The Department of Love

A one act play by M.K.Kaw

        

         Cast, in order of appearance

         Mr. Haanji, Deputy Secretary

         Mr. Gobind Ram, peon

         Mr.Jhinkoo Ram, Secretary

         Mrs. Dada, Joint Secretary

         Mr.Ayaram, Under Secretary

         Mr. Gayaram, Under Secretary

         Chief Minister

         Chief Secretary

         CPI (M) Minister

         A Minister

Young Man

Young Woman

Jarnail Singh

District Love Officer

Head Clerk

                                   SCENE 1

(A room in the Secretariat. Officers are seated here and there)

Mr. Haanji, Deputy Secretary: All right, all right! Let us have silence for a while. The Chief Minister is making an important announcement.

Gobind Ram, please put on the TV.

(Gobind Ram adjusts the knobs)’

’TV (first some static. Then the CM’s voice) . Finally, I come to an important matter. As you all know, for the last fortnight, Swami Brahmachari has been seated on a fast unto death. He led an agitation in order to provide the fundamental right of love to the masses.

Mrs. Dada ( sarcastically): Brahmachari, my foot! We all know what sort of Brahmachari he is!

        

         (Enter Mr. Jhinkoo Ram, Secretary. They all stand up.)

        

         Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: You were saying something, Mrs. Dada?

         Mrs. Dada (unfazed):: We were listening to a telecast by the C.M. I said we all know what sort of a celibate Swami Brahmachari  is.

         Mr. Jhinkoo Ram (smiling, because she is the Financial Adviser): He is a bachelor all right.

         Mrs. Dada (smiling): That does not make him a celibate automatically.

         Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: Now, now, Mrs. Dada!…

CM’s Voice: Our problem has been that there is no fundamental right to love under the Constitution. We were advised by the Attorney General that grant of this right would necessitate a constitutional amendment. We did not have the necessary majority in Parliament to have such an amendment passed. That is why there was a stalemate.

Friends, a reference was made to the Supreme Court of India, asking for a clarification on this issue. About half an hour ago the Court has passed a historic judgment. They have held that the fundamental right to live includes the right to love also.

The Central Government has accepted the judgment. All the States have been instructed to ensure that every citizen should be allowed to freely exercise his fundamental right to love. Special consideration should be given to the cases of members of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, other backward classes and so on. Swami Brahmachariji has called off his fast unto death.

         Mrs. Dada: As if he was ever on a fast unto death!

         Mr. Jhinkoo Ram (smiling, but the smile is a little forced): Mrs. Dada! Mrs. Dada!

         CM’s Voice: I congratulate all of you on this historic occasion. I am glad to announce that our State Government have decided to set up a separate Department of Love, to look after this subject exclusively. An initial amount of Rs. One crore has been placed at its disposal. Mr. Jhinkoo Ram  has been appointed as the first Secretary of the Department of Love.

         Mr. Haanji: Congratulations, Sir! This shows how much faith CM has in you!

         Mr. Ayaram: Heartiest congratulations, Sir!

         Mr. Gayaram ( wanting to sound different ): Many happy returns of the day, Sir!

         Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: (smiling broadly) Thank you, thank you.

         Mrs. Dada: Do you really think that we need a separate Department of Love, Sir? It will involve lot of expenditure. This one crore rupees is only the first estimate. Your annual bill will be nearer Rupees five crores.

         Mr. Haanji: A separate Department shows how much importance Government attaches to this subject.

         Mr. Ayaram: We need not create new posts. The Secretary can hold the Department in addition to his other charges.

Mr. Gayaram:: Mr. Haanji can also do  the same.

Mr. Haanji: So can the two Under Secretaries.

Mrs. Dada: (mockingly): I hope  you will all do this work without asking for special pay!

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: No, no, Mrs. Dada. Let us have complete clarity on this score. We will have to sanction additional special pays to all those who hold additional charges.

Mr. Haanji: We shall formally refer the case to Finance, Sir! Gobind Ram, please switch off the TV. The Chief Minister has shown great confidence in our Secretary Mr Jhinkoo Ram by entrusting such a delicate subject as love to him. I am confident that under his dynamic and inspiring leadership, the department shall achieve new landmarks.

Mrs. Dada ( in a mocking tone): Hear, hear!

