At 2 pm when I opened my laptop to see
the SC score board, I found the number 5
and that prompted me to remember the
Cricket commentary of the Maharajkumar
of Vijayanagaram, called Vizy in cricket
circles, in the test match between India and
England. In that Test Match Ken Barrington
was facing Bapu Naekarni. The bowling
was so accurate and Vizy commented that
if a nail is driven on the pitch at good length
point, Bapu Nadkarni will hit all his balls
on the head. Barrington was defending all
those balls with the full face of the bat in
a forward defence, without any score.
Overs and overs were bowled and the great Vizy started
changing his commentary, saying Borinton to face Nadkarni,
in exasperation and in lighter vein.
Many of us were in the same state of mind on seeing item No.5 not moving, then came the shock of 103 disappearing with later stories telling differently. The Ides of March really came to haunt many.
Caesar of course died but Mark Anthony did arse to make his pulpit speech. Hopes never die but aspiration may, sometimes. I am reminded of the Malayalam saying “appam thinnano, kuzhni ennano”, which will literally nearer to saying should we count the dipressions in the appa chatty or eat the kuzhiappam.
Let us pray that the Hon. Bench will make us see the centum and not the two scores. Believe me ours is a very simple case, that has somehow reached the SC to take our blood pressure go high. There is no technicality nor any legal theory or evidence to be evaluated. The irony of it all is that the case has not been even presented at all. Let us search our conscience and stop playing up emotions.
As septuagenarians or octogenarians let us not lose our balance. Take the adjournment in lighter vein. Test Matches are going to be a thing of the past, giving room to T-20s, and adjournments will become advantages. Similarly let us hope, like 5 days ordeals left to give 120 balls, Judgement will also, we get in 120 days instead of so many months.
A.S.Ramanathan