ग़बन उपन्यास भाग-42

thik das baje jalapa aur devidin kachahari pahuanch ge. darshakoan ki kafi bhi d thi. oopar ki gailari darshakoan se bhari huee thi. kitane hi adami baramadoan mean aur samane ke maidan mean kh de the. jalapa oopar gailari mean ja baithib devidin baramade mean khadaho gaya.

ijalas par jaj sahab ke ek taraph ahalamad tha aur doosari taraph pulis ke kee karmachari kh de the. samane kathaghare ke bahar donoan taraph ke vakil kh de mukadama pesh hone ka iantazar kar rahe the. mulajimoan ki sankhya pandrah se kam n thi. sab kathaghare ke bagal mean zamin par baithe hue the. sabhi ke hathoan mean hathakadiyaan thian, pairoan mean bediyaan. koee leta tha, koee baitha tha, koee apas mean batean kar raha tha. do panje lada rahe the. do mean kisi vishay par bahas ho rahi thi. sabhi prasannachitt

the. ghabarahat, nirasha ya shok ka kisi ke chehare par chihn bhi n tha.

gyarah bajate-bajate abhiyog ki peshi huee. pahale jabte ki kuchh batean huee, phir do-ek pulis ki shahadatean huee. aant mean koee tin baje ramanath gavahoan ke kathaghare mean laya gaya. darshakoan mean sanasani-si phail gee. koee tanboli ki dookan se pan khata hua bhaga, kisi ne samachar-patr ko maro dakar jeb mean rakkha aur sab ijalas ke kamare mean jama ho ge. jalapa bhi sanbhalakar baraje mean kh di ho gee. vah chahati thi ki ek bar rama ki aankheanan uth jatian aur vah use dekh leti, lekin rama sir jhukae khadatha, mano vah idhar-udhar dekhate dar raha ho usake chehare ka rang udahua tha. kuchh sahama hua, kuchh ghabaraya hua is tarah khadatha, mano use kisi ne baandha rakkha hai aur bhagane ki koee rah nahian hai. jalapa ka kaleja dhak-dhak kar raha tha, mano usake bhagy ka nirnay ho raha ho.

rama ka bayan shuroo hua. pahala hi vaky sunakar jalapa sihar uthi, doosare vaky ne usaki tyoriyoan par bal dal die, tisare vaky ne usake chehare ka rang phika kar diya aur chautha vaky sunate hi vah ek lanbi saans khianchakar pichhe rakhi huee kurasi par tik gee, magar phir dil n mana. jangale par jhukakar phir udhar kan laga die. vahi pulis ki sikhaee huee shahadat thi jisaka ashay vah devidin ke muanh se sun chuki thi. adalat mean sannata chhaya hua tha. jalapa ne kee bar khaansa ki shayad ab bhi rama ki aankheanan oopar uth jaean, lekin rama ka sir aur bhi jhuk gaya. maloom nahian, usane jalapa ke khaansane ki avaz pahachan li ya atm-glani ka bhav uday ho gaya. usaka svar bhi kuchh dhima ho gaya.

ek mahila ne jo jalapa ke sath hi baithi thi, nak siko dakar kaha, ‘ ji chahata hai, is dusht ko goli mar dean. aise-aise svarthi bhi is desh mean p de haian jo naukari ya tho de-se dhan ke lobh mean niraparadhoan ke gale par chhuri udharane se bhi nahian hichakate! ‘ jalapa ne koee javab n diya.

ek doosari mahila ne jo aankhoan par ainak lagae hue thi, ‘nirasha ke bhav se kaha, ‘ is abhage desh ka eeshvar hi malik hai. gavarnari to lala ko kahian nahian mil jati! adhik-se-adhik kahian klark ho jaeange. usi ke lie apani atma ki hatya kar rahe haian. maloom hota hai, koee marabhukha, nich adami hai,palle sire ka kamina aur chhichhora.‘

tisari mahila ne ainak vali devi se muskarakar poochha, ‘ adami phaishanebul hai aur padha-likha bhi maloom hota hai. bhala, tum ise pa jao to kya karo?’

ainakabaz devi ne uddandata se kaha, ‘nak kat looan! bas nakata banakar chho d dooan.’

‘aur janati ho, maian kya karooan?’

‘nahian! shayad goli mar dogi!’

‘na! goli n marooan. sare bazar khada karake paanch sau joote lagavaooan. chaand ganji hojay!’

‘us par tumhean zara bhi daya nahian ayagi?’

tayah kuchh kam daya hai? usaki poori saza to yah hai ki kisi ooanchi paha di se dhakel diya jay! agar yah mahashay amerika mean hote, to zinda jala diye jate!’

ek vriddha ne in yuvatiyoan ka tiraskar karake kaha, ‘ kyoan vyarth mean muanh kharab karati ho? vah ghrina ke yogy nahian, daya ke yogy hai. dekhati nahian ho, usaka chehara kaisa pila ho gaya hai, jaise koee usaka gala dabae hue ho apani maan ya bahan ko dekh le, to zaroor ro p de. adami dil ka bura nahian hai. pulis ne dhamakakar use sidha kiya hai. maloom hota hai, ek-ek shabd usake hriday ko chir-chirakar nikal raha ho.‘

ainak vali mahila ne vyang kiya, ‘ jab apane paanv kaanta chubhata hai, tab ah nikalati hai? ‘

jalapa ab vahaan n thahar saki. ek-ek bat chiangari ki tarah usake dil par gagole dale deti thi. aisa ji chahata tha ki isi vakt uthakar kah de, ‘ yah mahashay bilakul jhooth bol rahe haian, sarasar jhooth, aur isi vakt isaka saboot de de. vah is avesh ko poore bal se dabae hue thi. usaka man apani kayarata par use dhikkar raha tha. kyoan vah isi vakt sara vrittaant nahian kah

sunati. pulis usaki dushman ho jayagi, ho jay. kuchh to adalat ko khayal hoga. kaun jane, in gariboan ki jan bach jay! janata ko to maloom ho jayaga ki yah jhoothi shahadat hai. usake muanh se ek bar avaz nikalate-nikalate rah gee. parinam ke bhay ne usaki zaban pak d li. akhir usane vahaan se uthakar chale ane hi mean kushal samajhi.

devidin use utarate dekhakar baramade mean chala aya aur daya se sane hue svar mean bola, ‘ kya ghar chalati ho, bahooji?’

jalapa ne aansuoan ke veg ko rokakar kaha, ‘haan, yahaan ab nahian baitha jata.‘

hate ke bahar nikalakar devidin ne jalapa ko saantvana dene ke irade se kaha, ‘ pulis ne jise ek bar booti suangha di, us par kisi doosari chiz ka asar nahian ho sakata.‘

jalapa ne ghrina-bhav se kaha, ‘yah sab kayaroan ke lie hai.’

kuchh door donoan chupachap chalate rahe. sahasa jalapa ne kaha, ‘kyoan dada, ab aur to kahian apil n hogi? kaidiyoan ka yahian phaisala ho jayaga..‘ devidin is prashn ka ashay samajh gaya. bola, ‘nahian, haeekort mean apil ho sakati hai.‘

phir kuchh door tak donoan chupachap chalate rahe. jalapa ek vriksh ki chhaanh mean kh di ho gee aur boli, ‘dada, mera ji chahata hai, aj jaj sahab se milakar sara hal kah dooan. shuroo se jo kuchh hua, sab kah sunaooan. maian saboot de dooangi, tab to maneange?’

devidin ne aankheanan ga dakar kaha,’jaj sahab se!’

jalapa ne usaki aankhoan se aankheanan milakar kaha,’haan!’

devidin ne duvidha mean p dakar kaha, ‘maian is bare mean kuchh nahian kah sakata, bahooji! hakim ka vastab n jane chit p de ya pat.‘

jalapa boli, ‘kya pulis valoan se yah nahian kah sakata ki tumhara gavah banaya hua hai?‘

‘kah to sakata hai.’

‘to aj maian usase milooan. mil to leta hai?’

‘chalo, dariyarti kareange, lekin mamala jokhim hai.’

‘kya jokhim hai, batao.’

‘bhaiya par kahian jhoothi gavahi ka ilajam lagakar saza kar de to?’

‘to kuchh nahian. jo jaisa kare, vaisa bhoge.’

devidin ne jalapa ki is nirmamata par chakit hokar kaha, ‘ek doosara khataka hai. sabase bada dar usi ka hai.‘

jalapa ne udyat bhav se poochha,’vah kya?’

devidin—‘pulis vale bade kayar hote haian. kisi ka apaman kar dalana to inaki dillagi hai. jaj sahab pulis kamisanar ko bulakar yah sab hal kaheange zaroor. kamisanar socheange ki yah aurat sara khel biga d rahi hai. isi ko giraphtar kar lo. jaj aangarez hota to nidar hokar pulis ki tanbih karata. hamare bhaee to aise mukadamoan mean chooan karate darate haian ki kahian hamare hi oopar n bagavat ka ilazam lag jay. yahi bat hai. jaj sahab pulis kamisanar se zaroor kah

sunaveange. phir yah to n hoga ki mukadama utha liya jay. yahi hoga ki kalee n khulane pave. kaun jane tumhian ko giraphtar kar lean. kabhi-kabhi jab gavah badalane lagata hai, ya kalee kholane par utaee ho jata hai, to pulis vale usake ghar valoan ko dabate haian. inaki maya aparanpar hai.

jalapa saham uthi. apani giraphtari ka use bhay n tha, lekin kahian pulis vale rama par atyachar n karean. is bhay ne use katar kar diya. use is samay aisi thakan maloom huee mano saik doan kos ki manzil marakar aee ho usaka sara satsahas barf ke saman pighal gaya.

kuchh door age chalane ke bad usane devidin se poochha, ‘ab to unase mulakat n ho sakegi?’

devidin ne poochha, ‘bhaiya se?’

‘haan’

‘kisi tarah nahian. pahara aur kadakar diya gaya hoga. chahe us bangale ko hi chho d diya ho aur ab unase mulakat ho bhi gee to kya fayada! ab kisi tarah apana bayan nahian badal sakate. darogahalagi mean phans jaeange.’

kuchh door aur chalakar jalapa ne kaha, ‘maian sochati hooan, ghar chali jaooan. yahaan rahakar ab kya karooangi.’

devidin ne karuna bhari huee aankhoan se use dekhakar kaha, ‘nahian bahoo, abhi maian n jane dooanga. tumhare bina ab hamara yahaan pal-bhar bhi ji n lagega. budhiya to ro-rokar paran hi de degi. abhi yahaan raho, dekho kya phaisala hota hai. bhaiya ko maian itana kachche dil ka adami nahian samajhata tha. tum logoan ki biradari mean sabhi sarakari naukari par jan dete haian. mujhe to koee sau rupaya bhi talab de, to naukari n karooan. apane rozagar ki bat hi doosari hai. isamean adami kabhi thakata

hi nahian. naukari mean jahaan paanch se chhah ghante hue ki deh tootane lagi, jamhaiyaan ane lagian.’

raste mean aur koee batachit n huee. jalapa ka man apani har manane ke lie kisi tarah razi n hota tha. vah parast hokar bhi darshak ki bhaanti yah abhinay dekhane se santusht n ho sakati thi. vah us abhinay mean sammilit hone aur apana part khelane ke lie vivash ho rahi thi. kya ek bar phir rama se mulakat n hogi? usake hriday mean un jalate hue shabdoan ka ek sagar um d raha tha, jo vah usase kahana chahati thi. use rama par zara bhi daya n ati thi, usase ratti-bhar sahanubhooti n hoti thi. vah usase kahana chahati thi, ‘ tumhara dhan aur vaibhav tumhean mubarak ho, jalapa use pairoan se thukarati hai. tumhare khoon se range hue hathoan ke sparsh se meri deh mean chhale p d jaeange. jisane dhan aur pad ke lie apani atma bech di, use maian manushy nahian samajhati. tum manushy nahian ho, tum pashu bhi nahian, tum kayar ho! kayar!’jalapa ka mukhamandal tejamay ho gaya. garv se usaki gardan tan gee. yah shayad samajhate hoange, jalapa jis vakt mujhe jhabbedar pag di baandh gho de par savar dekhegi, phali n samaegi. jalapa itani nich nahian hai. tum gho de par nahian, asaman mean u do, meri aankhoan mean hatyare ho, poore hatyare, jisane apani jan bachane ke lie itane adamiyoan ki gardan par chhuri chalaee! maianne chalate-chalate samajhaya tha, usaka

kuchh asar n hua! oh, tum itane dhan-lolup ho, itane lobhi! koee haraj nahian. jalapa apane palan aur raksha ke lie tumhari muhataj nahian.’ inhian santapt bhavanaoan mean doobi huee jalapa ghar pahuanchi.