                                  (Curtain)

                                  SCENE 2

(Council of Ministers in session)

CM: All right. Now, Mr. Chief Secretary, let us take the next item on the agenda

Chief Secretary: The next item is consideration of the Draft Control and Regulation of Love Bill.

CM: Okay

Chief Secretary: I have requested the Secretary (Love) to present his proposal to the Cabinet. Here he is.

(Enter Mr. Jhinkoo Ram)

CM: What is your proposal, Mr. Jhinkoo Ram?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: Sir, First, the Statement of Objects and Reasons. It has come to the notice of the Govt that Love, in its pure form, is just not available in the open market. There is lot of adulteration in love. It appears that the forces that are trying to destabilize the Govt are also indulging in such adulteration.They are the ones who oppose the policies of the Govt. at every step. They are the ones who are not loyal to their country.

CM: Very well put.

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: We have taken the extracts from the CM’s speech, Sir!

CS: Anything else?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: Some elements are trying to promote monopolistic tendencies in the field of love. Govt. have received secret reports that some Farhad, Majnu and Romeo have run their monopolistic ventures for a long time. The Government is opposed to all monopolies as such. It is not desirable for such a precious commodity to be the handmaiden of a few. The Government wishes to take love to the common masses, the proletariat, the aam aadmi.

Minister representing CPI(M) in the ruling alliance: Hear, hear. Our party would welcome such a positive step for the welfare of the aam aadmi.

CM: I am glad our coalition partner welcomes this move. Mr. Jhinkoo Ram, what is the proposal?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: Sir, in view of these considerations, to keep a tight control on love, to prevent adulteration and to end monopolistic tendencies, and to take love to the common people, Govt. will regulate the transactions in love.

C.M. (testily): Yes, yes, but how will you do all this?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram ( dropping the bomb gently): We propose to nationalize love.

C.M.  Nationalize love, how?

Chief Secretary: Mr. Jhinkoo Ram,you mean nationalize or rationalize?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: Nationalize, Sir. ( to CS) Allow me to say, Sir, that I know enough of the language to appreciate the difference between the two. How can we regulate something on which we have no control? How prevent stockpiling, adulteration, monopolistic tendencies and so on?

C.S. Sir, he has a point. Nationalization seems to be a necessary precondition to regulation.

CM: But what exactly do you mean by nationalization?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: Sir, under the proposed law, the ownership of love shall vest exclusively in the State Government. It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in a transaction of love without the prior permission of the competent authority. .We are suggesting the promulgation of an Ordinance to this effect. Thus love will come under the exclusive control of the State Government

.

CM: But where will you keep all this love the ownership of which you propose to transfer to the State Government ?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: Sir, we have not considered the question of takeover as yet.  For the present, we shall allow love to remain in the custody of the people. But there shall be no transaction of love without our permission, Thus we shall control love without entering the messy business of  a takeover.

.

CS :  This is the second time you have used the phrase ‘transaction’ with reference to love. Why use this phrase? You know its other connotations.

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: According to the Law Department, transaction is a neutral phrase. Transactions will be of two kinds—commercial and romantic. My Joint Secretary, an MBA from IIM Bangalore, talks of Transaction Analysis, again in very neutral terms.

CS: CM wants to know what procedure you will adopt for controlling such a volatile and inflammable commodity as love.

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: We are proposing offices of the Department of Love to be opened at district level, to begin with. Any man or woman wishing to engage in a transaction of love would have to apply to the Department for permission.

CS: Can he apply on an ordinary sheet of paper?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram (scandalized) : Ordinary paper, Sir? Not at all, Sir. It will be a printed proforma as laid down in the Rules.

CS: How many copies?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: The mandatory six, Sir, as in all other departments.

A Minister: Why six? What do you need so many copies for?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: Six are the minimum requirement, Sir. One copy will be sent to the other party for comments. One is kept at State headquarters. One at district headquarters. One in the Record office. One for accounts department and one for the Research and Evaluation wing.

CS: These many copies are absolutely essential, Sir.

CM: ( not at all interested ) All right, .all right. Will the form be available free of cost?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: No Sir. One form would be available for Rs. 500/-

CM: Isn’t that a bit steep? Please reduce it substantially.. After all, the poor should also enjoy the right to love.

