I am sure many of you know about Panchatantra, a book of moral stories. Though I am not definite how many may recall its wonderful anecdotes. However, it is a book of moral lessons, which are relevant even to this day. Trust me, one of the stories has a lesson to Gen Musharraf.
The story, in brief, is something like this: There was a lion, living in its den, which was severely bothered by a rat. The rat used to eat up his food and even his mane. With all its prowess and power, it was barely able to get rid of his tiny rival. So, one day it decided to call on its cousin a cat, which was known for catching and killing notorious rats. And, the day he met him, he said about its problem. As soon it understood the case, the cat swore on to bring a perfect end to its problem. However, when it turned to job the rat was too smart for the cat. For months, the culprit was far from being fixed. Still lion was happy because of the fear of the cat, the rat was no more bothering his mane and his food kept in the den. During those months, the lion with lavish foods was treating cat royally. At last, one fine day when rat came out of its hole it was captured and eaten up by its predator. But cat was now apprehensive. It said: ?Oh! God, If lion comes to know about it, I will hardly be able to have the luxury that he has endowed upon me till date.? Hence, with a fear of loosing the patronage of the lion, the cat never intimated the death of its culprit. But how long could the cat keep the lion under illusion? One fine day the lion was convinced that the rat was no longer in its abode, and from that day on it began showing off its colour by debarring its cousin of the luxuries. And thus the cat was ultimately starved to death.
So the said cat is Gen Musharraf, who had once swore to the United States of getting its culprit, the Saudi-born most wanted terrorist in the world?Osama bin Laden. It has now been over two years since any one in the world has seen the man over the video?if at all something suggests of his existence, it'shis voice over tape. Is it because Osama is having serious problem with his finances to buy a movie camera? It would indeed be insane to think that a mastermind who has sophisticated weaponry and the state-of-the-art terrorist training facility does not have this minute and petty equipment.
So the question, which arises finally, is: Where is Osama? The facts has it that Osama requires frequent dialysis and it is certain that if he lives in the mountains, the rigid conditions are certain to be lethal on his life. Should he endure, only thing that can save him is a reasonably luxurious treatment, which may be found only in Pakistan. So Indian intelligence officials are rightly pointing out ?of rare chances of handing over Osama to Americans, or even declaring him dead?. This is because Osama is a passion target for Washington. It is certain that the day they have their prey, they would in no time restore democracy, overthrowing the military regime of the General. The condition of the General then would be like that of the poor cat, just narrated in the chronicle. But will he allow this to happen by himself? Certainly not!
Thus, Gen Musharraf: How long can you keep the world under illusion?
