An aide rushed in. "Sir, another woman's been raped in Delhi." "That's it," the DPM said. "Tell the people I favour the death penalty for rapists! That'll teach them a lesson!"
Another aide rushed in. "Sir, the Dubai police have nabbed Dawood's brother! We can extradite him!"
The DPM frowned. "What about Abu Salem? Hadn't Interpol nabbed him too?"
The aide grinned. "Yes sir, but our chaps mislaid the papers that could have identified him and enabled Interpol to hand him over!"
"Hmmm! Wonder how Dawood's brother will escape? Well, never mind. Take down this statement. The government is determined to get each and every one of the most wanted 20 on the list of terrorists protected by Pakistan."
The DPM switched on the TV. A newsreader described in hushed tones how terrorists had engineered another bomb blast, killing 20 people. The dpm decided to address an election rally: "I want Pakistan to know that it is no good killing innocents. If you want to fight, come on, let us fight face to face. We have fought three times. Come on, let's fight it out a fourth time! Never mind the nuclear bombs. We'll fight to the finish."
Next day, the dpm addressed another rally. "I take a vow to win the proxy war! We'll smash cross-border terrorism!"
He told his aide. "I feel I've won the war! In a few days we'll know."
"But sir, yesterday Musharraf repeated his pledge to support the Kashmir terrorists," his aide exclaimed.
"Musharraf?" the dpm frowned. "Who's bothered about Musharraf? I am competing with Modi!"
The phone rang. The aide picked it up. "Nagappa has been shot dead, sir! They're not sure if Veerappan actually killed him!" "Why tell me," the DPM snapped. "That is cross-border terrorism for Karnataka and Tamil Nadu!"
I whistle in the dark
And life becomes a lark.
With eyes closed I cannot see,
So shadows don't frighten me!
