Quarrel Between Ustad Mangu and the Gora Soldier
It was the morning of 1st April, 1935 in South Asia. The day when a new
constitution was supposed to be promulgated. Ustad Mangu, the hero of
the story "The New Constitution" by Saadat Hasan Manto, got up earlier
than usual. He set up his tonga and came on the road. He moved about in
the city to see colour and light, but there was none.
He went to the cantonment. There he saw the Gora soldier who had abused
him the year before in the drunken state. He was waiting for a
conveyance. Mangu drove towards him. The Gora soldier wanted to be
carried to the dancing girls' bazaar. To recover the amount spent on the
new plume of his horse, Mangu demanded five rupees for the service.
The demand of five rupees caused a violent bickering between the two.
The Gora soldier hit Mangu with his stick. Mangu's thigh was injured. He
flew into exasperation. He thought that the new constitution was in
force. So under the illusion of equal rights, he hit a blow under the
chin of the soldier. Many blows followed. He gave the soldier a sound
beating.
In desperation, the soldier began to shout for help. Soon a crowd
gathered there. Police also appeared on the scene. Mangu was
apprehended. He shouted "New constitution!" "New constitution!" But he
was told that there was no new constitution. At last, the common Indian
was put behind the bars and it got proved that the British were still in
rule.
1 comment:
good say.....
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