DRINKS, CLAIMS AND VIDEOTAPE

Long pause, both minister and Rateria watch TV. Rateria gets another bottle of liquor.

Looking towards his right, Natwar Rateria (NR) starts talking to somebody.

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NR: Rahulji kya keh rahein the …diamonds ke barey main. Kya bol rahe hain Rahulji. (What was Rahulji saying… about diamonds. What is he saying.)

Rahul: Uska mujjhe kisine kaha. Kisi ne batayan…(Someone told me about him. Someone informed me…)

Minister: Kis ka beta? (Whose son)

R: … Woh DDA mein lease ke liye apply kar chuka hai. Aapan ko voh doosra…Australian company, jis se hum logon ki baat chal rahi hai. Voh apply nahi kar sakti. Usne legally bahut samjjhaya hum logon ko. Voh us company ka India mein advisor hain. Hum ne kaha hamare yahan inse relations hain. To hum kar sakte hain. Kaafi badi party hai. (He has applied for a licence with DDA. Our other… Australian company, with whom our talks are going on. They cannot apply. He counselled us a lot legally. He is that company’s advisor in India. I told him that we have relations with him (Judeo) here. So we can do it. They are quite a big party.)

NR: Chhattisgarh ki baat kar rahe ho? (Are you talking about Chhattisgarh?)

R: Orissa aur Chhattisgarh dono (Both Orissa and Chhattisgarh).

NR: Chhattisgarh mein kya hain (What is there in Chhattisgarh)?

R: Chhattisgarh mein to abhi, to jaise election ki baad hi dekhte hain. Aapka chunav ho jane dete hain. To vohi mein soch raha tha. Aap milke is matter ko badhva dijiye thoda thoda. (We shall wait for the elections to get over in Chhattisgarh. In the meantime, why don’t you meet them and push the case forward.)

NR: Zaroor, Zarror. Aapne kagaz diya hai. Aap log kal ja rahain ho. Aap mujhey ek working day dijiye. Mein aapko Action Taken Report de doonga. Aur boliye. (Sure, sure. You have given the papers to me. You are leaving tomorrow. Give me one working day and I will get you the Action Taken Report. Tell me more?) Dekhiye, Impossible, hamare liye koi word hi nahi hai. Aur boliye? Aur Chhattisgarh mein humlog aa jayenege toh koi bhi kanoon … sab nipat lenge. Kisiki kya chalne vali hai. (Look, impossible is not a word in our lives. Tell me more. Once we come to power in Chhattisgarh, then no law….we will deal with everything. Nobody can touch us then.)

Minister looks away, as if distancing himself from the conversation.

NR: Orissa mein bhi sthiti vaisi hi hai. Apna kafi command hai… Nau hazaar (9,000) crore ki relief Naveen Patnaik ko apne mantralay ke project se… us se kuch bhi karva sekte hain. Main yeh keh sakta hoon, Orissa Government .. thodi hi der bahar hai. (Situation in Orissa is the same. We have a lot of influence. We gave relief worth Rs 9,000 crore to Naveen Patnaik from Ministry’s projects. We can make him do anything. I can tell you this, Orissa Government… is outside only for a while.)

R: Uska pata kijiye (Find out more).

NR: Time nahin hain (There is no time).

R: Jab aap free hon to (When you are free).

NR: Chief Minister ban ne ke baad…is desh mein athayees (28) Chief Minister hain. Chief Minister to Chief Minister hota hai. Apna personal relationship hai. Aur Chhattisgarh mein elections ke baad…ab koi kuch nahi karne wala. (After becoming Chief Minister…this country has 28 CMs. After all a CM is a CM. We have a personal relationship. And after elections in Chhattisgarh… Right now nobody will do anything.)

Takes a drink and continues talking.

NR: Orissa mein tasalli banayon. Jo chahenge voh hoga. Chunaav nipat jaaye. Dilli mein Patnaik ke saath baith ke apni sari consultants bulva lena. (Rest assured about Orissa. Whatever we want will happen. Just let the elections get over. Then we will sit with Patnaik in Delhi and you can call all your consultants then.)

R: Usko thoda sa milke…Apan ko thoda kaam aage badhana hain…(He has to be met with…and further our work)

NR: Aapko agar vahan koi kaam aage badhana hai, toh hum forward ker dete hain CM house mein. Aap unse jaake milo. Aapko voh poori tavajoo denge. (If you want to get some work done, we will forward it to the CM’s residence. You go and meet him. He will give you proper hearing.)