CS: Reduce it for poor people, Mr. Jhinkoo Ram

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: We can lay down that those certified to be below the poverty line by the competent authority shall enjoy a concessioal rate of Rs. 400.

The CPI(M) Minister: Mr. Secretary, you are cut off from the masses. You are out of touch with the stark reality of poverty. In my view, the poor people should be exempt altogether. At best, you may charge them Rs.5/-

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: You have a point there, Sir. But we have to get the approval of the finance department also. They have cleared the department   as a self-supporting venture, .We become self-supporting only when we charge Rs.500 per case. If we charge Rs. 5 for the poor people, there will be a shortfall of Rs. 2  crores . .Let us charge Rs.400 from those below the poverty line, Sir!

CM: Please make it Rs. 100 for the poor, Mr. Ram.

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram ( much relieved at CM’s intervention): All right, Sir. Now that it is a decision at the highest political level, we shall be able to convince the Finance Department.

CS:  Tell us what kind of cases you will clear and which reject?

Mr. Jhinku Ram: We are trying to work out a draft policy. The overarching principle we have adopted is that of harmony. The couples should be in tune with each other, by way of age, income and other important criteria. We shall classify people by age brackets. It is proposed, for example, that a 40 year old man can love a woman between the ages of 36.5 and 39.5 years only.

CM: What else?

Mr. Jhinku Ram: Another classification will be on the basis of monthly income.  For example, a male earning Rs. 20,000 per

month will be allowed to love a female earning between Rs. 13,000 and Rs. 19,000 per month.

A minister: Why so? If a rich male wishes to love a poor girl, why should the Department object? You mean we shall no longer have Cinderellas  marrying princes.

CM:  These folk tales should not be taken too seriously. And imagine, even if it is true, there has been just one Cinderella in the whole of history.

.

CS: Let it be, Sir. If we allow too many exceptions, then it becomes difficult to enforce the law strictly.

CM: What other provisions are you proposing in the policy?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: If anyone wishes to love a person belonging to a different religion, caste, province or language, and this fact is vouched for by a magistrate or gazetted officer, he will be given a transistor radio, 50 packets of Nirodh and Rs. 250 as an incentive..

CM: This is a good idea. It will enhance the feelings of national integration.

CPI(M) Minister: A Sarpanch should also be authorized to certify. Transistor radios are no longer the rage. Better give them mobile phones.

CM : Both suggestions approved.

CS: What other facilities are you providing to those who love?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: We are providing one Prem Sewak at the village level to look after the welfare of lovers. A Prem Sewak would provide extra oxygen for sighing, ice cubes and ice cream bricks for reducing the temperature of inflamed bodies, saltwater to replenish the tear glands and sleeping tablets to those who are   passing sleepless nights.. Some of them might have to be provided extra kurtas, if they tear up the ones they have, out of frustration. Others may need extra footwear if they run through chappals while rushing up and down the lane leading to the sweetheart’s house.

CS: How will the scheme operate in practice?

Mr> Jhinkoo Ram: Very simply, Sir. At the outset, the applicant will have to submit the Love Permit Application Form No. 1.The competent authority will see whether the two parties fulfill all the criteria for harmony. Tables for Age Harmony and Income Harmony shall be notified in the official Gazette for general information of the public. If the paperwork is complete in all respects, the competent authority shall issue a Love Start Permit.

CS: Will it be valid for life?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: No, Sir. If it is valid for life, we shall have to soon wind up the Department. Even otherwise, experience of other departments like motor driving, passport etc.  shows that nothing should remain valid for more than five or ten years. Even the photographs become unrecognizable after that period.:

CM: How shall we keep an eye on the parties?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: Both parties will be required to submit a monthly progress report to the competent authority. If there are irregularities or complaints of adulteration, monopolistic behaviour etc, they will report the same. Our Love Inspectors will hold enquiries in the field, ascertain the true facts and send their report to the C.A.

CM: And if the report reveals some irregularity “?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: Then under the second proviso to subsection 15 of section 81, strict action will be taken against the guilty party. The Love Permit will be withdrawn. They may be imposed a fine up to 500 rupees per day of irregular love or imprisonment up to a maximum of two years or both.

CS: And if the progress of love is smooth.

