Page 13 of A Shimla Affair
The man called Azad Bhai stepped next to Ratan Babu, keeping his hand on his shoulder. ‘Our brother Ratan came to Shimla and joined us in our goal to increase the resistance, to overthrow the British rule. And why wouldn’t he come to us? The Shimla Circle is the backbone of the freedom movement, of the revolution. The Congress must engage in peace talks, non-violence, Satyagraha and so on—but without a real resistance, there is no chance for Bharat. What we do today will shape how hundreds of thousands of people live tomorrow.’
Ratan Babu chimed in. ‘I had heard whispers about the Shimla Circle for years, and it took me many months to find contacts that could bring me here. I, too, like my parents, wanted to resist the British imperial rule. My family has embraced Satyagraha for years now. But I’m not sure that it will take us ahead. The Congress also supports the Shimla Circle, as we do their dirty work. We find information for them, organize strikes, resistance, propaganda, raids and even sabotage operations.
‘We want independence. Yet, the way things are going right now, it is nowhere on the horizon. Britain says help us in our war against the Germans, and we will think about your freedom. Why should we—innocent Indians—who have never laid foot in Europe, give our lives for those people and their land? More thanever, it is now time to resist. And it is my good fortune, that in meeting the Shimla Circle, I met Afreen.’
I stared at them, jaw locked.
Afreen knew what I was thinking. ‘We couldn’t have Noor reject it … he’s not a Parsi; she would never allow it. So, I had to go along with pretending I am all right with being married off. I didn’t want to break her heart, but … I want to fight. And I want to do it with … him. With the Shimla Circle.’
She had been lying to us all these months, I thought, as I imagined her meeting Ratan Babu in secret, receiving the gun, making plans to get married. I was afraid to know more, but too captivated to stop listening.
‘This is all secret information, Behenji,’ Azad Bhai said warningly, ‘so you must keep it to yourself. About the Shimla Circle, you cannot tell anyone.’
Dr Bannerjee stepped forward menacingly. ‘This is not a joke, sister … one word out of this room and hell will rain down. Guruji has not even approved that you should know all this.’
I didn’t know what to say. My next words were stutters. ‘But … we are not allowed to … Afreen knows … we can’t be involved in political resistance, it’s the condition on which we were allowed to stay at the hotel. They will take it away from us.’
‘Nobody is allowed,’ Azad announced flatly. ‘Yet, we do it, putting our lives at risk. An army of men waits for the day we manage to overthrow the British government. Once this happens, our leaders will quickly form our own government, and India will finally be free. Guruji will ensure that this happens soon.’
‘Guruji is our leader,’ Afreen quickly explained. ‘It is through his guidance that the Shimla Circle moves forward.’
‘And what do you do?’ I asked her, finding it hard to keep the accusation out of my voice. I too wanted to be free from the people who treated us like servants in our land, againstwhom our father had died fighting. But we had agreed to the restrictions and Afreen was well aware of that.
We couldn’t walk down the Lower Bazaar and participate in the women’s strikes and Satyagraha. We couldn’t pass around the Indian flag or go around singingVande Mataram. We were only allowed to grit our teeth and serve tea to the British.
‘I know I can’t be seen outside protesting; I know that very well, Nalini. I know the impact of breaking the agreement we have signed. But what I am doing is helping the cause. I answer letters, read and analyse the newspapers, and collate and present the information to Guruji. But times are changing, and we must fight now if we can. I want to follow our father’s footsteps. It’s the only way to make him proud of us.’
‘Not necessarily,’ I offered unconvincingly.
If Noor found out, we were done for. I stared around helplessly, caught in the middle of my fiery sister about to stake her life, and my other sister, who had given up everything in her life to protect ours.
‘Behenji, it is our land, our home,’ said Azad, ‘and we must not be scared to defend it.’
‘It is your bad luck you had to find out like this,’ Ratan Babu said.
Afreen untied me. ‘Now remember to keep quiet, sister. About the Shimla Circle.’
I nodded, promising to keep their secret, my heart uneasy.
‘And the wedding?’ I asked.
‘We’ll tell her, in the next couple of days. She will have to accept it. We are already married.’
‘And don’t worry, that’s my responsibility,’ Ratan Babu said.
I knew I didn’t want to be there the day that we did. When we were finally released and allowed to go, I followed her and Ratan Babu out.
‘Noor will be so angry,’ I couldn’t help saying.
Afreen and Ratan Babu glanced at each other.
‘Swear on me, you will not mention the Shimla Circle,’ Afreen said.
I nodded, eager to not disappoint her, to prove that I could be trusted with the secret, even though my conscience said otherwise.
If only I had taken the other path, and told Noor everything right from the start, perhaps I would have been able to stop the chain of events that haunts us till this day.
5
