Angry relatives clash with cops

Stunned at the `information’, the crowd got on its feet and told the team of officials led by Sunil Arora, Joint Secretary, Civil Aviation: “We have already heard that on television and if you have nothing more to say, please goaway.”

Things became worse soon. One woman got up and announced that the government was not doing anything as it wanted hijackers to kill the passengers. “The US has told them that once passengers start dying, we shall attack Afghanistan. That is why the government is not doing anything,” she declared.

Before Arora and his motley crew could get things under control, someone else announced that the hijackers had set a deadline for 1 pm after which they would start killing people.

All hell broke lose. They got on their feet, stood on their chairs, screamed and abused and demanded to know the truth. Arora looked around helplessly and admitted that he had no idea. It was then that they begged. With folded hands, they said: “There is no time. Please tell us where can we meet the decision-makers. We go to the Prime Minster’s house, they direct us to the Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan. They don’t even let us in, we are treated like dogs and told to come here. After which you say that you have no news. Where should wego?”

It was at their behest that Arora dialled a number on his cellphone and asked the crowd to go to Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan where the Crisis Management Group was holding its meeting. “We will not go alone,” they said and dragged Arora and H.S. Khola, Director General, Civil Aviation.

So at 12.15 pm, a convoy of about 25 cars zipped out of Centaur hotel, in complete disregard to traffic as well as red lights. And when the policemen posted at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan tried to stop them, they pleaded to be allowed inside.

When no one listened, they sat down outside the gates. At 1 pm, which was the supposed deadline, they just stormed in. They jumped over the gates and opened the locks and surged in. Senior police officers screamed orders but no one dared to move. The fury was in their voices that hurled invective, in the way they pushed everyone out of their way and demanded to see someone.Special Secretary Home, T.R.Kakkar came out and tried to explain. When he failed, Ravindra Gupta, Secretary, CivilAviation declared that there was nothing to worry and that the government had decided to send a negotiating team to Kandahar.

It was then that they gave it to them. To the babus and their political masters, to anyone who cared to listen and explained in graphic detail what they would like to do to them and their ministers and the Prime Minister if they ever laid hands on him.

And then someone yelled that there was nothing to be achieved here and they should all move to the PM’s house. The convoy started out again and was at 7, Race Course Road, at 1.30pm.

Some sat down on the road, others cried and threatened to kill themselves. Still others started fighting and abusing and everyone demanded that they would not move till the Prime Minister granted them an audience. When the cops refused to even consider it, they sat in the middle of the road and stopped all traffic. Shouting slogans against the government in general and Vajpayee in particular, they threatened that if even a single person was killed,they would hang all those 540 elected representatives from the nearest lamp post.

Finally, at 3.10 pm, a group of five men was allowed inside and the crowds fell silent at least for the next 30 minutes till they came out. They announced that they had met State Minister Vasundhra Raje Scindia and she had said that she would meet everyone at her residence in Scinidia Villa in R.K. Puram.

And that was when that cohesive group, split. While some were in favour of paying her a visit, others said that it was an obvious ploy to move them out of here. “We shall not move, we shall stay here till the PM himself gives us an assurance and that is it,” said Dr Sanjiv Chibber.

The relatives split into two groups and parted ways. Several families went to see her in privacy of her home, away from the prying eyes of the media. The rest of them continued their vigil. They shouted slogans, abused the government, sighed with relief when they heard that the deadline had been extended, chatted with the journos and evenmanaged to smile at the silliness of it all. “Who would have thought that we would be reduced to this, at our age?” said one. Another one admitted that he had had less photographs taken at his wedding.

And so it went on till they got their much sought after audience with the PM. At around 8 pm, the harried relatives were allowed in. It was, in their own words, more disappointing than even yesterday’s meeting.

“It was a sweet pill, nothing more. He expressed sympathy, told us that everything would be alright, that the release of the hostages was his first priority, he informed us that the plane carrying doctors and medical supplies had reached Kandhar,” they said.

With nothing left to do, they quietly picked up themselves from the cold pavement and left for home. “We shall be back tomorrow and we appeal to everyone to come and join us. Please help us get them back, please.”