that Ratnakar enjoyed his life with abandon at college studying, chitchatting, immersing in students’ union activities, keeping aloft Students’ Federation’s banner and generally frolicking with mixed groups in canteens. Yes, this was one side of his existence. And yet every moment that he spent in the college was not without the thought of the Party which was struggling against the exploiting classes, against the crippling impact of the food policy relentlessly pursued by the Congress Government. It was not a mere theoretical issue with him .He felt like others of the district the debilitating effect of scarcity of food commodities.

                                 Ratnakar’s father, who had a sweetmeat shop which was the only source of family’s income, felt disturbed when suddenly sugar and maida (fine flour) began to disappear from the market throwing the business in turmoil. It could survive only if it paid more than double the normal price of these items in the black-market. Who said food articles were not available? They were, but at black-market price, at a premium. 

         By 1956 a hand-picked municipality Congress-style was in place at Kadampur and its vice-chairman was authorized to issue coupons of the quotas to licensed shop-owners. The wholesale dealers having agreed to give part of their commodities in controlled price used to distribute sugar or flour or both to those who produced the coupons issued by the authority. Ratnakar had to go to this vice-chairman to obtain his coupon who would try to lessen his quota from 40 seers (kg) to 35 or 30 seers. The next destination after this unnamed experience was the distributor’s outlet where he could always tell him to come after some time or the next day. However humiliating, he had to do the job and he did it because it was an issue of survival.

                           The Gujarati distributor, Karamchand Dharamchand Modi commented as soon as he spotted Ratnakar walking towards him with a coupon: “God alone knows wherefrom these people appear.” Even though he heard the contemptuous remark, he ignored it. Extending the coupon towards him Ratnakar said politely,”I came yesterday with this coupon .You told me to come today. “

“So?”

“Please see it. In place of distributor your name is written .And the quantity stated is 35 seers. Please give me that.”

“But I won’t give you any maida (flour), quota or no quota.” The Gujarati distributor suddenly announced. Perhaps the quantity on the coupon revealed his economic status prompting him to think Ratnakar could be dismissed this way.

“You refuse to give me my quota?” Ratnakar was also raising his voice. His servants and some outsiders collected there by that time.

“Yes I refuse to give maida on the basis of this coupon.” The distributor, Karamchand Dharamchand Modi, with his tall personality could without any doubt overawe anybody, not to speak of a small denomination shopkeeper.

“Then write on it that you refuse to give the quota because the vice-chairman wouldn’t believe my statement about your negating it.” Ratnakar told him plainly.

                  Modi was in a rage and considered himself not less than an Alexander. He looked at him with venomous eyes and wrote on the coupon:” I refuse it.”, and signed. 

                Ratnakar went straight to the Party office to report this incident which was an insult to all his being the like of which he never went through ever in his life .He was fuming  with anger inside .What the vice-chairman would feel about the distributor’s dishonouring his coupon was yet to be seen .Harinarayan Mishra heard the episode straight from him along with other comrades , and comprehending the seriousness of the issue , promptly telephoned the chairman of Kadampur Municipality who expressed surprise at the incident and promised to take action as soon as the refused coupon was returned to the vice-chairman . 

              When Ratnakar met the vice-chairman the same day after some hours to hand him over the coupon, his reaction was:”I’ll take action against him for insulting me.” He gave him a fresh coupon writing another distributor’s designation—one Mr. Agarwal’s –and the harrowing tale seemingly ended with the dealer complying with the order, but—and this is a significant but –not before Ratnakar was given the subtle impression that the rich and the poor do not compare . Howdid he convey this impression ? That would make another story. Comrade Sengupta in a different context in the district committee office once told him:”  You can’t be a  good communist without hating the class enemy, without self-cultivation and study in the course of revolutionary practice.”This ego-crushing event was sufficient to make him a communist even if he was not one before this happening.

                    Ratnakar had to skip college classes often to collect roti-packets from Party sympathizers and others for those sitting on dharna at Midnapore collectorate demanding food policy change, among other things .Since the Party at Kadampur was still too small and not in a position to send jathas (groups) it contributed its mite to this movement by sending food-packets for those engaged in sit-ins.  

