Keki N. Daruwalla
The PM fingering his beard,
said it is as I feared,
we found ourselves in a glutinous soup
the moment that lady appeared.
‘We must call for a vote-count Madam,
let’s ask what the parties desire;
this freedom of speech can’t be given to each,
let’s douse anti-fanatic fires.’
This was too complex for madam;
‘Let’s get intellectuals on hire.’
So they questioned their friends in whispers;
nobody sounded the gong,
as they asked the party of Engels
and the party of Mao Zedong.
and they questioned the Marquis Yechury
and Count and Countess Karat;
these people of vision said in unison
‘yeh hai koi puchne ki baat?’
other parties were sounded,
went into a huddle propounded,
‘give us some time, these are issues sublime;
we won’t be stampeded or hounded.’
The Shah Bano syndrome was active
and the knives of zealots were keen;
so they finally said, ‘let them have the head
of that writer Taslima Nasreen’