R: Jo roda hota hai, voh official hota hai. Kahin bhi jo kuch hota hain woh adhikari log hi karte hain. (The obstructions are all official. Wherever something happens, it is the officials who do the needful.)

NR: Meri baat suno. Orissa ke mamle mein agar aap kisi ko bhi bhejoge Vikram Singh (the minister’s OSD) ke paas, voh 100 point verified hoga. (Listen to me. If you send someone to Vikram Singh on the Orissa matter, it will be verified 100 point.)

R: Official language karvayye. (Get the official language in.)

Meanwhile, minister again leans back and tries to cut himself off from the conversation. Gazes at the TV, which can be seen as a reflection in a photo frame behind him.

NR: Mein keh raha hoon, paanch mantri ko to Vikram Singhji phone kar sakte hain unke saamne bethe bethe. Dus paanch mantriyon par toh Vikram Singhji ka itna vahan ka command hai, kyon ki vahan unka service tenure raha hai. Dus Paanch mantriyon ki instant aapko jaankari de denge. (I am saying that Vikram Singh can call five ministers while he is sitting there. Vikram Singh has enough command over 5-10 ministers because he completed a tenure of his service there. He can give you instant information about 10 ministers.)

Aap bhej dijiye hamari daftar mein. (Send it to my office.) Rest assured…

Abhi yeh samay nahi hai... Naveen Patnaik ka jab bhi koi baat padegi, ek minute mein karva denge. Apne pehle aahsaan hain uske upar hai. Aur relationship bhi badi purani hai. (This is not the right time…Whenever we need work done from Naveen Patnaik, we can get it done in a minute. He is already indebted to us and our relationship is quite old.)

R: Aap nahi lad rahen hai? (Aren’t you contesting elections?)

NR: (laughs) Mera to unke saath wahi jhhagda hota hai roz. Isiliye to hum alag alag gaadi mein aaye hain. (I always have a fight with him (Judeo) over this. That is why we have come in separate cars).

Minister: (Inaudible)

NR:Aur yeh jo aapne diye hai na. Aap jald baaji mein aaye nah. (And this that you have given. You have come in hurry, isn’t it).

R: Mera kissi ko contact karwa dijiye (Get me in touch with someone).

NR: Mera mobile pe bol dena. Unko poori tavajoo milegi, working day… fully aware kara denge. (Tell me on my mobile. One working day…we will apprise him fully).

R: Mein kooch karva deta hoon.. (I will get something done).

Minister eats the snacks.

NR: Aab toh…kuch dehi dena.. Samay bhi paryapt hain. Koi problem nahi hai. Aap bhej do bus. (You…just give something…time is appropriate. No problem. Just send him).

Looks at the minister.

NR: Inka kuch karna padega Sir. (We will have to do something for them, sir).

A long pause follows and both the minister and aide watch TV.

R: Kitney rakh doon paanch sau waley. (How many 500 ones should I keep?)

Long pause watching TV.

NR: Bahut achi baat hui hain sir. Solar Singh ki Baragarh se baat huwi hain ki mein puri tarah se satisfied hoon. (Sir, there’s been a good development. Solar Singh talked with Baragarh, that he was fully satisfied).

Tape inaudible while the minister and his aide talk to each other.

NR: (turning to the minister): …Aap ku Jashpur betna pada ga. Raj Pariwar ka rasta nikal na padee ga. Aap ki baat koi nahin talega. (You will have to go to Jashpur. You’ll have to take out the Raj Pariwar’s way. No one will ignore you).

R: Aap ke state mein CM kyun nahin declare kar rahein hain. (Why is no CM being declared in your state?)

NR: Mukhya Mantri declare aap kisi bhi channel pe dekh lo, sab ko pata hain mukhe mantri kaun hain. 500 channel mein yahi hain. Party declare nahin kar rahien, public declare kar rahee hain. (Watch any channel, everyone knows who the CM is. 500 channels are showing the same thing. Party has not declared but the public has).

Minister:: Public declare kar rahee hain. (Public is declaring).

R: Opposition declare kar rahee hain. (Opposition is declaring).