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: They shall be entitled to extensions. At the end of the pemissible period, both parties shall file a Final Report. At this stage, the case will be closed. We shall have the file page numbered, sewn and placed in a file cover and sent to the Record Room .

CM: Bhayi Waah!Mr. Jhinkoo Ram, you have really drafted an excellent bill and taken care of all the aspects.

A Minister: But Sir, some of these transactions of love would,we suppose, fructify into marriage. What then?

Mr. Jhinkoo Ram: Sir it would then fall under the jurisdiction of the Marriage Department. We in the Department of Love are not concerned.

CS: He is not concerned, Sir. I shall call the Secretary, Marriage department in case you have any queries. Mr. Secretary, you may go now. The Cabinet has approved your item.’

( Mr. Jhinkoo Ram gets up to leave, curtain)

                                  SCENE THREE

Young Man: I think we have arrived at the destination. Yes, there is the signboard for the office.

Young Woman: Let us verify the facts before we express happiness .After this hectic search for two hours, I for one am totally fagged out’

Yong Man: This is it.. The signboard says in clear bold letters:,”Office of the District Love Officer.”

Young Woman: I hope he is in office. I hope he has not proceeded on tour.

Young Man: Why do you worry like that? Don’t be a pessimist. We shall find out everything just now.

.(to the peon, seated on a stool, looking into the far distance)

Well Sir, is the Boss in the office?

Peon (with great indifference): I don’t know.

Peon:  What do you mean you do not know? Are you not his Peon?

Peon: Peon?  O Mister! Go back to wherever you have come from. There are no peons in the Government now.... I am not his peon .I am a Group D officer of the Government. I do not keep a record of his comings and goings.

Young Man (incensed at the tone) Is this not a Government office? Are you not a Government employee? What is the meaning of this uncouth behavior? We have work with the officer and we are going in.

Peon (sternly) : Stay where you are. If you force your way in, it will be bad for you.. Don’t you see this notice? Govt. has notified the timings for public dealings.

Young Woman (voice dripping with irony) Between 4 p.m. and 4-15 p.m.. A long long period indeed!

Peon:Yes, Madam.

Young Woman: Look here, brother! Don’t mind the strong words uttered by my friend here. The fact of the matter is that we have come from a remote corner of the district. The last bus goes at 2 p.m. and we cannot stay overnight .It will be kind of you to intercede on our behalf with the boss and arrange for a brief meeting with him.

Young man: (whispering loudly)What are you up to?

Why are you flattering this nincompoop?

Young Woman:  You shut up! Do you want the work to be done or not?

Peon: Sister, the boss does not see anyone at this time. But having heard your story,  I  have a feeling that you have a special case for consideration If I speak to him, perhaps the boss may make an exception and hear you for two minutes.

Young Woman: It will be very kind of you.

Peon: Oh sister, how the times have changed! My father used to be orderly to the District Collector. I tell you, not a single visitor to the Collector came empty-handed. Even the aristocrats of the area like Jagirdars, Zamindars etc would give an Enaam to my father.

Young Man: Yes, brother, then we were a slave nation. Now we are independent. What we called Enaam then, now we call it a bribe.

Young Woman: You shut up! O Group D Officer of the State Government, Sir! What is your good name?

Peon: Jarnail Singh.

Youug Woman::Mister Jarnail Singh, you are absolutely right about.the excellence of the British period

(She offers him a currency note)

The times are really bad. How the cost of living has jumped through the roof!. Here is something for chaipani…

Jarnail Singh (protesting very strongly) :My dear sister! What are you doing? I am famous for my honesty. I never touch money.

Young Woman: Do please accept this small gift for the children.

Jarnail Singh: I shall not touch the money with my hands. If you insist, put it in my pocket yourself.

(She puts the note in his pocket)

You please wait here. I shall go and try to persuade the boss.

(goes inside)

Young Man: Why did you offer a bribe to him?

Young Woman: You keep your ideals at home. You cannot live your life based on mere ideals.

Young Man: Whatever do you mean?

Young Woman: I mean that if you are not permitted by the peon even to meet the boss, what will you achieve?

Young Man: You stopped me or else I would have shouted him into submission.

Young Woman: Oh, go along! They don’t submit that easily. And don’t you pay tatkal money to expedite service in other departments? Take it that you are buying a railway ticket or getting a passport’

Young Man: That is different.  That money goes to the government.

