bheekh maangate sharm nahin aatee

lokal tren se utarate hee
hamane sigaret jalaane ke lie
ek saahab se maachis maangee,
tabhee kisee bhikhaaree ne
hamaaree taraph haath badhaaya,
hamane kaha-
“bheekh maangate sharm nahin aatee?”

oke, vo bola-
“maachis maangate aapako aayee thee k‍ya?”
baaboojee! maangana desh ka karek‍tar hai,
jo jitanee safaee se maange
utana hee bada ek‍tar hai,
ye bhikhaariyon ka desh hai
leejie! bhikhaariyon kee lis‍ta pesh hai,

dhandha maangane vaala bhikhaaree
chanda maangane vaala
daad maangane vaala
aulaad maangane vaala
dahej maangane vaala
not maangane vaala
aur to aur
vot maangane vaala
hamane kaam maanga
to log kahate hain chor hai,
bheekh maangee to kahate hain,
kaamachor hai,

unamen kuchh nahin kahate,
jo ek vot ke lie,
dar-dar naak ragadate hain,
ghis jaane par rabar kee khareed laate hain,
aur upadeshon kee pothiyaan kholakar,
mahant ban jaate hain.
log to ek bil‍le se pareshaan hain,
yahaan saikadon bil‍le
kharagosh kee khaal mein desh ke har kone mein viraajamaan hain.

ham bhikhaaree hee sahee,
magar raajaneeti samajhate hain,
rahee akhabaar padhane kee baat
to ach‍chhe-ach‍chhe log,
maang kar padhate hain,
samaachaar to samaachaar,
log baag padosee se,
achaar tak maang laate hain,
raha vichaar!
to vah bechaara,
mahangaee ke maraghat mein,
mudde kee tarah dafan ho gaya hai.

samaajavaad ka jhanda,
hamaare lie kafan ho gaya hai,
kooda kha rahe hain aur badaboo pee rahe hain,
unaka photo kheenchakar
phil‍ma vaale laakhon kamaate hain
jhopadee kee baat karate hain
magar juhoo mein bangala banavaate hain.
hamane kaha “phil‍ma vaalon se
tum‍haara k‍ya jhagada hai?”
vo bola-
“aapake saamane bhikhaaree nahin
bhootapoorv prodyoosar khada hai
baap ka bees laakh phoonk kar
haath mein katora pakada!”
hamane paanch rupe usake
haath mein rakhate hue kaha-
“ham bhee phil‍mon mein traee kar rahe hain!”
vah bola, “aapakee raksha karen durga maee
aapake lie dua karoonga
lag gaee to theek
varana aapake paanch mein apane paanch mila kar
das aapake haath par dhar doonga!