                      As Ratnakar’s attention was divided between college and the Party, he had taken perhaps a little more time than others to understand the method adopted by food scarcity perpetrators .From 1956 onward food movement became an annual occurrence in the State and Ratnakar with other comrades collected food-packets from their specific areas and in the process learned how the exploiting classes’ method worked and why the food scarcity or famine was called man-made by the Party. Once when they met at a place chosen by Nabeen Mitra during this movement he tried to explain this phenomenon: “Rice mill-owners, jotedars and hoarders combined together to play the game of exploiting the cultivators and the poor people who were propelled into the web produced by them. Despite some laws against hoarders no action is ever taken against them.”

“But why?” someone asked .

“Because hoarders themselves are Congressmen. A minister of state of this Government was recently found to have bags of rice in his warehouses much in excess of the ceiling. Who could take action against him?”Nabeen Mitra continued:” They’re the most exploited – the marginal peasants and the landless—but they vote the Congress as dictated by the trio. Such is their all-pervasive stranglehold over the rural poor. The victory of Congress is thus ensured from rural Bengal.”

              The extent of exploitation could be gauged from the steadily dawning fact of hunger taking the huge shape of famine in W.Bengal . As it grew grim and became an issue of sheer survival people organized themselves into a “Committee to Combat Famine “under CPI. Later it was Okayed by some other parties. Ratnakar felt the intensification of  class struggle though it was still a rural phenomenon from his point of view. But famine broke every barrier and Food Movement of 1959 proved a turning point in W. Bengal’s history of class struggle, with urban areas coming in its sweep.

                  On 31 August a huge demonstration was organized in Calcutta by the Kisan Sabhas to draw the State Government’s attention to famine conditions and for immediate arrangement of food for the hungry. Who were the demonstrators? Small peasants, village womenfolk with babies in arms, office workers, high school students and factory hands .An estimated 300,000 people marching in columns on the roads of the Capital demanded an end to destitution. But what did they get for all their labor in the evening’s darkness? They were cordoned off in the first move of police plan .Calcutta was witness to how they resorted to violent action on the unarmed hapless hungry people without even  so much as a warning .

              80 starving people were killed with sheer sticks by police, with no bullets fired. Nothing could beat this carnage, this dehumanized frenzy of the Government. In the confusion that followed in the darkness 3000 were injured, while 1000 were found missing. There was more to it than these gory, chilling truths.  

            Even the next day, September 1, when the students came out in strength to protest this genocide, they were fired. The ruling class was determined to let loose a reign of terror and repression with troops called out even in districts of Bengal. 

                          If Kadampur Party office looked deserted , the reason was police hunt for senior leaders or anyone who they thought was  proactive .Every comrade was given instruction to avoid arrest  as far as possible but continue to meet at designated places , write and stick posters  , and distribute handbills from underground .

                      Ratnakar was this time up against a problem he couldn’t tackle all alone. Jayanta Naha helped him in difficult situations by giving him fail-proof advice but going to his house in the prevailing context whether during day or night would amount to risking his arrest ,supposing he were at home , because his house must be under vigilance of intelligence branch . His parents told him to stay at home and remain confined and nothing would happen to him .They’d say to the police even if they came there their son did nothing .What innocence! The police would throw a dossier at them telling them their son at this time and date was present when workers of a factory got violent in the manager’s office , was inciting workers against police or collecting subscription for CPI at workshop gate or attending a secret meeting to help peasants struggling against a jotedar (lord of big farming lands ) . Ratnakar thought that it would be a downright idiocy to remain at home and embroil his family in it. It wasn’t that they were not afraid of police. And yet they did not want him to leave home. Suddenly it struck one of his parents that there was a family up at a place called Traffic in the railway area who could provide him shelter for some days. This family was interested in marrying into Ratnakar’s family – they’d a son and a daughter. Marry anyone was their proposal , and the negotiation was going on precisely at that time . Ratnakar agreed to this suggestion but disappeared from his house from that night on without leaving his next address .

 

                        Before the Big Bang      Chapter Twenty Four           

 

Earlier in the day when Ratnakar was coming to college on his bicycle he felt he was passing through a furnace instead of the road. There was suffocation waiting for him in the class-rooms in the college and the professors looked more like jailors than benign teachers .But in the afternoon clouds began to collect in the western sky and in moments the college went under a thick veil of darkness .A light wind began to blow and men and animals alike felt nature’s power to give relief when it suited its mood. But about nature’s caprices who could know better than animals! 

