41

Khushi woke up early in the morning and got ready to take a trip with papaji. Papaji knocked on her door. She opened it enthusiastically. There was a young girl of her age standing with papaji.

"Khushi, she will be your companion today. Go with her and buy some local style dresses for you! She will take you to the factory. She works in accounts department of our Mill!" said papaji coming in.

"And you?" Khushi asked little disappointed.

"I have other work, puttar! I will be back in the evening" he said placing his hand on her head.
"Remember... keep your eyes and ears open!" he said in a whisper. She nodded.

"Do you have money?" he asked her. She nodded.
"I am Vimal Deshmukh!" she introduced herself.
"Khushi!" Khushi reciprocated smiling at her.

"Do you know hindi?" Khushi asked her.
"I know, Hindi, English, Marathi and Punjabi!" the girl said with pride. 

"I only know hindi and English!" Khushi gave her due credit. The girl smiled broadly.
They were walking on a busy road doing shopping. Khushi could see a lot of cotton wear in the shops. She bought a few salwar suits for her. She bought one for Vimal too! 

Vimal refused to accept. "This is a token of our friendship!" Khushi said holding her hand. She had no other option than to accept the gift.

"Since how long you are working in the Mill?" Khushi asked.
"Three years, I got job on compassionate ground. My father died. He was working here!" said Vimal.

They were in the auto. "I have some work before I take you on a tour of our factory! Can I go home and come back in half an hour?" asked vimal. Khushi nodded.

Vimal turned to leave after making Khushi comfortable in the Mills office. Khushi stared at her back and asked her "Vimal, can I come with you?"
Vimal was surprised. "Will you?" Khushi nodded.

They were walking down the street. Khushi could see small workers' quarters along the road.
"Are you related to Sir ji?" asked Vimal. Khushi hesitated.

"I was working in his office. Now I am married, but still work for him!" said Khushi somehow hiding her identity. Vimal looked relaxed. She started introducing her to the acquaintances. Khushi felt better.

They reached vimal's home. It was a typical worker home; a one room and a kitchen! Khushi entered. Vimal's mother came forward. Vimal introduced her and said "Aai, she has come for the union meeting. She works in the office!" 

"yes! I came here as assistant!" said Khushi pleasantly smiling at the middle aged widow lady. Khushi could feel the emptiness in her eyes.

Vimal finished her household work and came out. Her mother had given Khushi a cold Sherbet to quench her thrust. They both started walking. The plight of the workers slowly started unfolding. Khushi was listening and looking around. She could see dull dryness everywhere. Though the skies were over caste, she could feel lack of enthusiasm everywhere. People seem to drag on. She could sense hunger in the eyes of the children. The factory was closed for several months. The workers' wages were pending for months..! They only hung on because of the shelter they had of this one room kitchen quarters. 

"Our leaders try their best to keep us like this, so that they can rule. They come in a big car for the meeting, create a scene, make some fake promises and go away. We are left high and dry! No one cares about us! We are just puppets in their hands". Vimal was blurting out bitterly.
"Nothing will happen in this meeting also! The leaders will not accept any proposal! They will plan for agitation, procession, give inspiring lectures, make a fiasco of this meeting, take money from the new management and go away!... Mark my words, Khushi!" said Vimal in disgust.
Khushi opened her mouth to defend but Vimal held her hand and squeezed.

"Look, Mr Mohite! Our ruling party sponsored Union leader! Look at his car! Now he will go to the office, gather the workers around... give some enticing speech, shout slogans.... Distribute some money and liquor... and push off!" she said bitterly pointing at the White Maruti Esteem!" Khushi stood there like a statue holding Vimal's hand.

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

Khushi and papaji were taking dinner in a restaurant that night.
"Puttar, how was your experience? Did you see the mill?" he asked her. She was very serious not paying any attention to her food. Papaji waited for her to gather herself and then said.

"Puttar, this is the ground reality. Sometimes the situation is beyond our control, sometimes we can do something! I brought you here with me to make you realize the situation here. These are beyond business tactics and profits!"
Khushi nodded. Papaji continued.

"Puttar, this morning I went to meet my friend who is a social activist here. These union leaders are no good but we cannot avoid them. Every worker is a member of some union. We have to bear with this. We just do not have any control!" said papaji.

Khushi still was lost in her thoughts recollecting the pathetic conditions of the families. Children had left school! 

"Papaji, can we not do anything?" she asked painfully.
"Puttar, we cannot do anything directly. The political pressure will not allow us to do anything. But yes, we will surely try to do something!" he said assuring her.

"Tomorrow, I am taking you to one of our ginning Mills; some fifty kilometers from this place. And then you have a task!" said papaji.

"What is it?" she asked astonished.
"Take your friend's help and make a wish list for these workers!" papaji said. Khushi smiled. She hugged him and said 

"You are the best papaji! Good night!" she went to her room. Papaji sat in the verandah for a long time gazing unfocused.

Dealing with the union was hell of a task. He knew only he would handle this. Arnav, Shondeep and Raj had a long way to go. 