Young Woman (laughing at him): The principle is the same. Take this as informal tatkal.

(Enter Jarnail Singh)

Jarnail Singh:  Come along, come along ! Boss has agreed to see you with great difficulty.

Young Woman: Very kind of him.

(She rushes inside. The young man follows at a more sedate pace.

The boss is seated at a table overladen with files and papers. .He is busy and, more than that, shows himself to be over busy)

Young Man and Young Woman (both together): Good morning, Sir!

Officer ( not lifting his head and in a busy tone):  Good morning, good morning. Please wait a bit. . I am a little busy at this moment. This work is extremely urgent.

(again buries his head in the mountain of files.)

Young Man(   in a stage whisper): Looks like he is writing a letter to his wife. That is extremely urgent work!

Young Woman: (in a stage whisper) Be quiet! He will hear you!

Young Man: (recklessly):  Let him hear. Can he not write his personal letters at home?

Young Woman: Ugh! You will get us thrown out of the office!

Officer (suddenly peeps from the pile of files and pounds on the bell) Jarnail Singh!

Jarnail Sigh (enters quickly) Sir!

Officer: Go and post this letter just now.

Jarnail Singh: Okay Sir.

Officer: And: Jarnail Singh!

Jarnail Singh: Sir?

 Officer: Please send the Head Clerk inside.

Jarnail Singh: Right Sir!( goes)

Young Man (moving gingerly forward) Excuse me, Sir!

Officer (barks) What is the matter? Did I not ask you to wait?

Young Woman: We can wait Sir. But our work will not take more than a minute. All we require is a copy of the  Love Permit Application Form Number 1.

Officer: So what can I do? You go to the Prem Sewak of your village and take the form from him.

Young Man: The post of Prem Sewak in our village is lying vacant for the last six months, Sir.

Officer: So what is the big deal? We have sent the requisition to the Subordinate Service Commission. They will advertise soon. If all goes well, you should have a Prem Sewak in about a year’s time.

Young Woman: That is why we came here , Sir and are bothering you.

Officer (waving a finger at her in reproof): That was not the right thing to do, Miss!. Just think, if we start distributing forms from the district office, when shall we do our own work? Shall we not spend the whole day just  distributing forms?

Young Man: You are right Sir, but in the circumstances and in view of the urgency…

Young Woman: Please do something Sir… as a special case.

(Enter Head Clerk)

Head Clerk: Did you call me, Sir?

Officer: Have you completed that Assembly Question?

Head Clerk: Which one, Sir?

Officer: The one about the reservation for ex-servicemen.

Head Clerk: Sir I have brought that file for guidance. The   question goes like this:

Will the Hon’ble Mnister for Love inform the House as follows:

(a0 During the last five years, how many exservicemen filed their Love Permit Application Forms No.1?

(b) How many were permitted?

© How many were not?

(d)Is the Govt considering a proposal to reserve a certain minimum percentage for the exservicemen?

Young Man: Sir, my father is an ex-serviceman.

Head Clerk: We are not discussing your individual case.

Officer: He wants a copy of  Love Permit Application Form No. !

Head Clerk: Those forms are out of stock, Sir.

Officer (relieved):  Look here, the forms are out of stock. You may try your luck again after a few days..

Young Woman: By when are the stocks expected, Sir?

Officer: What do you say, Mr. Head Clerk?

Head Clerk: Sir, what can I say? We have sent our indent to the Printing and Stationery Department. The forms should start coming within a few days.

Officer: Did you hear, young lady. Come after a few days.

Young Man: But Sir…

Officr: What but sir? Can’t you see how busy I am? You have already heard the assembly question about love among the ex-servicemen. There are fifteen other assembly questions. Hon’ble members are keen to know how much love has been indulged in during the last five years. They want data for each Prem Sewak circle.

Head Clerk: They have also asked for data assembly constituencywise. Mr. Krodhi wishes to have a comparison of the love permitted in his constituency with the areas of ruling party Members. He wants to know whether the comparative figures show a bias against the people of his constituency, merely because he belongs to an opposition party.

 Officer: Some members wish to know what steps Govt. have taken so far to propagate love among families falling below the poverty line and what incentives are being offered to them.

Young Woman: I belong to a Harijan family.