                       Ratnakar wanted to get away from the college for a while because the exhilarating breeze outside beckoned him and he didn’t want to miss its benediction. He looked at the sky which by this time had taken the shape of a black mountain .He was relishing the walk when the drizzle started .Involuntarily his steps moved to Pulin da’s cabin.  

                        With the incoming and outgoing of customers both stopped because of the threatening sky, the joint had few students and Ratnakar had no difficulty sighting a table where he could sit. Since from the entrance only the backs of two girls were visible he could not recognize them but he moved to take a chair facing them. They turned out to be Surinder Kaur and Anita , Surinder engrossed in eating hot pakoda , and Anita sipping tea with no sign of interest though in the act .It appeared for a moment to Ratnakar that Surinder for some reason didn’t want to be seen munching pakoda there .Perhaps this explained her choice of facing the wall .

“Where is Shamim?” Ratnakar asked Surinder, changing the position of the chair slightly.

           She drank half a glass of water to wash down the pakoda before she answered: “What a question to ask. If your friend plays hide-and-seek even at this age, what can one do? He told me he had an extra copy of the prescribed history book which he would deliver me here. But he disappeared as a matter of fact.”

“He must have been caught in the rain somewhere on his way to this place.”Ratnakar tried to defend his friend.

“You can find any number of reasons for his missing .It’s obvious in this blistering rain any attempt to move out carrying a book would be utter stupidity. But that’s not the point. He was supposed to be here before I came. I had been waiting for half an hour for him before the rain actually started.” Surinder Kaur was a sensitive girl who could not put up with any break of what she considered rule.

Anita suddenly cried:”Shamim has arrived.”How she spotted him was confounding. She might have turned back at the dramatic moment, synchronizing his entry.

“I’m sorry, Surinder,for keeping you waiting.”Shamim said before sitting on the chair. He wasn’t drenched as one would have guessed indicating someone with umbrella must have dropped him here.

“So you should be.”She said curtly as she felt his saying “sorry” was functional and not sincere.

“I brought the book I promised. You don’t have any reason to be so annoyed about it.” Shamim found the book in his bag which he brought particularly for carrying it, and put it on the table.

“No further explanation.” Anita said to Shamim to break the uneasy state. “And now, what’d you like to have –pakoda or tea?”Then she turned to Ratnakar:”What about you, Ratnakar da?”

“Both.”His answer was brief.

“I owe something to all of you.” Shamim laughed and stood up.

“Let me do the ordering.” Instead of calling any servant to the table he himself went to the cabin’s kitchen.

   What they saw after a few minutes was not a little surprising. A servant approached their table with a shining tray and still more flashing pots of coffee ,milk, and sugar along with other items and placed  it on the table cautiously .This just didn’t fit the scene of the small eatery .

“What else?” Ratnakar asked Shamim with a smile in jest.

“Hot pakoda. They’ve neither fish chop nor mutton cutlet at the moment “replied Shamim.

            Anita offered herself to do pouring coffee, milk and adding sugar .When adding sugar to the brew with spoon she was asking everybody how much.

           The scene transported Ratnakar back to an incident in the past. He started moving in the by- lanes of his memory  when Kadampur was going through a convulsion of railway strike and families of strikers were at the receiving end of the administration’s fury ,with the State police going amok with their batons . When peace returned a heavy price had already been paid .It was at such time that NK Gopalan, MP, came to this town to study the actual condition of the sprawling workshop and workers so that he could place facts in the Lok Sabha about the recent incident .Clearly this was his official visit arranged in consultation with Railways Ministry and the Chief Mechanical Engineer, the top man of Kadampur Rail, accordingly had prior information of his visit and its purpose .

            Com. NK Gopalan was accompanied by Harinarayan Mishra, Ratnakar himself and another comrade when the car reached CME’s office inside the workshop at the appointed hour through a separate gate, through which cars could enter, meant for CME’s entry.

