Interrupted one

[NaNoWriMo 12]

[Warning: This is poorly written and completely unedited. I just want to get a novel written soon.]

"No! Let me finish-- let me fini--", Riski Ghosh blurted.

"--that is absolutely, categorically, completely wrong. What you are saying is outright fabricated lies, and there is no proof --", Jagannath ji insisted.

"--Let me complete, I am not suggesting your party -- no no, just let me say that-- your party did not fix the electi--elections--" Riski tried.

"--why is there proof that their party paid significant amount of money to voters in exchange of vote-- buying votes-- are we buying votes-- are we down to this--" Raul shouted into the mix, cutting Riski.

"...something happened, but but fixing elections was--was-- let me finish please Jagannath  ji, jaggann-ji, not blaming-- personally-- but you--you cannot-- no let me," Riski said.

Raul began when Riski was in the middle of his sentence... "...we're not blaming Jaggannath ji personally-- but we have to agree there were issues -- no not you, not accusing you -- but miscreants -- someone wrong-- something illegal-- you have to agree that -- no no you cannot disagree with the facts-- sure--"

"--baseless. Shameless, shameless tactics to embarrass-- shameless to -- it is clearly illegal-- and we have verified it was not anyone from our central-- no no it wasn't us-- we didn't do it, why are we treating the media as the judiciary -- there is a legal system-- the trial by media is not-- no no, nothing absolutely nothing-- this is unhealthy for -- agree something happened, not our involvement --- not good for democracy --"  blared Jagannath ji.

The moderator had given up. He had lost control of the conversation and there was no taking it back. I am more professional that this, he thought to himself. He had to act. It wouldn't look good if he let a free-for-all shouting match happen under his moderation. At least, he thought, the audience is amused. Or entertained anyway. He didn't know if it was worth trying to outshout everyone else. He decided to join in.

"So what you are saying is, so what you are saying is-- that no one in your party had -- no one of the party had any-- any involvement-- in the bribing scheme? Could you sign on that? Jaggannath jii-- Jagga- Jii could you sign on your -- on your claim that -- sign that your party was uninvolved? Are you -- how much confidence do you have? Responsibility, who would take the responsibility if that was -- was discovered to be true," he went in, trying to shout above everyone else, looking at Jaggannath.

Raul had heard the moderator. He figured pinning Jaggannath ji in that particular corner would be a good idea. He picked up the sheet of paper he was writing his notes on. "Can you, Jaggannath ji, can you -- can you -- can you sign on this paper that absolutely -- that no one from your party  was -- can you sign? Are you confident tha--" Raul shouted, facing Jagannath ji, waving the  empty side of the sheet at Jaggannath ji.

"--our central committee has verified-- verified -- that our cadres were not involved. Miscreants -- miscreants -- claiming to be our party -- plants, plants from other parties -- could  be -- no I cannot sign it because it's a trick -- this could be a trick -- can you -- can YOU sign that this is not YOUR -- maybe your cadres -- can you -- why am I the one -- not under suspicion -- sign it, sign it," Jaggannth ji fired back, waving his own empty sheet at Raul.

"--no it's not-- no no no-- not accusing -- it is that news say that your-- yes, yes I am sure -- no I wouldn't sign -- because -- because--," Raul short back.

"--please, lets stop the blame and listen-- please stop--," Riski interjected.

The moderator grew confident. He raised a finger at Riski, asked for a moment. Riski quieted down. "Gentlemen, gentlemen-- instead of accusing each other-- please-- please, Raul ji, let me ask you the question -- let me-- let me-- Jaggannath ji is right, I agree-- lets ask Raul ji a question -- Raul ji -- Raul ji!" shouted the moderator looking at him.

Raul looked at the moderator. He stopped midsentence. He nodded his head. Jaggannath ji stopped speaking after noticing no one else was talking. " So to ask you Raul ji, you agreed with my question when I asked Jaggannath ji if he would sign that his party had nothing to do the incident. Lets put this question to you, and you to, Riski ji, if you guys would sign a paper verifying that it was most definitely not one of your cadres who did that. Would you be willing to do that?" the moderator asked, looking at Raul first, and then at Riski, and back to Raul again.

"No. No, there is no guarantee. The signing of the documents is unfair, I agree. However, it is quite clear that the persons who were involved in bribing had asked to vote for his party, and were reported to have worked as his party cadres at some point, so it is only reasonable to accept some accountability from his side. That is it," Raul stated, sounding quite resigned all of a sudden.

"--agree with Raul ji. Since there are so many points pointing at his party, we just want Jagannath ji to clarify how is it that the public can trust them if their idea of of winning an election is bribing voters. If this was not their cadre, it's a lot of signs pointing at them anyway," Riski began before the moderator had a chance to speak.

The moderator looked at Jaggannath ji. "It is not the function of our party to investigate every crime and every misdeed that happens inside this country. The police and the justice and judicial system are the ones that are responsible for it, and we put our greatest trust in them. As for the fact that the signs point to our party, let me clarify that it is in no way related to our party body. If one or two of vagrants who are our party cadres did it, then it is possible. We will not attempt to protect those criminals in any way, and suggest the strongest punishment, since they are besmirching our name. We fully suggest investigation into, and legal action into this issue, and there is nothing to add to that," said Jaggannath ji calmly.