The most dreaded sound we Indians heard during the British rule, waspolice knocking at our door, “Who’s it?” we asked, voices fearful.“Police! Open up!” came a British or Anglo-Indian accent.

We threw the English out, but retain the fear their police evoked, by equipping ours to do the same! 

“What you thinking, only the white man could induce fear?” laughed a politician, “Even we can! Just watch!”

“Knock! Knock! Knock!”

“Ha, ha, ha!” laughed the same politician to me, “Did you see their fearful faces! Come with us, when we go to the next house and our policeman knock!”

“Why?” I asked, “it will be the same knock, and same reaction!”

“Ah but we are going to videotape the whole thing!”

“Why?”

“To send it to the Queen! To show her, what she and her subjects did before our freedom, we have perfected after Independence!”

I heard a clamour from across our borders all around, “We have perfected it even more!” said Pakistan. “Your policemen come with arrest warrants, ours with loaded rifle!”

“We’ve done an even better job,“sniggered Myanmar, “we shoot them even as they whisper fearfully behind their door!”

“We hack them as they step out!” grinned Bangladesh, “Especially writers and blasphemers!”

“Door?” laughed China, “The door has already disappeared, when our police arrive!”

The politician turned to me, “You see why we need to videotape our great leap forward?” he asked, “See how far behind we’ve been lagging! Ourneighbours have far outpaced us, in the ‘fearful police knock’ arena!”

“Do you think the Queen of England is going to be happy?” I asked, “Why should she?”

The politician looked at me, then patiently sat on a chair, “Listen Bob, have you ever been a teacher?”

“No!” I admitted.

“Well, then imagine you’re one. What happens when you find a student who’s coming last in class, suddenly catching up with the others?”

“I will be filled with joy and satisfaction, that I’ve done a good job!” I said nodding gleefully.

“Exactly!” said the politiciansmiling and thumping me on my back, “The poor Queen has been waiting for us to catch up with the rest of the class, and must have even given up hope about our ability to do so, but after seeing this video, she will be overjoyed!”

I watched, the video man set up his equipment, “Take One!” he shouted his voice quivering with excitement. The police knocked, a man opened the door and was whisked away.

A day later, the Supreme Court sent him back, but that part was not seen by the Queen as she smiled at her brilliant students…!

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