Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Between You & Me

THE RULERS of yore used to occasionally undertake incognito a surprise nocturnal tour of the city to get a feedback from the public about their rule. In the absence of the media, that was a good way of getting to feel the pulse of people. Based on that, they would take corrective action, including the hanging of the complainant. Stories about such rounds by Caliph Haroon-al- Rashid of Baghdad, Vikramaditya and Krishnadevaraya are well-known. The last ruler known to undertake such visits was the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Mehboob Ali Khan. Quite a few poor people benefited from his surprise tours.

Our modern-day democratic rulers also adopt such a practice. They inform the media beforehand so that they create a dramatic effect. But some media people leak information to officials who are supposed to be surprised. The result is that the worthies don't find anything wrong when they descend upon the seemingly unaware subordinates. Last week, Shobha Nagi Reddy, Chairperson of the State Road Transport Corporation, paid such a surprise visit to the Koti bus terminus in the city. She was reportedly received by the local staff in right royal fashion and she was going away obviously satisfied when an enthusiastic official offered what she did not think of looking at. A complaint box was shown to her to prove that public grievances were attended to. But ah the luck! A complaint made about four months ago popped up from the box. That spoiled the show. I understand that the complaint was about poor service. That is not uncommon. Once I was bitten by a bug in a Pullman sleeper coach, which boasts of its high quality in America. A week later, I got a polite apology saying that it was the most unusual thing to have happened. However, pinned to the letter was my original letter on which someone had scrawled: "Send the usual bed bug reply.''

Surprise visits, to be meaningful, should be taken up incognito without the knowledge of anyone. She should have gone dressed as a poor woman, on a rickshaw with a bundle of clothes. She could have taken a small video camera and recorded her trip on her own. She could have got into a bus and asked the conductor for a ticket or change after tendering the fare. She might have been given a rude reply for making such a demand. But then that is how things are for nobodies. But it is not easy to act as a nobody if you are somebody. It is easier the other way about. Was it a surprise or a shock for her? The famous American lexicographer, Noah Webster, was a stickler for words. The story goes that once he came home to find his wife in the arms of a friend of his. His wife asked him if he was surprised. Webster retorted: "No, you are surprised. I am shocked.''

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THE PROGRESSIVE Writers' Association was inaugurated by the celebrated writer of moving stories of rural life of UP, Munshi Prem Chand, in 1936. In his address, he exhorted writers `to march not behind patriotism and politics, but ahead of them with torch in hand.' Since then, 11national conferences have been held at varying intervals in different parts of the country. Prominent writers like Tagore, Sajjad Zaheer, Mulk Raj Anand, Makhdoom, Tapi Dharma Rao, Abburi, Dasaradhi, Thummala and Sri Sri have been associated with this movement. The 13th Conference of the Association will be held for the first time in the South, in Hyderabad, from April 11 to 13. My old friend, Raj Bahadur Gour, the veteran freedom fighter, is the chairman and my young friend and the well-known Telugu writer, S.V. Satyanarayana, is its general secretary. The renowned Marathi writer, Narayan Surve, will inaugurate it. It assumes significance in view of the changes in the international political and economic scenario, which also affect our country.

I am not a member of any formal association of writers and intellectuals. I believe that the creative act is a lonely activity and the artist is only driven by the urge for self-expression. He creates because he must. In doing that, he may also touch a common chord in some people's hearts. That is a measure of his success and greatness. I look forward to meeting some kindred souls during that period. Its deliberations will be watched with interest by many -- including the intelligence agencies.

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``Women do not find it difficult nowadays to behave like men, but they find it extremely difficult to behave like gentlemen.'' -- Compton Mackenzie.

Narendra Luther

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