He had not even sat down when the inexorable Ram Dhan came back into the fray. 'I am much obliged to the honourable Chief Minister,' he said, 'but I would like to seek a clarification. By saying that he supports the Home Minister, does the Chief Minister mean to imply that he approves of the policy of the district authorities?'

Before the Chief Minister could reply, the Home Minister quickly rose again to say: 'I hope that we have made ourselves clear on this point. It was not a case of prior approval. An inquiry was held immediately after the incident. The District Magistrate went into the matter fully and found that the very minimum force which was absolutely unavoidable was used. The Government regret that such an occasion should have arisen, but are satisfied that the finding of the District Magistrate is correct. It was accepted by practically all concerned that the authorities faced a serious situation with tact and due restraint.'

A member of the Socialist Party stood up. 'Is it true,' he asked, 'that it was on the prodding of members of the bania trading community to which he belongs that the

338'V, honourable Home Minister' - angry murmurs rose from the Government benches - 'let me finish - that the Minister subsequently posted troops - I mean police - throughout the length and breadth of Misri Mandi?'

'I disallow that question,' said the Speaker.

'Well,' continued the member, 'would the honourable Minister kindly inform us on whose advice he decided on the placing of this threatening body of police?'

The Home Minister grasped the curve of hair under his cap and said : 'Government made its own decision, bearing the totality of the situation in mind. And in the event it has proved to be effective.

There is peace at last in Misri Mandi.'

A babble of indignant shouts, earnest chatter and ostentatious laughter arose on all sides. There were shouts of 'What peace?' 'Shame!' 'Who is the DM to judge the matter?' 'What about the mosque?' and so on.

'Order! Order!' cried the Speaker, looking flustered as another member rose to his feet and said :

'Will the Government consider the advisability of creating machineries other than the interested district authorities for making inquiries in such cases?'

'I do not allow this question,' said the Speaker, shaking his head like a sparrow. 'Under Standing Orders questions making suggestions for action are not permissible and I am not prepared to allow them during Question Time.'

It was the end of the Home Minister's grilling on the Misri Mandi incident. Though there had been only five questions on the printed sheet, the supplementary questions had given the exchange the character almost of a crossexamination. The intervention of the Chief Minister had been more disturbing than reassuring to L.N. Agarwal. Was S.S. Sharma, in his wily, indirect way, trying to palm off full responsibility for the action onto his second-incommand? L.N. Agarwal sat down, sweating slightly, but he knew that he would have to be on his feet immediately again. And, though he prided himself on maintaining his calm in difficult circumstances, he did not relish what he would now have to face.

3395.7

BEGUM ABIDA KHAN slowly stood up. She was dressed in a dark blue, almost black, sari, and her pale and furious face riveted the house even before she began to speak. She was the wife of the Nawab of Baitar's younger brother, and one of the leaders of the Democratic Party, the party that sought to protect the interests of the landowners in the face of the impending passage of the Zamindari Abolition Bill. Although a Shia, she had the reputation of being an aggressive protector of the rights of all Muslims in the new, truncated Independent India. Her husband, like his father, had been a member of the Muslim League before Independence and had left for Pakistan shortly afterwards. Despite the powerful persuasion and reproach of many relatives, she, however, had chosen not to go. Til be useless there, sitting and gossiping. Here in Brahmpur at least I know where I am and what I can do,' she had said. And this morning she knew exactly what she wanted to do. Looking straight at the man whomshe considered to be one of the less savoury manifestations of humankind, she began her questioning from her list of starred questions.

'Is the honourable Minister for Home Affairs aware that

at'least^nve people were'kilieb1 oy the ponce in'tne'rmng

near Chowk last Friday?'

The Home Minister, who at the best of times could not

stand the Begum, replied : 'Indeed, I was not.'

It was somewhat obstructive of him not to elaborate,

but he did not feel like being forthcoming before this pale

harridan.

Begum Abida Khan veered from her script. 'Will the

honourable Minister inform us exactly what he is aware

of?' she inquired acidly.

'I disallow that question,' murmured the Speaker. 'What would the honourable Minister say was the death

toll in the firing in Chowk?' demanded Begum Abida

Khan.

'One,' said L.N. Agarwal.

340Begum Abida Khan's voice was incredulous : 'One?' she cried. 'One?'

'One,' replied the Home Minister, holding up the index finger of his right hand, as if to an idiot child who had difficulty with numbers or hearing or both.

Begum Abida Khan cried out angrily : 'If I may inform the honourable Minister, it was at least five, and I have good proof of this fact. Here are copies of the death certificates of four of the deceased.

Indeed, it is likely that two more men will shortly -'

'I rise on a point of order, Sir,' said L.N. Agarwal, ignoring her and addressing the Speaker directly. 'I understand that Question Time is used for getting information from and not for giving information to Ministers.'

Begum Abida Khan's voice continued regardless : '- two more men will shortly be receiving such certificates of honour thanks to the henchmen of the honourable Minister. I would like to table thesedeath certificates - these copies of death certificates.'

'I am afraid that that is not possible under the Standing Orders....' protested the Speaker.

Begum Abida Khan waved the documents around, and raised her voice higher: 'The newspapers have copies of them, why is the House not entitled to see them? When the blood of innocent men, of mere boys, is being callously shed -'

'The honourable member will not use Question Time to make speeches,' said the Speaker, and banged his gavel.

Begum Abida Khan suddenly pulled herself together, and once again addressed L.N. Agarwal.

'Will the honourable Minister kindly inform the House on what basis he came to the total figure of one?'

'The report was furnished by the District Magistrate, who was present at the time of the event.'

'By "present" you mean that he ordered the mowing down of these unfortunate people, is that not so?'

L.N. Agarwal paused before answering:

'The District Magistrate is a seasoned officer, who took whatever steps he considered the situation required. As the

341honourable member is aware, an inquiry under a more senior officer will shortly be made, as it is in all cases of an order to fire; and I suggest to her that we wait until such time as the report is published before we give vent to speculation.'

'Speculation?' burst out Begum Abida Khan. 'Speculation? Do you call this speculation? You should be - the honourable Minister' - she emphasized the word maananiya or honourable - 'the honourable Minister should be ashamed of himself. I have seen the corpses of two men with these very eyes. I am not speculating. If it were the blood of his own co-religionists that was flowing in the streets, the honourable Minister would not "wait until such time". We know of the overt and tacit support he gives that foul organization the Linga Rakshak Samiti, set up expressly to destroy the sanctity of our mosque -'

The House was getting increasingly excited under her oratory, inappropriate though it may have been.

L.N. Agarwal was grasping his curve of grey hair with his right hand, tense as a claw, and - having cast his calm demeanour to the winds - was glaring at her at every scornful 'honourable'. The frail- looking Speaker made another attempt to stem the flow :

'The honourable member may perhaps need reminding that according to my Question List, she has three starred questions remaining.'

'I thank you, Sir,' said Begum Abida Khan. 'I shall come to them. In fact I shall ask the next one immediately. It is very germane to the subject. Will the honourable Minister of Home Affairs inform us whether prior to the firings in Chowk a warning to disperse was read out under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code? If so, when? If not, why not?'

Brutally and angrily L.N. Agarwal replied: