Eradication of Dissent 09 , Requiem to a Revolution

The drive to Gudalur gave Prof. Bipin Banenrjee lots of time to think. The tastefully appointed black Mahindra Scorpio SUV insulated the sounds of the country side from venturing inside the cabin. As the powerful engines easily tackled the hairpin curves while crossing the Nilgiris mountains, Bipin looked outside at the lush green country side and considered his choices today.

He could be brash, he could be accommodating in the presence of the King of Cochin. Undoubtably the man he would be meeting is one of the most powerful men in the world. If he wanted I could have been forcefully taken to Cochin City or worse made to disappear, however the very fact that he had been so gracefully invited would mean that the King of Cochin wanted my support. It could be in no other way. A person in power would not risk placing himself in an insecure place to meet a person he was purportedly at enmities with. Yes, Rama Varma must have realized that his position is untenable and wanted to reach an agreement with me. Perhaps this would lead to far more freedoms for the revolutionaries, a breathing space to regain the strengths that had been so callously wasted in the past few months. This time he, Bipin Bannerjee would lead the revolution, a peaceful revolution that would definitely shake the corridors of power. 

As Bannerjee rolled down the window and let the sweet and sharp multi faceted fragrances of the forest wash over him, he stared at the setting sun and wondered if the red sun sinking into the Western horizon signified the dusk of the Kingdom of Cochin. As he thought more about it, Bannerjee could not visualize any other scenario that would have led him to be accorded this much respect.

The sun had set but the light had not faded out of the gray blue sky as the Scorpio entered the lush green and discretely located grounds of the Gudalur Palace. The small wooden bungalow could hardly be considered on par with the sheer magnificence and opulence of other examples of feudal arrogance he had seen in Mysore or Kolkata, but there was a quiet dignity and artistic taste in this place. He had heard that Rama Varma had come into possession of this place through his mother who was from Nilambur Royal Family, another ancient family that had once ruled the entire stretch of Nilgiris with its uncountable wealth.

As he got down from the SUV assisted by Maj. Ganesh Nair he saw more young men of his physical features standing around the place, as if they are the silent guard. The Chaver Guards. The elite Praetorian Guards, the elite of the King's Guards an already elite unit separated from Royal Cochin Defense Forces and Royal Cochin Police Forces. While the King's Guards protected the ministers and Cochin Royal Family, the Chaver Guards protected the King and the Crown Prince. Drawn from the best combat units in RCDF and RCPF this ultra secretive unit is said to have a mission profile that included ready willingness to jump in the line of a bullet to protect his sovereign. The remarkable fact is that this voluntary unit had a large number of applicants, all wanting to fulfill the terminal mission profile to protect their beloved King. What quality or what power is there in this man and his system that elicits this level of loyalty?

Being led by Maj. Nair, Bannerjee noted that they were not going inside the house rather to the garden, where an old man was gardening the flowers in the last few minutes before the setting of darkness. Already flood lamps lit atop the bungalow were silhouetting the shadows of men on the tree line a bare 100 feet away. Bannerjee had seen photos of the King and of course his television addresses but wondered how he would be physically. As they neared the garden, the gardener rose up from his crouch, wiped his hands on a dirty towel put around his shoulders and said," Good evening, Prof. Bannerjee. I am most glad that you have come. I hope you had a pleasant journey?"

Bannerjee was surprised. He had expected many things, but not this. The King of a vast nation, with millions of soldiers at his command untold trillions of wealth at his discretion gardening? Why would a man with such power, such responsibility not delegate this so menial of job to one whose time is less valuable?

"Hello Mr. Varma. The journey from Coimbatore was quite comforting, but the journey to there unfortunately not so."
"I understand, the railways are in a shabby state, aren't they? In six months you would see a difference in the quality of travel and quality of service."
"So why have you summoned me, Mr. Varma?" Bannerjee asked with no little measure of trepidation. Age wise they were remarkably close, however physically the King seemed much stouter. The face had a serenity and sureness of purpose that he had not seen in any politician in his 40 odd years in politics. 
"Yes, let us sit somewhere before we talk. The age is catching up with me after all these years. By the way Ganesh," the King said to the Head of Chaver Guards," You don't have to stay here, you know. I truly believe I am in no danger here."
Maj. Ganesh Nair's brows wrinkled as he replied, "Your Excellency, but I cant. He is..... he is a communist." The disgust that was suavely concealed in Bhubaneshwar could no longer be concealed before his principal.
"Yes, he is a communist, but I also believe Mr. Bannerjee is a man of peace. Now you can leave us alone son. It is okay." The compassion and love in the man's words surprised him. There was genuine caring between the principal and the protector, another thing that he had not expected to see.
"So Mr. Bannerjee. You must have wondered why I have called you here, right? Do you have any guesses as to why I requested your presence?"
"I have a few guesses, but I would prefer to hear your pitch first," Bannerjee said with a slight smirk.
Rama Varma closed his eyes for a second and opened them before continuing, " In the past few months, in fact from the moment India became a part of our territory, I had ordered a close observation on all three Communist parties of India. Over the past few months of violence and terror the surveillance had been intensified. While Marxists and Maoists were led top down in the insurgency, you had retrained your subordinates from committing any acts of terror. You had demonstrated an appreciation for peace, the only reason why your party is still not attenuated of its members and you are sitting before me , alive."

The still air reverberated with the quiet force of the statement as Bannerjee realized his preconceptions were all false. Just like the moths fluttering in the cool night air around the flood lights, he felt his position crumbling.

"So I had called you here today to make you fully aware of your position, Mr. Bannerjee. I had offered you time to settle down in the Kingdom. If you choose to live as citizens of Cochin, you will have to obey the rules of Cochin. Any act of propagation of Communism would be considered a threat to national security. I am sure that you have many philosophical arguments in support of your convoluted philosophy but I know from practical experience the heinous nature of your ideology. I have no power over Communism in other nations, but within this Kingdom I shall not let it take root, at any cost."

Prof. Bipin Bannerjee felt his blood freezing at the chilling import of the man's words. The sheer persona of the King made it impossible for him to retaliate. But then the cold facade thawed as a warm smile lit his face, "I apologize if you consider me intimidating, but I do need your assurance that you shall abide by Cochin law. Each and every member of CPI who has had no hand in any criminal activity would carry on leading a normal life as full citizens of the Kingdom. As citizens of Cochin, you shall have more freedoms and benefits than in any other Communist nation. For the sake of your comrades, I hope you can agree to this."


As the King finished his statement, 200 feet away Stalin Selvan was looking at the bunglow with a pair of binoculars.
"Damn those flood lights, cant see a damn thing. Mylan, are you sure that he is in the bungalow."
"Yes Comrade. The capitalist pig is in there."
"Very well, any time we waste here would give more time for the King's Guards to detect us. So CHARGE!!" As he yelled a group of 50 heavily armed rebels ran up towards the Palace. Alerted by Stalin Selvan, the militant leader of CPI Coimbatore, a force of 50 rebels had arrived at Gudalur and using the expertise of Mylan a tribal originally from the forests around Gudalur had followed a less known jungle trail to reach the premises, hidden deep within the Nilgiris forests. Armed with AK47 assault rifles and long and curved Arivaal daggers, these rebels wanted to repay back the atrocities committed on their fraternal comrades across India at the behest of the man who is inside that building. As the group of 50 started running towards the clearing making a cacophony in the dense undergrowth of the forest, a silent burst of gunshots fell two mean leading the attack. The rebels started firing wildly all around and apparently one of the bullets caught its mark as a loud exclamation of pain emanated from about 40 feet away. As the rest of the rebels started running towards the clearing hoping to overwhelm the King's Guards defense Stalin Selvan walked towards where the Chaver soldier was lying. The man was hit on his shoulders and stomach and was bleeding to a fast death. Now that should not be allowed. As he saw the rebel arriving the wounded soldier attempted to raise his pistol but in a burst of speed, Stalin Selvan hacked his right arm off. Before his wail of pain ceased he saw the smirking rebel swishing the curved black sword at a curvature directed towards his neck.

The burst of gun fire alerted Maj. Ganesh Nair that his worry had come true. They were unable to install the necessary defensive measures and all Magis sets were being used by RCPF for the terrorist hunt. When he expressed his earlier worry about whether the Politburo chief would use the meeting as an attempt to take the King's life, the King had not placated about his physical safety from the Professor, of that Ganesh was manifestly confident, but whether he would leak the information causing an attack to be mounted.

Now his fears realized Ganesh led his cohorts of Chaver Guards to the King and his ratting visitor. Seeing them run towards them, Bannerjee cowered in fear, but Rama Varma said,"Take Bannerjee inside. There are domestic staff inside the bungalow, protect their lives, Ganesh. We can take care of ourselves."
Seeing the merit in the unpalatable advice, Ganesh replied, "Yes Sir. Units, this is Chaver Six. Me and 3 others are around the King, remaining units make a stand at the bungalow, make it appear as if the King is in the building. Also get some additional support here."

The 40 odd rebels were matched by 6 Chaver Guards around the Bungalow's doors, two machine gunners at the roof and the 4 standing guard near the King.

Selvan and his group of 9 rebels engaged an enemy group in the gardens as he ordered the rest of the rebels making towards the house. A mexican stand off ensued where both groups fired at each other, one behind a group of over turned tables and the other camouflaged by the row of hedges. Suddenly Maj. Ganesh realized that their last magazine was being used. "Team, I am Winchester, how are you loaded?"
"I am winchester too, sir."
"Damn. Well we still have our swords," Ganesh Nair said smiling as he looked at the faces of his friends, colleagues and brothers. "Ganesh whatever you do, dont count me out, I have not had this much excitement in a long time," Rama Varma's booming laughing voice joined in. 

"Seriously Varma Sir, you need to take care of yourself," Ganesh said to the senior person the tension of combat easing up the protocol slightly."Dont worry about me lad, now let us wait for those communists to come and attack."

