Why are they beating up Otto Sir all the time?

Siddharth’s grandfather says, ‘Because he is not a good man.’

Why is he not a good man?

Siddharth’s mother says, ‘Because he used to beat his wife and do horrible things to his own brother also.’

What horrible things?

‘Hush. Just horrible things.’

Will they beat him more and lots and lots?

Siddharth’s father says, giving him a hug, ‘Now they won’t need to beat him because we have made sure he leaves Mumbaii. He has sold his house and shifted with his family to Bangalore.’

We will also go to Bangalore?

‘Hush!’

Bombay High Court advocate Raju Zunzarrao Moray hears of the incident, he lives in Bandra, he knows Siddharth’s family, he knows the parents and guardians who have bashed up Otto Sir; he speaks with everyone concerned, those who thrashed him say they had to do something to stop the man since the boy’s parents and grandparents were not willing to do anything about it. Privately, Raju Moray agrees, this would certainly be one effective way of dealing with such a swine; but it is not the final solution and so he phones Siddharth’s uncle.

‘You must,’ urges advocate Raju Moray of Siddharth’s uncle, ‘go to the police. It is imperative. I will be there with you, as a concerned parent it is my duty to help you. Come, let us go to the police together.’

No, says Siddharth’s family, never.

Here Raju Moray perforce lets the matter rest; until his own son comes home and tells him and his wife Shweta something that makes his blood run cold. Their son tells them that his school is organizing a one-week personality development course by one Otto Sir.

Raju Moray speaks to the principal of his son’s school and puts his foot down as a parent, no Otto Sir in this school, not for one week, not for a minute.

The principal replies, ‘On what grounds do I stop it? On allegations from parents of another school which they refuse to act on?’

Advocate Moray thinks quickly. ‘You stop it,’ he tells the principal, ‘or else there might be a picket by some concerned parents right outside the school’s gate. These parents will inform the Press about their picket which will surely come to cover such a protest. I don’t think a picket of this kind has been organized anywhere in the country, by parents and outside schools, for such a reason before. Think about it, the national Press will cover it with great enthusiasm.’

The principal does not need time to think, ‘Okay,’ he says very quickly, ‘consider the personality development course by Otto Sir as withdrawn. But what do I tell him?’

‘Tell him he is a bastard,’ says Raju Zunzarrao Moray firmly. ‘Yes, tell him that he is a bastard of the highest order to be doing this to defenceless children, that too in the name of something sacred like teaching. And yes, tell him this as well, that I am writing to the police commissioner about him.’