Head Clerk: We are not discussing your case. In any case, you have not even filed an application so far.

Officer: We have   received a questionnaire running over 49 pages from the State Minorities Commission.. They are curious to know what special arrangements have been made to promote love among Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs etc.

Young Man: But what about us?

Officer: You fill in the form first..

Young Woman: But the form is not available!

Head Clerk: That is outside our control. When forms are supplied by the Department of Printing and Stationery, copies will be made available to the Prem Sewaks.

Young Man: But what should we do till then?

Officer: Go home and do your work. Wait patiently for the forms to arrive.

Young Woman: Sir, is it not possible to apply on an ordinary sheet of paper?

Head Clerk: (amazed at the ridiculous suggestion): Sir, did you hear?

Officer: (surprised at the preposterous proposal): My goodness! What sort of suggestion is this? Don’t you know that the provision that the application has to be made on a printed form in the prescribed format is laid down in the Act itself?

Head Clerk: Do you want that both of us should be suspended from service?

Officer: Don’t you know that each printed form carries a unique number. If this is not done, forms can be misplaced. We cannot monitor the progress of each application and post it on our website. Unauthorized persons can sell the forms and cause huge financial loss to the government.

Young Man: But Sir, when we are both present here, why do you need a form?

Head Clerk: Why don’t we need a form?

Officer: How shall we keep a record?

Head clerk: How shall we reply to the Assembly Questions?

Officer:: How shall we maintain statistics?

Head Clerk: How shall we ensure that the fees charged are duly deposited in the govt. treasury, so that there is no loss of revenue to the State exchequer?

Young Man ( Trying very hard to sound logical and reasonable, while holding on to his temper.): I am standing before you. I have brought the fees in cash. For your convenience, I have also brought along the girl I love. You can grant us the  permission under the Act, after asking any questions that you may wish to ask.

Officer: You are talking like a fool. Govt. work is never transacted informally like this.

Head Clerk: There is no provision in the Act for oral applications. Applications have got to be on the printed prescribed proforma.

Officer: The fee cannot be accepted in cash. It has to be deposited in the govt. treasury.

Head Clerk: Don’t you see what anarchy will be there if everyone in our office could accept cash?

Officer: I cannot talk to this gentle lady directly. A copy of your application shall go to her postal address. She will send her No objection in writing. Then we shall examine the case on file in the light of the provisions of Rules and the position of comparative age and comparative income. After I have accorded the permission, the formal permission letter will be issued by the office. It will contain all the terms and conditions of the permission.

Young Woman: You can take my written consent here and now.

Officer: How do I know that you are indeed you?

Young Woman: What do you mean?

Officer: I do not know you.

Young Woman: But I love him.

Head Clerk: You love him? How can you say that?

Officer:  (trying very hard to be helpful) What you probably mean to say is that you wish to love him?

Young Woman: No no, nothing of the sort. I say what I mean. I love him passionately.

Young Man: I also love her, passionately.

.

Head Clerk: Sir, they are both confessing to the crime.

Young Woman: What crime?

Officer: Don’t you know that indulging in an act of love without the prior written permission of the Competent Authority is a crime punishable by law?

Young Man: Sir, we are only telling the truth.

Head clerk; Sir, the matter is going beyond reasonable limits. They are openly defying the law.

Officer: By adding the phrase passionately, the crime gets further compounded and attracts a higher penalty.

(shouts)

Jarnail Singh!

(Enter Jarnail Singh in a hurry)

Jarnail Singh: Yes, Sir.

Officer: Arrest both these culprits under Section 99   of the Act.

Jarnail Singh: Right you are Sir. It will be done.

Young Man: Sir, don’t arrest us. We will not indulge in love.

Young Woman: Sir, we committed  a big blunder. We apologize and promise never to fall in love.

Officer: Take them away.

Young Man: Sir, we did not know that indulging in love as an actionable offence.

Young Woman: Sir we shall marry each other. But we shall never love each other. God promise.

Officer: I cannot change my orders. You may appeal against the order, if you so wish.

Young Man: Please, Sir, have mercy on us.

Young woman :Sir we will never do it again Sir. Leave us this time.

Jarnail Singh: Come along. Come along. Don’t make a noise here. Don’t you see how busy the Boss is…?

(curtain)

                 *************************************