By- Ramu Ramanathan

1.
To the local astrologer, I went and asked
Junaab: yeh inquilaab kab aayega?
2.
His followers prohibited from worshiping idols
Yet his lordship prays to his fleet of Rolls Royce engines
Instead of blessing his tribe with the Ta’wil and Ta’fsir
When they crawl for the Sajda under his feet
3.
Spies, spies, they are everywhere
Imprisoning you for what you think
4.
Ali Sardar Jaffri
Khwaja Ahmed Abbas
Krishnan Chander
Others
Unlike you
All of the above, sign Madame’s letter
Instead of throwing the pen, away
5.
5-a.
You say to me
The Ganges may be Holier
But the canal
Near Maliyana and Hashimpura
Is bloodier

5-b.

The first story you told me
About the E Maidan
Where factories rioted with factories
And the brassware industry lived unhappily ever after
5-c
The second story you told me
About the constabulary
Who severed her legs
And yet, the young girl (known for her personal hygiene)
Crawled to the river in Logaingaon
To complete her daily bath
5-d
The third story you told me
About potatoes
Who were persecuted under Section 153 A
Since the innocent blood
Found beneath the soil
Improved crop cultivation
5-e
We have been notified
The 300 mini-riots in 1990
Cannot be classified as riots
It was an endeavour in communal harmony
To recycle the dead beings into medical implants
For the other
6.
Asghar Ali Engineer Saab
To you, I say
Gaali khaya
Maar khaaya
Jihaad kiya
Now let’s go to a disco
Where I know a dervish DJ
We can drink all night
Till our faith fades away …

(Dr Asghar Ali Engineer passed away on 14 May 2013)

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