NARENDRAN’S DESTINY
-
K V Dominic (India)
“Dad, the postman has
served a registered letter addressed to you.” Swapna handed over the envelope
to her father Narendran, lying on his bed. He opened the cover and went through
the content.
“It is from the bank again.
If we don’t remit the loan dues of Rs. 5,25,582 by the end of this month the
bank will confiscate our house and property which we had pledged.” Narendran
said in a sad tone.
Hearing this
Naredran’s wife Rekha arrived from the kitchen. “O my God, what shall we do?
Where will we go if they evict us?” she wailed.
“I have no answer. We
have to take it as an ultimatum from the bank since they had already served
reminders earlier. They won’t grant us any extension of the date to remit the
amount. They will be coming with police force and vehicle to carry all our
possessions in the house and shut us out and lock the door and paste the notice
that reads as bank would be the owner of the house and property.” Narendran
replied.
“Shall we write to
the chief minister pleading for the government mercy to write off the loan
amount?” Swapna suggested.
“It is of no use,
dear daughter. There are thousands of defaulters like us in the State and the
government won’t take the burden of remitting these amounts to the banks. Since
the bank is a nationalised one the State government can’t enforce it to write
off the amount.” Narendran replied.
“Since you aren’t
able to walk I shall go to the bank tomorrow and request the manager to show
mercy upon us. The amount we have to pay is very negligible for a bank and the
manager may write it off.” Rekha suggested.
“I don’t think the
manager can take such a decision because it is public money. There are
instances of writing off when the borrower is no more—committed suicide or died
in an accident or of some fatal disease. In such cases the director board of
the bank will decide if the loan amount is to be written off and avoid
confiscation of the property. That is the only option before us to save you.”
Narendran uttered with a sigh.
“What nonsense are
you speaking? If you dare to do so, the next moment we will come with you.”
Rekha cried.
“Dad, don’t keep such
negative thoughts in your mind. Anyway fifteen more days are there for the bank
to take action. Let mama go to the bank and plead for mercy. If it is futile we
shall inform this situation to our relatives and request them to save us. If
they are merciful the amount can be amassed and remitted in the bank.” Swapna
suggested.
“Okay daughter, we
shall do so.” Narendran replied.
Narendran is a farmer
by profession. He has one acre of land with a small house in it where he lives
with his wife and daughter. Daughter Swapna is now studying for B. Ed course in
the government college. Narendran’s wife Rekha is a housewife. Swapna had a younger
brother who died in a bike accident three years back. Narendran took a loan of
Rs. 3 lakhs from a nationalised bank four years before for the purpose of
banana cultivation in his own land. Unfortunately there was a cyclone which
felled all the banana trees with tender bunches and Narendran could not repay
the loan amount with capital and interest at the due date. As Shakespeare says, “When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions”
Narendran’s son died in the bike accident which made the family drowned in the
ocean of eternal sorrow. To make things worse Narendran became a diabetic
patient and a wound on his right leg became septic and the leg had to be
amputated.
As to sustain the family Rekha was compelled to serve
as a maid in several houses. Meanwhile the loan amount in the bank grew up day
by day adding interest upon interest. Reminder notices to close the loan were
served from time to time.
As decided Rekha went to the bank and told the
manager their helplessness in closing the loan. The manager in reply told his
helplessness in taking a decision to write off the loan amount. He added that
he has to abide by the rules and laws of the bank or else he will lose his job.
Letters were sent to the immediate relatives of Narendran and Swapna pleading
for their mercy to avoid confiscation of the house and the property. There were
sympathetic responses from the relatives but only an offer of less than Rs.
20,000 came.
At last the doomsday arrived. On the first of
December arrived at Narendran’s house the bank’s car with the manager and two
section clerks escorted by a police jeep carrying three policemen. The manager
knocked at the front door of the house. Rekha opened the door. The manager told
her that they have come to confiscate the property and evict them from the
house. Rekha started crying loudly:
“Please don’t send us out, sir. We have nowhere to go…” Swapna also started
crying and pleaded the manager to show mercy upon them. Narendran approaching
on his wheel chair begged for compassion. Hearing the loud cry the neighbours
came there. One among them, a man of sixty, and well dressed, introduced
himself as Akbar and asked the manager what for they have come. The manager
told him about the debt Narendran has to remit to avoid the confiscation.
Akbar asked Narendran: “Have you got any amount to
remit to the bank?”
Narendran: “Dear Akbar, you know, we have no income
and we survive with what Rekha get’s as a maid. I had requested my relatives to
help me but they could only give Rs. 19,000. This is that amount.” He showed
bundle of the currencies in his hand.
Akbar: “Manager sir, how much is the amount to be
remitted?”
Manager: “It is Rs. 5,25,582. The loan was taken
some four years back. The capital amount is Rs. 3 lakhs. Seeing the pathetic
situation of this house the director board has decided to waive the interest.
So the capital amount of Rs. 3 lakhs has to be paid now as to avoid the
confiscation.”
Akbar: “I am not only the
neighbour of Narendran but also his classmate till the 10th
standard. Since he was not rich enough to go to college for higher studies he
turned to agriculture helping his father. I could complete my graduation and
then got a good job in Kuwait. It is my duty to save him and his family. Kindly
wait for five minutes. Let me take my cheque book from my house.”
Akbar went to his house and
returned within five minutes. He handed over a bearer cheque of Rs. 3 lakhs to
Narendran and asked him to give it to the manager. With tears flowing over the
cheeks, Narendran accepted the cheque leaf telling: “Dear Akbar, you are an
angel sent by God to save me. I don’t know how to express our gratitude. God
bless you dear friend!” Rekha and Swapna clasped their palms weeping in
joy.
Narendran handed over the
cheque to the bank manager who checked it closely and found it valid. It was of
the same bank. The papers related to the closing of the loan was served to
Narendran and got his signatures wherever needed. The manager, the escort team
and the neighbours praised Akbar for his
generosity. He shook hand of Akbar and said: “A friend in need is a friend
indeed and you have proved that maxim through your humane action, dear Akbar.”
All applauded hearing this. The manager and others went back. The neighbours
also went back to their houses.
Akbar told Narendran: “You could have told me
of this crisis earlier. I would have helped you. I am going back to Kuwait next
Sunday. Keep this money with you.” He gave cash of Rs. 10,000 to Naredran’s
hands. “You can call me anytime you like. This is my card. Don’t forget to
inform me when you come across any financial burden.” He handed over the
visiting card to Narendran and moved away. Narendran, Rekha and Swapna were
dumfounded and bade him goodbye with clasped palms.
****