He didn’t remember what enquiries Com. Gopalan made and what facts CME and other officials supplied to him but he recollected a particular scene in the CME’s chamber when they were seated around a big table. No other place could be more spick and span for Ratnakar than this office. A uniformed serviceman appeared with a tray with numerous pots and other accompanying items , and started putting them on the table uninterruptedly while the dialogue between Gopalan and CMEand Harinarayan Mishra continued .Actually he was too young to comprehend fully the proceedings going on the table he could follow some of them on the basis of his experience. But about this ,at some other time .When the uniformed servant asked Gopalan politely ,”How many sugar cubes, Sir ?” Gopalan looked at the material and then said,”Two.”                                                                                                       Never before this had he heard the term ‘sugar cube’ and known what it meant .The term indicated the “class’, a few notches above the middle class ‘spoonfuls of sugar’. When he was asked the same question he replied, naturally, two. If the servant had asked him this question first he was sure to have been dumbfounded and embarrassed no end for his ignorance. 

                       So when Anita asked him “How much?”he said “Two” involuntarily. But it was the measure of sugar .Anita was so junior in the company that she could have passed for a school girl had she only worn a frock .It was not just her saree but her talent in hosting that placed her on equal footing with them.Surinder was very fond of her and protective in some circumstances . Not to forget, Anita was one of the two girls introduced by Malini to them.

“Do you know out of two professors in History department one has been absenting himself for almost four months now for illness? “ Surinder triggered the bomb on the table, expressing her concern for students.Shamim thought this was a question addressed to Ratnakar; he didn’t seem perturbed over a professor’s absence.

Ratnakar who was confused for a moment replied:”Yes .So?”

“The students in my class are restive about Principal’s crass negligence. In other classes their anger has reached a boiling point.” Surinder defined the situation.

“College unit of Students’ Federation must sit today to discuss this problem. It’s not that the students’ union is not aware of it but it takes time for seriousness to sink in.” Ratnakar argued.

“Wait .I haven’t finished yet. The Chhatra Parishad which you consider as siding the administration usually had already stolen a march over you in that it had already placed a memorandum to the Principal with 100 signatures of concerned students demanding regular classes in history immediately.” Surinder Kaur was a leader with her ears to the ground. Ratnakar was surprised at this bit of information.

“If what you say is true, and there’s no doubt now it is, we’ve lost ground in organization to them. We should have been the first to raise this issue.” Ratnakar gravely said.

“Ratnakar da , you don’t seem to realize how tense is the situation at this moment .”Anita who was more interested in the serious aspect of a thing than its lighter side said,” I can tell you

that there are four copies of two history books in the library whereas the number of students seeking them is over 150 .Actually, from the students’ point of view the college is doing nothing for them ; and students’ union less than nothing .This is the reality which you’ve ignored .Or else you’d have acted much earlier .”

                    That these two girls were capable of feeling the students’ pulse became evident and this impressed Ratnakar no end .They weren’t just two among the crowd; but thinkers in their own right .

“What kind of action do you expect from us, the union?” Ratnakar asked Anita to elicit her views. 

“Why, if you can’t do anything, you can at least shout slogans. Write posters .Lead a deputation to Principal’s chamber.” She replied promptly, words flowing from her lips non-stop as if from a fall.

‘It’s easier pronounced than implemented.” Shamim intervened to say:”It has been our experience that at the appointed time and place for deputation students shy away from joining it for fear or for just anything. But this won’t stop us from doing precisely what you said .It’s possible we may hold the meeting right today.” Shamim, coming back to his laughing self, softly said,”And thank you for enlightening us.”

                Outside, after the relentless heat, it was the turn of rain to express its frenzy. The road was deserted except for a stray motor vehicle creeping cautiously in the thick rain with visibility almost nil .Ratnakar looked at his friends .They were busily enjoying their coffee oblivious of the rain outside . He extended his hand for his cup.

                

 

                            Before the Big Bang              Chapter Twenty Three   

 

Ratnakar wasn’t sure of who mooted the idea of Bengal-Bihar merger –the Centre, Bihar or West Bengal –but whoever’s brain wave it might be, this created a political commotion in Dr.Bidhan Chandra Roy’s Bengal the like of which it never witnessed before .Since the Congress ruled the Centre and the two States, they considered, this uniformity could crush hurdles. But the people of the two States came out in opposition to this horrible concept across political spectrum in a massive way proving their reckoning wrong .

