A DAY
'Sir your coffee!'
Pranita, his servant
brings him coffee at his bed itself.
As soon as Hari Ram opens his eyes, he pops into the wall
watch, where the clock displays the time 6.20! He takes the sip of coffee and
asks to Pranita,
'What date is it?'
'3rd March'
This makes him remember that it has been two months already
he had been into the post of Minister. Although, up to when he will be in that
chair was unknown, because the parties out of Government has already been
protesting demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister, and his life at the
chair was no way fixed.
By the time he takes few sip of his coffee, he remembers his
commitment that he used to make before he was into the post, he remembered how
he was determined of not doing a single corruption, he was determined regarding
how he would work with his whole heart and for the benefit of nation. He
remembers his conversation with his wife just before the day he sat on the
chair of Minister.
**
'Nepal
'I don’t know any thing, what so ever you do, but you need
to earn enough to build a house in Kathmandu !'
'House is not everything, I may own a house by corruption,
but what does that mean? Will I be seen as good leader tomorrow?'
'So what?'
'See, my dear wife Kritanjali, I will not take a penny
through corruption! I will work with whole heart devotion.'
Without giving much notice, his wife then moved back to her
room.
**
With few sips remaining to his coffee, he turns the pages of
newspaper that was near him where he sees the head news along with photo explaining:
Students crossing the
river with risks, due to lack of bridge.
This headline again brings Hari Ram back to his one
conversation with his wife. It was just after a week he sat on his post.
**
'How is your work going on?'
'It is going fine, things were not as I assumed. It is so
complex.'
'Why? What happened?'
'Although being a Reconstruction Minister, I need to go
through so long process for any project! I cannot believe it!'
'Why? What happened?'
'I see there are so many places I need to work for, the
bridges, the old historical places and so many…'
'So?'
'But, I could not work effectively, but at least I will
build a bridge in my entire time at some rural place, and I will do that before
the termination of this Government anyways!'
'I never understood politics, and I don’t think I will ever
understand it! When my husband himself is in such places, I fail to understand
it…when will I understand it now?'
**
These two memories created the sense of responsibility
within him. He feels guilty for spending couple of months without any use. It
was not that he was not excited to work as per his determination, but when one
is in that position, things change all of sudden. Troubles from opposition
party, piles of obstacles within the system had been actually acting as the
main hindrances in his smooth path. He therefore stays committed to at least
make his determination clear.
He peeps into his digital wall clock, that displays the time
7:00 AM . Moving towards fresh room, he
gets ready to begin his day. Within half and hour, he switches on his cell
phone. He could see Miss Call Notification from various unknown numbers.
'People keep calling, either for their personal greed or for
some threats!' He talks to himself. He then walks out to check his Email.
Nothing new!
Today, is not any special day for him, but he is committed
to do some constructive work that the entire citizens could be made proud of
him. He usually thinks of the same though' before going to his office. After
talking for some time with his son in United
States Dhaka Topi. So, he hears the horn of
the white number plated car outside. So, he moves into his vehicle,
where his driver welcomes with fresh new smile.
'Any special plans today mantra
ji?'
'Yes! I will do something constructive today!'
'Mantri ji, you
tell that every day!'
Hari Ram then feels that this energy was gradually getting
low, and he could not focus on his determination and his promising aims.
'Mantri ji, I have
been driver of various other ministers earlier as well, out of all, you seem
different, you seem eager to work!'
Hari Ram response him just with simple smile.
'Mantri ji, I
don’t smell any greed in you, I may be wrong, but I don’t think you are into
corruption. At this time; if there would have been others in your place, they
would have gathered enough to build a new house, but you have not even painted
your old one!' Driver again speaks.
'But I have not been able to do something positive either!
See this headline…' picking up the newspaper from his seat he shows to his
driver that says..
Students crossing the
river with risks, due to lack of bridge.
'Now say, who is responsible for this? Am not I responsible
for this? Being appointed for this specific task, I am yet unable to make a
single bridge any where!'
This makes driver silent. Silent enough for the time when
red light gets into orange, and finally green.
'But Mantri ji, if
you want, you probably could do something, why are you not working on it then?
Maybe I should not say this, but it clearly becomes your fault for this!'
'No, you have entire rights to say it, when entire citizens
are having enough time to point me, why will you not have this right? Of
course, you can say what you feel, and even I accept that it is my fault after
all!'
Minute of silence takes in the vehicle.
'That is why; today I am really planning to do something
that I can speak of tomorrow!'
***
'Good Morning Sir' His secretary wishes him.
'Good Morning' He replies back.
'Sir, I have all placed the documents in your table, your
signature is what the document is seeking for!'
'What is the document about?'
'One is about the old project that was launched by the
Minister before you, since the project was started year back, but could not
conclude, they need to be ended so we have to again begin it…Second is about
the funds estimation and Proposal that we need to send to Prime Minister….Third
one is about the appointments of the peoples there by..Fourth one is about….'
His secretary keeps speaking maybe he reaches up till ten justifications.
