The young man Krishna who grew up in the same environs had had the opportunity to go to college and then to US for higher education. He settled there in US. Whenever he visited his aged parents, he came with gifts to his friends and children in neighbourhood. Aweek before he arrive in the village, people begin to queue up at his home longing to see and talk to him. Parents in the village often yell at their children prompting them to follow the footsteps of Krishna.
That day, the villagers felt they were really blessed. Krishna, who would usually spend all the time with his parents, visiting his agricultural fields chose to talk to all the villagers. He explained to them how the world was changing but not the people and village back here.
As he went on speaking the villagers remained dumbstruck and shocked. He announced that he gave up his lucrative job and luxurious life to be with them back in the village. “I have decided to live for you and not for my own self,” he said.
When he asked the villagers to stay united and join hands with him to change the village, one Raju from the crowd suddenly stood and said “Enough is enough. Several people have been telling the same during the election time. Are you going to contest elections now?”
As the elderly scorned at Raju for interrupting and insulting the speaker, Mr Krishna discouraged them and asked Raju to go on. He said it was his duty to clear the doubts and enlist support of every villager in his noble mission. “We all should remain united to get a hospital, a school and a good road. One need not necessarily fight the election. You believe me and see how I would change this village. I have come with lots of money which I will be using for the good of us,” he said.
The villagers clapped endlessly and began hailing as they did during the election meetings. Mr Krishna warranted them and said he would soon start two training centres for the boys and girls.
Mr Krishna’s parents did not like the idea and urged him not to leave the job. They wanted him to send money for charity work rather coming back. They tried their best to convince him stating that he cannot satisfy people however great work he did. “By nature people are greedy. As you go on giving, they ask for more. The villagers are not as good as they are once,’ his aged father Jagadishwar Rao said. His friends in US too mocked at his idea of serving the people. “There are many politicians who promise and do nothing. What will you do there?” they posed. But he did not listen to them.
Learned to work according to deadlines, Krishna took no time in establishing a centre where the youth were trained in multi-purpose skills like motor winding and electrical winding and another centre for girls where they are taught stitching and garment making. He went on lecturing the youth how they can better their lives with little planning and how they should aim and work in life. The youth no more whiled their time away or break their backs in agricultural fields. Mr Krishna also spent his hard earned money in setting up a small library where the aged flocked to read newspapers and spent their leisure time during evenings. He also donated part of his land and money to construct a temple to inculcate a sense of devotion among the villagers.
As the time progressed, the villagers began whispering “Krishna kept up his promises. Is it possible for any other man? Another said “What did our MLA do. He did nothing to our village. Library is a good thing we got, thanks to Mr Krishna” Another elderly man chipped in and said, “I thought my son would remain a vagabond. Thanks to Mr Krishna, he is learning something”.
Mr Krishna cared for nothing, neither praise nor criticism. There were people who still suspected his motives though elections were far away. Mr Krishna’s day was filled visiting the two training centres interacting with youth there and then winding up his day at library. He always smiled at people whether they liked or disliked him.
Meanwhile, he worked out strategies to provide employment to the youth who were completing their training. He succeeded in mustering the support of his friends and relatives. He placed 25 boys in various private establishments and five others set up their own enterprises. Similarly, several girls were provided with sewing machines by Mr Krishna from his money and helped some join private enterprises.
Many parents enjoyed the prospect of their children working and earning money. They owed their gratitude to Mr Krishna who made all the difference. During one of the meetings, suddenly some elders unanimously said “An MLA should be like Mr Krishna, caring and doing things practically”. He instantly reacting warranting them ‘Please do not drag me into politics. I am not interested at all”.
As he discouraged them, the villagers were hell bent. ‘If you become MLA, you will have money and power at your disposal. We can get many facilities not just the training centres and library, but many more. You can really do lot and we believe in you,’ the villagers said in chorus.
Good or bad does not wait for a man’s answer. The villagers themselves turned as campaigners and went on telling people in other villages how Mr Krishna helped them. The youth who benefited from his initiatives worked day and night to ensure victory of their benefactor. While the election cost very much and proved hard to other candidates, Mr Krishna walked away with big majority. The Peoples’ Democratic Party that came to ruling after a long time decided to have educated persons like Mr Krishna in the Cabinet and that is how he became a minister without much difficulty.
The villagers who witnessed him become busy with his work as a public representative grew disappointed. But the youth pacified them stating that large number of people now needed his services and not just his own village. The villagers longed to see and talk to him much and he remained elusive somehow.
Mr Krishna visited US after four year on official visit this time though. He visited his college and the company he worked to meet his old friends. In the evening, when they all gathered for a party, his friends aired their feelings one by one. “It is good you became a minister at the first instance”. Another said “Our salaries doubled and had you been here you would have earned thousands of dollars’. “What a foolish thing you really did. What is there in India and in that village.” As they went on and on, he listened to them silently.
When his turn came, he opened his mind. “Dear friends, I invested 10 million rupees to buy peoples’ faith. Here, you count every hour of your labour and wage you earn. All that I invested is little money and lot of patience to become an MLA. One need not work every hour to earn money. I sow a thought and wait in patience to harvest. I agree with you that things move slowly in India, but politicians get what they want. I get my percentage in every rupee that is spent on development. Do not think I don’t work. I work, but work less to earn more unlike you. I earn ten times or perhaps more before my term ends. I plough back some to retain my job”.
His enlightened friends said in unison `Ah!’
The youth in the village told the elders that Mr Krishna went to US to bring gifts, this time not just to his friends, but to the entire village. As is the habit, the villagers believed.
Ends/
Published in Pratibha India
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