It was a hot Sunday afternoon of 2012. The Dutta family had gathered in the hall room. All the faces were very grin and though they had gathered for a serious discussion but for a long time none of them could speak a word.
To understand the situation we have to look into a few years before when the Dutta family was a flourishing business house. Mr. B.K Dutta and his three sons, Nikhil, Uday and Subhro controlled and enjoyed a large fortune. The three sons were all married and were living in their individual apartments with their wife and children. Only Mr. B.K Dutta and his wife were left behind in the Dutta villa. They met in the villa only during major celebrations and enjoyed in their own way.
Things started changing for them since 2008 and the slump was so sudden and steep that they could not control it. Whatever they did went against their interest and the debts started rising. For the first three years they tried to sustain but in the fourth year when the labors also called for strike in the factory they got shattered. Forget about the high expenses, they were finding it difficult even to maintain their regular expenses. All the financial institutions and private creditors were now after them. So the family has come together to find a final solution.
To break the silence in the room Mr. Dutta said “Do any of you have any solution?"
“sorry, we don’t have any, we want you to take a final call.” replied Nikhil.
Mr. Dutta turned towards his wife she looked at him and said that for the last fifty years Mr. Dutta had been a fighter and she hoped that he wouldn’t give up. MR. Dutta just held her hand and looked at his daughters- in- law. They lamented that their life had got shattered and blamed their husbands for investing in shares and they even burst out that they were not even able to pay the school fee of the children.
As each of them started accusing the other and there was total chaos in the room, then Mr. Dutta asked them to cool down and again asked them if they can give a solution. Uday who was still perspiring with excitement, shouted, ”Suicide, mass suicide, that is the only solution”
Mr. and Mrs. Dutta were taken aback, they were totally stunned by what they heard and they kept looking at each other with blank eyes. But the sons and daughters-in –law kept giving justification for their decisions. After listening to them Mr. Dutta took a deep breath and said, “Where are the children?” “They were playing in the corridor” come a sharp reply.
Mr. Dutta who was silent for long took a sigh and asked if there was no other solution. The answer was prompt “No.”
Then Mrs. Dutta got up from her chair and said that when their children had taken the call she will heed to it. She told that her daughters-in-law had to kill their children first and only then she will agree to a mass suicide.
Another long silence prevailed in the room. Nobody moved for a long time. Mrs. Dutta did not take her eyes off them. None of them could meet Mrs. Duttas eyes. She then turned to her husband and asked about his decision. Mr. Dutta was about to tell something when there was a large banging on the door. The eldest girl barged in and informed that Uday’s 4 year old son had fallen off the stair-case and had hurt his head. Immediately the whole family rushed out.
The child was taken to the hospital, his condition was very critical. The doctor’s worked overtime and around 2:30 in the night they informed that the child was reacting to the treatment for another couple of hours the whole family waited with abated breathe on the benches till the doctors announced that the child was out of the danger.
It was the time for dawn; a pinkish hue could be seen in the horizon. Mr. Dutta got up from his place went up to his sons and said “come on let’s fight once more.”
- Anupam….
(Never Give Up Come What May)