                   The CPI at Kadampur was slowly but steadily rising to the challenging occasion. When there was an all-Bengal call for students’ strike by Students’ Federation against this merger, Ratnakar along with other student leaders jumped into the fray .The strike call was supported by others including a section of Congress at Kadampur.   

                           A group of strikers would go to a school and ask, persuade students in the school to come out, and, after they bolted out of it they would march to other schools. The leaders were at the head of the procession shouting slogans.   Since the issue was such that it drew sympathy from school administration which didn’t try to put any obstacle in their way.   

                  It was a smooth affair except for railway schools which locked the gates and forbade the students willing to join the strike .By this time the number of students swelled to 500 or even more in the procession .Hearing the tale of students’ forcible confinement they got furious at the arrogant authorities and did precisely what was a foregone conclusion in such situations: they tried to break the gate and in the melee that followed hundreds of students tore into the school. It was at one such excited moment  that Asutosh Banerjee ,a leader , boxed a window pane and got severely injured himself in the process .The splinters of the glass cut  up to his hand’s bone, leaving him profusely bleeding needing immediate medical care . When he was being taken for medical aid he felt sorry he couldn’t stay for some more for the cause .It was this measure of sincerity that affected all.

                         Ratnakar stopped here. In the process of describing students’ role in bigger issues of the day with far-reaching consequences, he narrated this episode in Doctor da’s cabin to a mixed group of students. 

He continued ,” The student leader who broke his hand in the railway boy’s school is sitting right among you.” The listeners were confused about who Ratnakar meant .Their curiosity was whetted. Ratnakar slowly announced with a smile on his lips ,”Hold your breath . He’s no other than Asutosh Banerjee.”What followed was the scene of relieved laughter.

Asutosh was beaming with smiles when he said,” But what was your point in making me the centre of focus? I must say I enjoyed your of presenting it, nevertheless .But such things do happen in a movement of this scale.” 

“Now you’re belittling the incident .It was significant because , for one thing , it brought you into prominence and made you a front-ranking leader of Chhatra Parishad .”

     The students began to disperse.Ratnakar also had a class at that hour. The talk had to be ended there .

 

            Ratnakar got information in the college that Jayanta was back home and resting. It was repetition but the fact was that he was a great help in the management of student affairs and he couldn’t do without him for a long period. He wanted to dash to him at the first opportunity. But before that to happen he must get the word confirmed because he didn’t want to face any uneasy situation like the one he went through before.

Jayanta wasn’t the kind of person to disappear for three or four days from the house and remain untraced just for the fun of it. Unless there were extra-ordinary factors behind it, he wouldn’t do it .He must be on the track of something which was yet to be revealed. Like …

             It was Jayanta first who communicated to him in all seriousness that this Communist Party was not the Communist Party it had been. But he stopped just there. It was a Communist Party without any revolution, he said after a long pause.

‘What are you saying?” Ratnakar was bewildered.

He did not want to go further on it, again.

“What made you think so suddenly? ‘

“You mustn’t tell anybody .It is secret .Khrushchev, the first secretary of the Central Committee, placed a secret report on Stalin denouncing his violence that accompanied the revolution. It’s still a secret in the international communist fraternity. I’ve got a copy of the report labeled ‘secret’ which was placed in the 20^th Congress of the CPSU. This is a smuggled copy of Khrushchev’s genuine speech.”

“is it a message to the international communist movement ?”Asked Ratnakar after some thought.

“It’s a veiled message to the communist parties the world over what not to do. But this is still secret .Since this is a secret document it will never be official .”Jayanta said and cautioned :”Don’t discuss it before anybody till our Party issues any notice about it .”

          It so happened that the very next day Com.Biren Chakrabarty indirectly alluded to the significance of 20^th Congress of CPSU in the presence of Jayanta Naha, Ratnakar and Durgapada Ghosh in the Party office when Com Ghosh eyed him to stop the subject .It appeared to Ratnakar that Ghosh didn’t want him to know about it and be co-sharer of this elitist knowledge .Ratnakar was a branch member and they were local committee members, to be sure. If Ghosh was prompted by any other nobler idea in signaling Biren da to stop in the midway, he didn’t know .But this also exposed his ignorance about Ratnakar’s resourcefulness. Ghosh certainly didn’t know that Ratnakar had by this time become a regular subscriber to the Statesman, RK Karanjia’s Blitz; Shankar’s Weekly and Mainstream in addition to New Age. If there was anything deviating, out-of-the-ordinary or startlingly new in the 20th Congress of CPSU, the capitalist Press wouldn’t leave any stone unturned to get at it . Ratnakar in fact knew about Khrushchev’s ‘de-Stalinization’ in that Congress but he doubted its veracity: it could as well be a capitalist plant to confound the world communist movement. It must prove false, he earnestly hoped.

