The Salt Inspector: Page 3

But this humiliating situation lasted only till the time he reached the court. The moment he stepped into the court, Pandit Alopideen turned into a lion in this vast jungle. The officers were his devotees; the subordinates waited upon him; advocates and attorneys obeyed his orders and did his bidding; orderlies and watchmen were his unpaid slaves. The court was plunged into chaos when people saw Pandit Alopideen. Everyone was dismayed; people were saddened not by the fact that Pandit Alopideen had committed a wrong but by the fact that the law should have caught up with him. How could law have caught up with a person whose riches could buy anything and who had a gift of the gab! Everyone in the court felt a strong sympathy for Pandit Alopideen. Very soon, a team of advocates was formed to defend him. A war between Duty and Wealth was declared on the battlefield of justice.

Vanshidhar stood alone silently. He had no power other than the power of truth; he had no weapon other than the weapon of honest speech. There were witnesses, but greed had made them unreliable.

It seemed to Munshiji as if the law was tilted in favour of Pandit Alopideen. Here was a court of justice, but its staff was biased. Prejudice and justice do not go hand in hand; where there is prejudice, you cannot expect justice. The trial was conducted speedily and soon ended. The deputy magistrate wrote in his order: "The evidence presented against Pandit Alopideen is baseless and misleading. It is beyond imagination that a wealthy person like him should have acted so recklessly for a small gain. The salt inspector, Munshi Vanshidhar, cannot be faulted, but, unfortunately, his arrogance and thoughtlessness caused much suffering to an innocent person. The court is happy that Munshi Vanshidhar is conscientious of his duties and responsibilities. But his overzealousness has blunted his wisdom and intellect, and he must be careful in the future.

When the advocates heard the order, they jumped with joy. Pandit Alopideen walked out of the courtroom wearing a smile. His well-wishers distributed money in a great show of generosity; the waves of the sea of generosity shook even the foundations of the court. When Vanshidhar walked out of the court, mocking remarks rained on him from all sides. The court peons, of course, bowed and saluted him as he passed. But every mocking remark and gesture sparked his pride; perhaps, he would not have walked so haughtily if he had won the case. Today, he had gained an unpleasant experience of life: justice and learnedness, long titles, large flowing beards, and loose robes — none deserved your respect.

Vanshidhar had taken up arms against Wealth, and he had to pay the price for it. Less than a week after the court case, he received suspension orders. Vanshidhar was punished for his diligence to duty! Poor Vanshidhar, broken-hearted and filled with grief, went home.

As it is, the old Munshi was already unhappy with his son for not following his advice. "The boy does as he pleases," the old Munshi was prone to mutter. "Here, I have to sit like a saint and tolerate the demands from butchers and wine-sellers for their dues, and there he earns only his measly salary. I have also been in service and worked hard even though I never held any position of power. But this boy wants to show that he is the epitome of honesty! He would not mind if there is darkness at home, but he must go and light up the outside. I say bah to such a way of thinking! His education has been of no use."

When Munshi Vanshidhar went home and broke the news to his father, the old Munshi slapped his own forehead in dismay and said, "I feel like breaking your head and mine too." For a long time, the old man continued to express his annoyance and even said a few harsh words. If Vanshidhar had not removed himself from there, the father's anger would definitely have turned ugly. The old mother also felt sad; her wish to go on a pilgrimage to Jagannath and Rameshwar was shattered. Vanshidhar's wife did not speak with him for a few days.

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