He could see his room's wall clock showing the time hour to
mid day! This meant he had entire office hour today. So, without listening to
what his secretary has been speaking of, he signs the document and hand over to
him so that he could get rid of him.
He then googles various rural area of Nepal Western Nepal 's
area to build the Bridge. And, after looking maps he makes a hypothesis
regarding where exactly to build the bridge.
'Can you come to my room right now?' Hari Ram calls his
secretary in his cell phone.
'Sir, I am out, you know the document you have signed, I
need to hand them to concerned peoples…'
'Oh! Okay! So, when are you going to return back to office?'
'Tomorrow Sir!' He could hear the waiter nearby offering him
his fast food.
Without hearing a word, he keeps his phone and thinks of
some other idea. He could hear the bell ringing thereby showing that it is
already a midday !
'Maybe, I should do something on my own!' He thinks.
He calls the peon inside and asks him the process to build
the bridge in that specific area.
'Sir, are you from that place? Or do you have someone
there?' Peon appears with normal set of questions.
'Oh! Don’t care of anything, just tell me the process!'
'I don’t know! But it is not easy as you think, you need to
make a research team for that area, you need to send them with enough budget
for their snacks and drinks as well, they will then bring you report, you need
to make a proposal, submit it to PM, with his approval you will get the budget,
you then need to open tender for it, after certain fights finally you get one
supplier and then you need to hand them the budget and they will begin it.'
'That long? Uff…'
'Sir, I have not completed it…I just said they will begin
it, they will begin it does not necessarily mean they will end it!'
'Okay leave, go to your work!'
'Sir, you can coordinate with your secretary! Even only if
you get the permission, you can build new bungalow at heart of Kathmandu
sir!'
Hari Ram could clearly recognize the corrupted smell over
there.
'Okay Okay..Get lost!'
'Okay sir' Peon turns of his head and then moves with his
last statement, 'Sir, you cannot do it without Avinash ji's help.' Avinash was
his secretary!
Within his two months of office duration, he could clearly
realize how corrupted Avinash was in real. So, this time he was committed to do
without his help.
'First I need to make a proposal….No! I need to do a
research….!'
'Okay…Let me look after research team..Who should I put? I
will be there myself…Maybe this peon would be helpful…and then?'
Trrrriiiinggg Phone nearby rings
'Hari Ram ji?'
'Yes'
'Namaste! I am Keshav Jung, Secretary of PM'
'Oh, Keshav ji, Namaste!'
'Mantri ji, There
is opening ceremony of Real Estate in Bhrikutimandap, and since you are in
office itself, PM has requested you to go there in the opening ceremony!'
'But, I had to do some works today!'
'Oh
come on Mantri Ji, we all know your
entire works, PM is out today, and since he could not make it, he has requested
you!'
'But…'
'I
know they won't pay you extra or anything, but you have no option, be there
today at 3 pm although they have
invited at 2pm . You know ministers
have to be late…'
'And
yes, if you have any complains do talk to PM himself! Bye!' He keeps the phone
and then.
This
reminds him of his day yesterday…
***
He
was with same motto yesterday, when he received call from his Party Office, and
had to be at the party office! Although he was intended to begin the work yesterday,
he could not simply because of his phone call. His Party Office visit was total
waste of time, because although he was called at 2pm ,
entire peoples gathered only at 4pm
and since the Party Chairman was absent, the gathering was a total waste of time!
'I
will seriously begin something positive from tomorrow!' He said before leaving
the party office and heading towards home!
***
He looks at the clock that displays the time 1:30 . This meant he had one hour of time at
his office! He tries to prepare some document, but could not begin it as he had
no idea how to write proposal or anything. He seriously feels necessity of his
secretary then. Tea comes to his table, and after having a cup of tea, he
thinks to talk seriously about the issue next day with his secretary. He feels
he need to say it frankly to his secretary that the project has to be for real
benefit of that specific region and must be corruption less. He calls his
secretary, but could not reach! Maybe Network problem…
By the time the time turns out to be 2:15 he gets prepared for his visit, he makes a letter for
his speech thereby and then gets into his vehicle. He reaches the opening
ceremony, cuts the ribbon. He delivers speech, something about promotion of
Real Estate and Housing business. And, by 4, he gets back into his vehicle…
'Sir, how was your day?' Driver asks, maybe expecting an
answer if he did something as he said morning.
'I don’t know! I could not do anything today!' The usual
answer appears and driver simply smiles.
The newspaper with same headline was on the seat itself, and
he again stares. He reaches home, and he knew he had to reply same sort of
answer to his wife as well! Instead of facing his wife, he enters into kitchen,
takes his dinner and goes to sleep!
***
'Sir your coffee!'
Pranita, his servant
brings him coffee at his bed itself.
As soon as Hari Ram opens his eyes, he pops into the wall
watch, where the clock displays the time 6.15! He takes the sip of coffee and
asks to Pranita,
'What date is it?'
'4th March'
'Today I will do something constructive!' He again thinks!