          It was a dramatic moment somewhat between Ghosh, Jayanta and Ratnakar with irony popping its head somewhere. Personal perceptions, it needs to be stated, may vary from Party’s record on this event.

________________________________________________

 

                 Did Jayanta’s present going missing have anything to do with any discovery of some secret like the one he had made earlier about Khrushchev’s secret report on Stalin? He must see him now that he had come back, he decided.

          He was all alone sitting in a corner sipping tea in Pulin da’s cabin , thinking whether he should go alone to Jayanta’s house or take some friend along as a companion . But this chain of thought was disturbed as Malini De appeared as if from nowhere and rushed to his table with three of her girl friends.

“I’ve been searching for you like anything, Ratnakar da. I searched the whole college for you, But you’re here.” Malini’s tongue had a speed that few could match .

“But what’s the matter? Why should you run for me like this? You make me feel important.”Ratnakar said while making room for them to sit down.

            Malini laughed. The laughter was unrestrained and riveted not a little attention from others.

“Important or not, you’re the person needed at this moment .These girls want to enroll themselves as members of SF. They are my friends.” She replied, and started exploring something in her bag.

“But I haven’t got membership forms with me right now. Tomorrow  …”

“No tomorrow. I’ve got the forms ready .No worry, I got them filled up by them “Malini cut him short.

“Then why this hunt for me? I really wonder.”

“You’ve only to deposit these forms and fees at the right place .That’s all.”

“That I will .Anything more?” ‘

“The reason I’m hurrying is that I’m going to visit some relations in Calcutta right tomorrow for a week.”

“Now I see why you were pursuing me with extra energy.” Looking at three of her girl friends Ratnakar said with a smile ,”I think by now you’ve understood that Malini is as efficient as anybody else .She doesn’t need any certificate from anybody for recognition as a competent organizer of SF. Tell me if I’m wrong .”

One of the girls said,”This is what you should know better. What we know is that we’ve become members of SF because of her.”

“That’s what I wanted to hear.” He said politely .

Malini laughed ,but didn’t speak anything .

“Well ,you all deserve a cup of coffee each for the exercise that you put in to reach me .” Ratnakar proposed.

“If you feel so, yes. “The same girl said with no hesitation, without batting an eyelid. He was surprised. This boldness also owed to Malini .Her very presence gave strength and confidence to others.  

 

____________________________________________ 

 

              Ratnakar intended to go to Jayanta’s place direct from college and he had planned things that way. But after receiving the new membership forms he thought it’d be better first to hand them over to one who’d take them to district office the next day to deposit them. But this meant he had to go to the Party office to find the right person. 

                   He did meet Naha the next day who looked sad and somewhat careworn .He had been to Calcutta to meet some comrades, he said, to find answers to some of his questions that troubled him. He gave Ratnakar the hint that because he raised some points regarding Party’s functioning at the local level which made two leaders uncomfortable and that he was likely to be dropped from membership. Since what he said appeared vague to him , Ratnakar decided to wait for things  to crystallize themselves, before he made any move to help him resolve the dilemma.

 

 

 

 

 

                           Before the Big Bang    Chapter Twenty Two  

 

Ratnakar was analyzing his experiences with those who differed with him on college election issue or adversaries in the college .Among those who left an impression of certain decency despite political differences was Altaf who came from a family known for their riches and connection with the top brass of the Congress .A student of Bachelor of Science when Ratnakar was a first year arts novice , he gave him a table talk on the student union election , and finding him interested , drew a complete picture giving details of nomination papers showing the process .How many points are to be checked before nomination papers are filed so as to eliminate the possibility of rejection was the tenor of his discourse .He rained all this information in a disarmingly frank manner interspersed with laughter in an eatery called Doctor da’s cabin at a little distance from Pulin da’s cabin . Though Ratnakar was interested in the mystique of election, he did not know what he should do with this knowledge then. But when he was given responsibility of organizing students for election later, and when he rushed to Jayanta Naha he found him making precisely the same draft of nomination paper and other factors as Altaf did.

