Part 20 (1/2)

When Narayan, for example, sitting as President at the table draped with the saffron, white, and green Indian tricolour, asked how Mr Partap, who, he knew, worked in Port of Spain and lived in San Fernando, could represent Cunaripo, which was miles away from either place.

Ganesh at once jumped to his feet and said that Mr Partap, it was true, was an esteemed member of the Parcel Post Service in Port of Spain and belonged to an honourable family in San Fernando; but he also, no doubt for merit in some past life, owned land in Cunaripo.

Narayan looked sick. He said drily, 'Oh, well. I suppose I represent Port of Spain although I work in Sangre Grande, only fifty miles away.'

There was general laughter. Everyone knew that Narayan lived and worked in Port of Spain.

Then Indarsingh began to make trouble. In a speech lasting almost ten minutes he wondered, in impeccable English, whether all the branches present had paid their subscriptions.

The Chief Treasurer, sitting next to Narayan, opened a blue exercise-book with a picture of King George VI on the cover. He said that many branches, particularly the new ones, hadn't paid; but he was sure they soon would.

Indarsingh shouted, 'Unconst.i.tutional!'

There was silence.

He seemed to have expected a howl of protest, and the silence caught him unprepared. He said, 'Oh, I say, what?' and sat down.

Narayan twisted his thin lips. 'It is a little curious, however. Let me consult the const.i.tution!'

Swami bellowed from the back, 'Narayan, you ain't going to consult no const.i.tution!'

Narayan looked miserable and pushed the booklet aside.

'A man like you, robbing money that people scratch and sc.r.a.pe and save. Wanting to consult const.i.tution!'

Ganesh stood up. 'Mr President, sir, I call on Dr Swami to withdraw those unkind remarks.'

The meeting took up the cry. 'Withdraw! Withdraw!'

'All right, I withdraw. Eh, who saying, ”Shut up”? He want to taste my hand.' Swami looked menacingly around. 'Look, I want to make we position plain. We ain't here to fight anybody. We just want to see Hindus unite and we want to get the grant for every everybody, not for one man.'

Narayan looked sicker than ever.

There was laughter, not only from Ganesh's supporters.

Ganesh whispered to the boy, 'How you didn't remind me about the subscriptions, man?'

The boy said, 'It ain't for you, a big man, to talk to me so.'

Indarsingh was up again. 'Mr President, this is a democratic body, and in no other body and I have travelled have I heard of members who haven't paid subscriptions being allowed to vote. In fact, it is my considered opinion that, by and large '

Narayan said, 'Is this a motion?'

Indarsingh looked hurt. 'It is, Mr President. A motion, certainly.'

Swami bellowed, 'Mr President, enough of this d.a.m.n nonsense motion and commotion, and listen to something sensible for a change. It is my motion that the const.i.tution should be be '

'Suspended,' the boy prompted.

' be suspended, or anyway that part which say that members have to pay before they vote. Suspended for this meeting, and this meeting only.'

Indarsingh lost his temper, bared an arm, quoted Gandhi, talked about the Oxford Union, and said he was ashamed of the corruption in the Hindu a.s.sociation.

Narayan looked wretched.

At a signal from Ganesh, four men rushed to Indarsingh and lifted him outside. 'Undemocratic!' Indarsingh shouted, 'Unconst.i.tutional!' He became quiet all of a sudden.

Narayan said, 'Who will second that motion?'

Every hand went up.

Narayan saw defeat. He took out a handkerchief and held it over his mouth.

Then the mood of the meeting changed.

The bearded Negro stood up and made a long speech. He said that he had been attracted to Hinduism because he liked Indians; but the corruption he had seen that day was entirely repugnant to him. It had, as a matter of fact, decided him to join the Muslims, and the Hindus had better look out when he was a Muslim.

The Chief Treasurer, the guardian of the blue exercise-book, a splendid figure in orange turban and silk koortah koortah, said that Indians were bad people, and Hindus particularly bad. He had lost faith in his people and no longer thought it an honour to be Chief Treasurer of the Hindu a.s.sociation. He was going to resign then and there and not offer himself for re-election.

Personal loyalties were forgotten. 'Stay, punditji,' the Hindu a.s.sociation shouted, 'stay.'

The Chief Treasurer wept and stayed.

Narayan looked crumpled and more miserable than ever when he rose to speak. He said and his speech was fully reported in The Hindu The Hindu 'Dissension and dissatisfaction prevail among the rank and file of Hindus in Trinidad today. My friends, I have caused some of that dissension and dissatisfaction. I confess it.' He was weeping. 'My friends, will you forgive an old man?' 'Dissension and dissatisfaction prevail among the rank and file of Hindus in Trinidad today. My friends, I have caused some of that dissension and dissatisfaction. I confess it.' He was weeping. 'My friends, will you forgive an old man?'

'Yes, ji,' the audience wept back. 'We forgive you.'

'My friends, we are not united. And now, with your permission, I am going to tell the story of an old man, his three sons, and a bundle of sticks.' He didn't tell it very well. 'United we stand, then, and divided we fall. My friends, let us fall united rather than stand united. My friends, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru never wrangled with Shri Chakravarti Rajagopalacharya or with Shri Vallabhai Patel for the Presidency of the All-India National Congress. And so too, my friends, I have no desire to be the cause of dissatisfaction and dissension among the rank and file of Hindus in Trinidad today. My friends, I only want back my self-respect and I want your respect. My friends, I withdraw from public life. I do not want to be re-elected President of the Hindu a.s.sociation of Trinidad, of which I am a founder member and President.'

Narayan was cheered loud and long. Some people wept. Some shouted, 'Long live Narayan!'

He wept too. 'Thank you, thank you, my friends.' And sat down to wipe his eyes and blow his nose.

'A diplomatic son of a b.i.t.c.h, pundit,' the boy said.

But Ganesh was wiping away a tear.

Ganesh was the only candidate for the Presidency and was elected without any fuss at all.

Swami and Partap were among the new a.s.sistant-Presidents. The boy was a simple Secretary. Indarsingh was offered the post of Fourth a.s.sistant to the Chief Secretary, but declined.

Ganesh's first act as President was to send a cable to the All-India Congress. Awkwardly, it wasn't the occasion of any important anniversary. He cabled: KEEP MAHATMAJI IDEALS ALIVE STOP HINDU a.s.sOCIATION.

TRINIDAD WITH YOU INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE STOP.

BEST WISHESGANESH PRESIDENT HINDU a.s.sOCIATIONTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO.

11. M.L.C.