A person carrying wads of notes is seen entering the frame from the left side. Rateria tries to shoo him away but he hands the notes to someone in the right corner.

NR: Aisa nahin karo please. Rahul Bhai aap roz roz aisa karte hain. Idhar ajayee baat suniyee. (Don’t do this please. Rahul Bhai you do this everyday. Come here and listen to me).

R (hands over the notes): Aap ke pass to paisa hoga. (You will have money).

The minister takes the notes and raises it to his forehead. He turns to his right and keeps it on the sofa.

NR: Yeh acchha tariqa nahin hain. (This is not right way).

NR: Yeh roz roz achcha nahin lagta. (This doesn’t look proper everyday).

A lot of rustling of paper is audible.

R: Apka aashirvad hai…aaj kal to jo bhi…(It’s your blessings, these days whatever…)

Minister cuts him off.

Minister: Paisa khuda to nahin par khuda ki kasam khuda se kam bhi nahin. (Money isn’t God but, God promise, it’s no less than God).

NR: Aaj tak jo kisi ke liye nahin kiya woh karne ka man karta hai…main mazaak nahin kar raha hoon…(I feel like doing today what I haven’t done for anybody so far…I’m not kidding). Aap is prakar mat kiya kariye…(Please do not keep on doing this…)

Minister:: Yeh mere beta ki umar ke hongeye. (He must be my son’s age).

R: Ghar pe jo mila tha ek baar? Woh to bada hain. (The one we met at the house once? He is older).

NR: Nahin lagta hain. 1976 born hain. August 5 1976. (Doesn’t look it. He’s 1976 born).

R: Woh bhi lad raha hain election? (Is he also contesting elections?)

NR: Nahin Nahin (no, no). (laughs)

Minister: Inke candidate ke khilaf (Against his candidate).

R: Kaun hain inka candidate? (Who is his candidate?)

Minister: Woh Vijay Agarwal (That Vijay Agarwal).

Long pause. The conversation is inaudible.

NR: Sach hum ko aap se ek hi shikayat hain.. Kaam nahin karwate hain. Aap keh rahain hain, aap bhej denge unko. (Seriously, we have only one complaint against you… You do not give us an opportunity. You are saying you will send them. Send them.

R: Mein bhej doonga kal (I will send them tomorrow.)

NR: Aap hum ko perform karney ka mauka to dijiye. Aap rukiye aur ek din unke saath aayee. (Give us an opportunity to perform. Wait for a day and come alongwith them).

R: Aap kab tak hain yahan? (How long are you here?)

NR: Mein aap ki wajah se kal ke working day karwa raha hoon. Ek din roke rakha hain. Kuwar Saheb (minister) ki bhi election committee ki baithak ko defer kar diya hain. Inke samne unko bulwa dena. Aur bolo. (For you, I have made tomorrow a working day. Have stopped it for one day. Minister’s election committee meeting has also been deferred. Call him when the Minister is there. Tell more.)

R:Multinational bhi hain. (there is multinational also).

Seems to be speaking to someone outside the camera frame.

R: Nahin hain kya. Phone kardo (Isn’t it there. Shall I phone).

NR: Aap itna kyon dar rahein hain? Aap unko ley awoo. Meray ko time batawoo. main aap ko time, date deta hoon. Mantralay main unko bhi le aana. (Why are you so scared? You bring them. Tell me the time. I will give you the time and date. Get them to the Ministry too.)

R: Main unko leke aa jata hoon aap time bata do. (I will get them. Just tell me the time.)

NR: Mantraley main woh attend kareyge. Ek aad ghante main inka nirakaran ho jayega. Inka confidence high kar denge. Unke saamney CM se baat ho jayegi. Aap hamare time ke hisaaab se adjust karlegeyee. (They can be attended to in the Ministry. In a matter of hours, their problem will be sorted out. We will increase their confidence. We will talk to the CM in front of them. You adjust your timings according to ours).

While the conversation is going on, the minister turns to his right and starts speaking to somebody out of the frame.

Minister: Koyii laundry bag hoga? (Is there a laundry bag?)

A man enters the frame and puts the notes into the bag.

NR: Hum aap ko milne wale nahin the aaj. Aagar aap ek din rukh sakte hain…Aapke liye rakha hain unka ek aur din. (We were not going to meet you today. If you can wait another day…we had kept another day for you.)