                        Altaf was of the opinion, at least it appeared so, that students’ union election should be allowed to be held without any political label on the basis of agreed list of candidates so as to avoid bitterness among students . This was supposed to lead to healthy functioning of the union. It remained his pious wish because his own outfit rejected it as the later events proved .All this was now past.

“What are you doing about students’ cycle stand?” asked Naren Das, a second year student. .

“I met the Principal and impressed him about the immediate necessity of a cycle-stand.”Ratnakar replied,”Somehow he’s not convinced about its priority . He’d other things on his mind.”

“So?’Naren was sarcastic .Shall we continue with the disgusting situation? One day a bell gets missing, another day a valve and ..”

“The students’ union is soon going to start a signature campaign in favour of a cycle-stand and other demands. We shall go to the Principal in a deputation with hundreds of signatures.”Ratnakar assured him .”And this will be done next week .Unless he feels impressed about the majority demanding cycle-stand , he won’t budge an inch .”

“But why should we have to demand a cycle-stand in the first place? The college authorities should have made a provision for it themselves because a large number of students come from far-off places on cycle.”

“That’s what you feel. Principal’s perception is different. He’s unfeeling to students’ problems because he thinks they can be sorted out by students themselves. “

            A boy who was passively listening to this conversation sitting on a nearby bench in the empty class room suddenly came alive, interjecting,”But how can they? Students can put up their bell-top losses or stolen valve experiences, but what if their cycles get stolen? Their guardians might say: either go on foot or stop going to college altogether. They can’t replace a cycle each month.”

“That’s why the students’ union has    drawn up a programme of action to address your problems, one by one. First you’ve to join the signature campaign. The rest will follow.”Ratnakar’s voice got more confident.

“I’ll put my signature any day you ask me to on the demands.” The same boy said.”But what after that? What’ll follow?”

‘If the deputation with signatures fails, we shall be left with no alternative but to agitate for our demands in a big way. Posters, class meetings and then strike. “Ratnakar said firmly keeping his excitement in check. He looked at the two students, before getting up, who appeared satisfied.

           It was a very intriguing situation for Ratnakar and students’ union because , on the one hand , the Principal ,when apprised of students’ problems ,would bring up issues of development , a new building , a swimming pool but without moving an inch in any direction , while , on the other , students would clamour for cycle-stand , adequate drinking water and some other basic facilities . Their dissatisfaction and suffering were growing visibly.

                    Ratnakar, Surinder Kaur, Shreya Bhowmik and some other office-bearers were sitting in the improvised union office, exchanging notes of their work informally when suddenly a person entered the office and said he wanted to talk about the night-shift of the college. He looked much senior to them but a student all right. When he was requested to sit in a chair vacated for him, he ignored it and continued to speak standing.

“It’s 4pm. My class starts at 5.30pm. I came to meet the GS or anybody in his place.” he paused ,” I’m Arun Sen , third year commerce . Problem: we can’t continue listening to lectures in the room with snakes creeping under our legs. My friends in the class sent me up to tell you to either remove danger of snakes in the room or shift our class to the main building where there’s electricity.”

“I understand you’ve a class-representative in this union .He could raise this problem in the office.”Ratnakar was trying to pacify him and put him on the track.

“Our class-representative is sleeping or I wouldn’t be here.” He was fuming with rage.” Our class is held under petromax light in a tin-roofed room where all kinds of insects abound at night. One can put up with a stray dog or goat which roams freely in the room but a snake? The college is asking too much.”

“You see, Mr Sen, this is a common problem with night section students .”Ratnakar said ,”however ,we shall raise the issue with the Principal at the earliest opportunity after we’ve talked with your class representatives.”

I knew it was useless to talk to union people. You’re good-for-nothing chaps.” He rushed out of the room in high dudgeon.

             After the commotion of the wave that Arun Sen produced settled down , Shreya commented :”So you …we are good-for-nothing chaps .”