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

There was a chaos everywhere. She was at the gates looking up at the Haveli on the other end of the lane. People wearing white cotton dresses and topi on their head were moving hurriedly as is going for a gathering. She kept gazing at the Haveli. Her mother came and whipped her and dragging her, brought her inside the house.

"How many times, do I have to tell you, not to go out!" she screamed. The girl stood there looking down. 

"Look! Things are not good! Anything will happen. You may get killed. Did you not hear the firing yesterday? Stay away. Stay at home!" her mother took her in her arms and stroking her head said,

"I am worried about you!" The girl just gaped at her mother.
"Get ready!" her father had come in and had ordered. She shuddered and looked at her mother frightened.

"I think we should wait till this agitation gets over!" said her mother in a small voice.
"No way! This will not stop! People will get killed. We should move on!" her father said gravely.

"Come on get ready!" he ordered again. Her mother took her inside.

They heard firing again. Her father started shutting the doors and windows of her house. She felt trapped. Tears ran down her cheeks.

Khushi woke up with a start. It was six in the morning. She got ready to go with papaji.

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

They picked up Vimal on their way and went to visit one of the papaji's ginning mills. They entered the factory premises and Vimal gaped at the greenery all around. She kept gaping around in surprise.

"This is a small mill we prepare cotton bales here collecting cotton from nearby farmers and grading them. These bales would go to the spinning mill later on!" said papaji. They entered the porche of the office building.

"You and this young lady, have a look around! I have some work in the office and I will meet you in an hour here!" saying this papaji vanished in the building.

Khushi and Vimal moved around in the workers' residential area. The houses were similar to the ones they saw in Sahakaar Spinning Mill. But there was a marked difference. There were play grounds after every block of quarters. Each house had green trees in the court yard. Each tree was named. Khushi was puzzled. She stopped a kid running on the road and asked about the names of the tree.

"What? These are our names. See these three trees? These are the trees in the name of the children in this house. We take care of the trees!" said the boy proudly. Khushi was amazed. Vimal was enlightened. They looked at each other and smiled. This is so simple .. to ensure the nourishment of the trees. Name them after the children and its done!" Khushi had a broad smile on her face.

"Papaji... you are the best!" she thought. 

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

"No puttar, that is not my idea! My social activist friend suggested me this! It worked like magic. We planted tree, got the required carbon credit (it is mandatory for the factories to plant trees in proportion with the air it pollutes) plus ensured its nourishment!" said papaji smiling at her.

"Now, you two go back to work and prepare the list!" he ordered them. 

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

Something else was cooking not far away from Nanded Sahakaar Spinning Mill and Khushi was oblivious to the danger. But papaji knew what was coming. He had already asked for protection.

Next complete week Khushi and Vimal were engrossed in preparing the wish list. They literally were day dreaming about the ideal conditions. They visited so many places and factories around Nanded to have a closer look at the situation.

"Bass! I don't think any of this will work!" said Vimal skeptically. "I am not going ahead with this. This looks like a mirage and we are running behind it thirsty and hungry!" she had a ray of anger and anguish in her tone. Khushi held her hand and said,

"Agreed! This may not work. But if time comes for implementation, we at least have a list with us! Why not day dream for the best?" she asked Vimal optimistically.

"Yeah! We are not asking anything exorbitant from the management. We are asking only basic needs!" said Vimal. They both grinned at each other putting their heads together to complete the list.

Papaji came in the evening and the girls handed over the list to him. He glanced over the list and gave it back. Khushi was disappointed.

"What? You are not going to study the points?" she asked raising her voice. Vimal looked startled. "How can she talk to her boss like this? So arrogant?" she was surprised. Papaji was calm.

"I will use it whenever needed. Right not I have an urgent matter to discuss with you two!" said papaji seriously.

"Vimal, Thanks for helping Khushi. Your work is over! You may resume your duty from tomorrow. And hope you keep this task confidential!" Vimal nodded. She felt disappointed that she might not meet Khushi again. Khushi looked at her reflecting the same feeling.

"But.. pa.. Sir, the meeting is day after tomorrow! You may require my assistance and Vimal will help me!" Khushi said hopefully.

"No!" said papaji getting up and calling his driver. 

"Vimal, he will drop you at your place. If I may suggest, please refrain from coming to the Mill's office till the negotiations are over. Take leave. I will arrange for your paid leave! And promise me, you will keep it secret that you helped us to know the situation better!" he held out his hand. Vimal hesitated and then giving her hand in his said "Yes sir! Trust me!" Papaji smiled and placing his hand on her head said "Rabb Rakha! May god bless you!" 

Vimal went and papaji turned to Khushi. "Tomorrow morning the other three are coming. We will have a debriefing meeting and you will leave!" 

"What?" Khushi almost screamed. "Am I leaving? Why?" she asked raising her finger.
"Because, your work is over here!" he said calmly.

"No way! I am not leaving!" she said with determination.
"You have to!" said papaji turning his back and moving towards his room.
"Why?" she followed him.

"Because it is not safe!" said papaji turning to face her.

"Good night, Khushi!" said papaji closing the door on her face. She stood there shocked.