Free SALIM MUST DIE by Mukul Deva

oil.’
    At this point, before the fracas could gain momentum, the PM indicated to Rao to announce a break for lunch and people began to trickle out, talking loudly as they went.
    ‘I think that went pretty well, Rao,’ the PM murmured as they stood back and watched people head for the banquet hall. ‘It certainly got them going… and thinking.’
    ‘I hope so, sir.’
    ‘Oh, I am sure it did,’ the PM said reassuringly. ‘Though the picture you paint does not bode well for any of us.’
    ‘I agree, sir. The world faces dark and dangerous days ahead. I just hope somewhere, somehow, better sense prevails….’
    Just then a group converged on them, seeking the Prime Minister's attention. Rao wandered away at the first opportune moment and headed for the buffet. He was halfway there when Anbu accosted him; with him were Ankita Bhatnagar and Manoj Khare.
    ‘My compliments, Mr Rao, that was an extremely illuminating presentation.’ Anbu greeted him with a smile as he extended a hand to introduce himself. ‘I am.…’
    ‘Of course I know who you are, Colonel Anbu.’ Rao returned the smile as the two men shook hands. ‘We have never had the pleasure of meeting, but who doesn't know you? Your men have done the nation proud. I am looking forward to your support in the coming days.’
    ‘But of course. I can assure you we shall do our best. And here are the two officers who are going to be with you for the next few weeks.’ Anbu made the introductions as Rao shook hands first with Ankita and then with Khare.
    ‘So, Captain,’ Rao asked Khare, ‘what do you think of all that we covered this morning?’
    ‘Well, sir,’ Khare replied thoughtfully. ‘I am no authority on geopolitics and international relations, but the way I see it, humankind comprises four kinds of people: Idiots, Wimps, Bystanders and Terrorists.’
    A hint of a smile appeared on Anbu's face. Rao, too, looked amused and gestured to the young man to go on.
    ‘One cannot say for certain whether it is the Idiots or the Terrorists who have delivered the world to the brink of disaster. However, it is certain that the Idiots could never have done it if the Wimps had not supported them. In fact, it was this support that encouraged the Terrorists to also target the Wimps and thus expand the battlefield. It is also almost certain that the march of events could have been halted if the Bystanders had shaken off their inertia and been bold enough to stand up and be counted when things were threatening to get out of hand.’
    The smiles on the faces of Khare's three-person audience broadened.
    ‘You have just started him off on his favourite hypothesis, sir,’ Ankita piped up.
    ‘That's all right,’ Rao replied with a smile. ‘I have never heard this stated in such simple terms.’ He nodded at Khare. ‘Please go on, Captain.’
    ‘You see, sir,’ Khare continued with a sheepish smile. ‘The fact remains that neither the Idiots nor the Terrorists can really be blamed since basically both are idiots and one can hardly blame an idiot for behaving idiotically. Of course, the Wimps should have shown a little spine and not gone along blindly with the Idiots. But then they too were behaving in character. So, ultimately it was the Bystanders that should have stood together, come forward and confined the Idiots, the Terrorists and the Wimps to the dustbin of history instead of allowing them to write it. But then, the Bystanders were busy being bystanders. They were either so caught up in their mundane problems of daily living or they were simply not bothered with what the others were doing. Most of them did not even realize that all those seemingly trivial events taking place in those seemingly far-off places were going to affect them as sharply as if they were happening in their own backyards.’
    ‘Very well put, young man.’ Rao beamed. ‘Colonel,’ he turned to Anbu, ‘I am really impressed with the way he has summed up the state of world affairs