Watching TV, R turns to the minister and starts talking about somebody (judging from the conversation, it seems to be Madan Lal Khurana) referred to in the news.

NR: Yeh to bhayankar jadoogar hain. Yeh nali wali saaf karkey, tandoor wandoor kar ke dekhna kaise jitayega. Mujhe is par pura bharosa hain. Inke competence pe. (This man is a magician. He will clean drains, raise the tandoor issue and see how he will win the election. I have full confidence in him. In his competence.)

NR (turning to the minister): After Kuwar Saheb, he is the most competent.

Number one Kunwar Saheb. Number two yeh. Number three Umaji aur number four Vasundhara Rajeji. Competence ke hisaab se. (Number one is Kunwar Saheb. Number two this (Khurana). Number three Umaji and number four, Vasundhara Rajeji. In terms of competence).

R: Aap ki party main woh hain na. Woh Taj waley…Jagmohan? (Isn’t he in your party? The Taj one…Jagmohan?)

NR: Hamare party mein ek se ek asset hain. (Our party has the choicest assets)

Minister offers snacks to someone.

Minister: Aur kya haal chaal hain Bhai (So what is the news Bhai). Bhai saheb (almost yelling). (The person comes in the frame and takes what is offered.) How are you?

NR is visibly embarrassed and starts praising the minister.

NR: Aap believe nahin karogay. Paanch baje soyai hain yeh. Aap inki ankhe dekhiye. (You won’t believe. He slept at 5. See his eyes)

Minister: Nahin nahin. (No, no).

NR: Yeh to kuch nahin kahainge. Aaj meeting se aaye, 500, 400 log the…Aaj to ek aadmi drawing room key samney bich gaya aur kahan meri body key upar se jawo. Bahut samjhana pada usko. (He will not say anything…there were 400-500 people at today’s meeting. Today, one man lay down in front of the drawing-room and said go over my body. We had to really advise him.)
Minister walks out of the frame.

NR: You cannot stay for two hours.

R: Kal nahin, parso subeh aa sakta hoon. Confirm karyiye unke saath ana chahte hain. (Not tomorrow, I can come day-after. Please confirm the timings. They want to come as well.) Nau baje phone karlun? (Shall I call at nine?)

NR: Try level best ki inka parson ka programme Delhi main rakh doon. Unko saath ley gaye, dekhte hain kya hota hain. Kal aap kisi ko bhej do. Parson owner ko saath leke aana. (I’ll try my level best to keep his programme in Delhi. You send somebody tomorrow, and come with the owner day after.)

NR: Kal bhej do. Sara samjha ke homework kara denge. (Send somebody tomorrow, we will do the homework).

R: Parson mein aadmi ko leke aa jaoonga (I will come with the man tomorrow.)

Tape inaudible.

Rateria leaves the frame. Money on the sofa, now wrapped in a laundry bag, is the only thing in the frame. Rustling of paper. Someone enters the frame. TV is loud again. A lot of people run into and out of the frame. Somebody walks in and cleans the table.
A person comes and puts the money in what looks like a hotel jute bag. Sound of flushing from bathroom. Rustling of paper.

Minister heard saying: Ab Chaley (Let’s go).

NR (off camera): Chalte hain (Let’s leave). Aap apna aadmi bhej dena. Parsoon ek aur din extend kara denge. (Send your man. I’ll extend the stay by one day.)

R: Main kal aap ko pakka bata doonga. (I’ll confirm by tomorrow).

NR: Aap ke liye ruke hain. (We will be waiting for you only).

R: Sir chod dijye, waiter utha lega. (Leave it sir, the waiter will pick it up).

Minister walks into the frame, keeps empty glasses on the table.

Rateria walks into the frame.

R: Ok Sir, jaldi se mukhya mantri baniye. (Ok, sir. Become the Chief Minister soon). Enters the frame wearing black suit and a blue tie. Face not visible. Shakes hands with the minister.

Rateria lifts the bag.

R: Delhi ke to aap PM banege. (You’ll be PM in Delhi one day).

Rateria receives a call. Minister extends his hand and takes the bag from him.

Everybody walks out of the frame.

R (off camera): Hamare liye aur koyi hukum. Koi sewa ka mauka ho to. Election period mein zaroorat padta hain. (Any other order for us. If there is any way we can be of service. You might require during elections)

The VCD ends.