Almost sensing the predicament of the soldiers behind the over turned tables the rebels charged the position firing wildly at the tables in full automatic. As they saw the centuries old wood started splintering under the fire, they stopped as one to change the magazines. Sensing the lull one Chaver Guard leaped at the enemy drawing his sword and shield and engaging them. The shock of seeing the soldier jumping at them with an outstretched sword and a round shield scared the rebels into jamming their second magazines into their assault rifles, thus invaliding them, all except one. Mylan was in the front of the group and had a full magazine of rounds. He sprayed bullets at the approaching soldier peppering his body with bullets. AS he felt the bullets thudding into his body the soldier screamed, "JO BOLE SO NIHAL, SAT SRI AKAL" his old regimental war cry and hacked off the head of the offending rebel before collapsing himself. At this the Chaver Guards and the King too started running towards the rebels who started drawing out their own Arivaal swords. 

"There is the King, there is the King. Kill him. Kill him for the revolution, cried Stalin Selvan as he swerved past one Chaver Guard and along with 4 other rebels surrounded the King, who was himself in a crouched battle position sword raised in his right hand and the round shield in his left hand. For a man of his age he was displaying considerable agility. The glint of ruby from the centuries old ceremonial sword distracted the attackers for a faint second before one rebel who made the mistake of venturing within the King's combat radius found his left arm cut off from shoulders. His nerve wracking screams galvanized the others into action as they leaped at the King. Rama Varma deftly feinted the attacks through the skills and flexibility learned over decades of learning and practicing the ancient martial arts of Kalari Payattu. As one rebel lashed his dagger at him from the left side coming from top to bottom in a motion to slice the King's right shoulders, the King ducked and rotated clockwise on his heels and as he came out of his rotation hacked the rebel who had now passed him in the lunge at his right knee. As Rama Varma rose up from his crouch he felt a motion behind him and leaped deftly as a rebel behind him lashed out at his legs. Pirouetting in the air as he leapt, the King hacked off the man's head off. The blood and viscera bursting forth from the separated vertebra cloaked the King of Cochin in a shroud of crimson. Wiping the blood from his eyes, with his left arm the King turned to face the two remaining attackers. The King slowly approached the two attackers who seemed awe struck by the bloodied demon approaching them. The man on the left lashed at King from his right side. The King waited for him to close the radius, blocked the sword with his shield, ducked , drove his sword into the man's abdomen, turned clockwise to his right and rose up thus disemboweling the rebel who fell down on a heap of viscera.

Stalin Selvan saw with shock at the destruction met by his rebel revolutionaries. He barely saw the rebel group approaching the bungalow being massacred by the two machine guns and 6 Chaver Guards on the grounds. He saw his comrades being killed one by one by the Chaver Guards protecting the King and now he saw four of his comrades being killed by the King. In a fit of rage Stalin Selvan leaped towards the King, as he swerved and agilely avoided the King's thrusts he felt his attempts to hack the King foiled by the shield. Then in a brief flash of crystal clear clarity and under the brilliant white spotlight provided by the moon, he saw the last sight of his life on the planet - a blood red apparition and a streak of silvery light that flashed across him, top right to bottom left of his body.

After another second of unstable equilibrium, Stalin Selvan's body fell to the ground, one piece to the right and another piece to the left.

"See Ganesh, did I not say I will not let you down? Take cheer my boy, for we have survived, but not so much because we have lost one of our own," Rama Varma said looking at the Chaver Guard who was lying on the ground. Maj. Ganesh Nair laughed and said, "Saket? No, Sir, he is only stunned. He had been wearing the CORM full body armor unlike you. He is just in a muscular shock due to the sudden multiple projectile impacts. He would be alright and running in an hour."

As Major Nair so informed his sovereign Prof. Bipin Bannerjee came out of the bungalow atop a pair of jelly like shaking knees.
"Professor, you have betrayed my confidence. You had informed some of your colleagues did you not?"
"But I never wanted such a thing to happen. I thought I was going to die. I had to inform someone where I was going in case I did not return."
"That is the difference between you and us, Professor. When we give a word, when we take up a duty we are responsible. You communists, for all your lofty ideals are in the end just crooks unable to stand the heat and pressure of responsibility. I pity you , Prof. Bipin Bannerjee because now I reserve for you a fate worse than death. You shall see with your free and independent eyes the utter destruction of Communist Party of India. Every single carded member of CPI would be arrested and questioned extensively. Each and everyone associated with today's attack would be tried and executed for their crimes. You , Sir, would finally see the day Communism ends in Cochin. This shall be your punishment, because I dislike to kill people with no honor. These rebels convoluted through their ideas are have more honor than most of the other communists because they engaged in battle with soldiers and not terrorized the citizens. These rebels would thus receive respect that you would never have the ability to earn. Leave now, and never ever show me your face again." Rama Varma commanded in his booming voice. The shivering and trembling Bipin Bannerjee was led through the carnage of separated body parts to the Scorpio that would take him to Coimbatore. As he would near Coimbatore he would start seeing the number of Police trucks filled with arrested CPI members. Communist Party of India had ceased to exist. Communism has ceased to exist in the Kingdom of Cochin.