Could students’ union transform tin-roofed rooms into concrete structures, or arrange electricity in them or stop snakes from having their day at night in there? But if it couldn’t get some of their nagging problems solved, it was equally worth a thought, what it was there for. 

Surinder Kaur said :”Apparently night-section class representatives are not seen to be doing anything for them. That’s what has come out of Sen’s gush . I’m not speaking of solution of problems but the representatives could pressure the night-section authorities into taking some temporary measures to lessen their fear of crawling snakes.”

“Now that the ball has been thrown in our court ,” Ratnakar said ,” we should find the General Secretary to discuss to discuss what little we could do about it .” 

 

****************************************************************************

       Ratnakar was a regular visitor to Jayanta Naha’s place at Netajipalli which incidentally fell on his way to college. It was routine.As soon as he emerged out of his house in his white robe –dhoti and Punjabi – a rickshaw puller would rush to him as he became familiar and felt pride in carrying an educated passenger . It’d seem he owned both the rickshaw and the puller .Jayanta in rickshaw and Ratnakar on cycle must have looked a common sight to shopkeepers on either side of Netajipalli’s road.

                               It was the third consecutive day when he was told third time by members of his family that Jayanta was not at home .Even before he could ask them where he was then, they had begun to quiz him about his whereabouts instead as he was his friend and a Party comrade he might know better .He hadn’t got the faintest clue about this new development. Very many weeks ago ,he recollected , when he came to him to seek enlightenment on nomination papers ,he found him sitting before a table which was spread over with books with open pages and some scribbled papers which gave the look as if he was trying to disentangle a complicated matter .Or search references . But he wasn’t sure if  this indicated he was passing through a mental trouble .He told Jayanta’s younger brother that he would go to the Party office that evening to find out if any of them knew anything about his present location .

                  The picture was different in the Party office that evening with hushed voices about arrival of Indranath Chatterjee from the Provincial committee who was on a tour of this district .Some tendencies which were not healthy for the Party were observed and he rushed to this district to study and settle personal, local and political differences at the district and local committee levels .Since Ratnakar was still new to the Party , though he was dimly aware of Party programme and organization ,he was at sea about its practical ways .Durgapada Ghosh was of course there , but he didn’t feel like asking him about Jayanta.Nabeen Mitra was not to be found busy as he was meeting a group of beedi workers .Harinarayan Mishra looked happy ,signing and stamping all kinds of papers and copies of certificates , brought to him by Party men and others . Ratnakar was so much perturbed over Jayanta that he felt that he was not somehow fitting in the scene .He left the Party office without talking to anyone.

                       He needed to think out where he stood in relation to the Party. What he could read so far about it seemed inadequate. Unless there was more light in this labyrinth he would never know why he was working for students’ organization which seemed a mechanical job to him without any great cause behind it .Was he doing it for the fun of it or there was some ideal in it ? What was the nature of this ideal? How is it related to the materialistic philosophy?

                   

        With this disturbed frame of mind where questions continued to repeat he reached Victoria ground for a breather .

“What’s new, Ratnakar? Has something happened?” Madhav asked.

“Well, there’s nothing new to speak of.”Ratnakar was surprised by the question.

“You look morose. Your face reveals what you want to conceal.” Madhav said. All the others _ Chalpati, Mani, Awasthi _who were not interested in this turn of talk looked at him.

“You’re imagining things, Madhav, and nothing else.”Ratnakar tried to get out of this embarrassing situation.

“Then how’s that you’ve been forgetting to take the matter you gave me to type. You should have taken the typed papers last week .You don’t remember about that even today.” Madhav got sarcastic.

“Oh, thank you.” His smile came back electrifying his mind.” I was wondering what you were leading to.”

“Well here’s something new for you.” Chalpati said,” Meet Mr.Sarbajeet Singh .He’s published his fourth novel in Punjabi.”

“Very glad to see you in this ambience.” Ratnakar shook hands with the 38-year or so old newcomer who was smartly built with no flab for his age .

‘Sarbajeet Singh wishes to celebrate publication of his fourth novel here.”Mani added his slow laughter to this announcement.

“You are welcome to it.” Sarbajeet Singh said looking at Ratnakar .

“But Madhav and Ratnakar will leave when last course is served.”Chalpati clarified.

“But why?” Mr. Singh asked.

“Because the last course arranged is Hitler.” Mani put in.