To Asghar Ali Engineer Saab, I say ...

1.

To the local astrologer, I went and asked

Junaab: yeh inquilaab kab aayega?

2.

His followers prohibited from worshiping idols

Yet his lordship prays to his fleet of Rolls Royce engines

Instead of blessing his tribe with the Ta'wil and Ta'fsir

When they crawl for the Sajda under his feet

3.

Spies, spies, they are everywhere

Imprisoning you for what you think

4.

Ali Sardar Jaffri

Balraj Sahni

Kamleshwar

Khwaja Ahmed Abbas

Krishnan Chander

Others

Unlike you
All of the above, sign Madame's letter

Instead of throwing the pen, away

5.

5-a.

You say to me
The Ganges may be Holier

But the canal

Near Maliyana and Hashimpura

Is bloodier

5-b.

The first story you told me
About the E Maidan

Where factories rioted with factories

And the brassware industry lived unhappily ever after

5-c

The second story you told me
About the constabulary 
Who severed her legs

And yet, the young girl (known for her personal hygiene)

Crawled to the river in Logaingaon

To complete her daily bath

5-d

The third story you told me
About potatoes 
Who were persecuted under Section 153 A

Since the innocent blood

Found beneath the soil

Improved crop cultivation

5-e

We have been notified

The 300 mini-riots in 1990

Cannot be classified as riots

It was an endeavour in communal harmony

To recycle the dead beings into medical implants

For the other

6.

Asghar Ali Engineer Saab
To you, I say

Gaali khaya

Maar khaaya

Jihaad kiya

Now let's go to a disco

Where I know a dervish DJ 

We can drink all night

Till our faith fades away ... 


(Dr Asghar Ali Engineer passed away on 14 May 2013)