A sensitive writer
Reeta Sharma

I first met K. C. Mohan in England in 1987. He was then the Editor of a weekly newspaper, Punjabi Darpan. The paper mostly dealt with Punjab-related issues as militancy was at its peak in Punjab in the 80s. It was a period of turmoil for the Punjabis living abroad because both the Sikhs and the Hindus were victims of disinformation and fanaticism. The then largest-selling Punjabi weekly, Des Pardes, added fuel to the fire by taking a pro-militant stand on the Khalistan issue.

Ironically, its Editor, Tarsem Singh Purewal, had told me then that he himself did not believe in the demand for Khalistan. "It is foolish to conceive of Khalistan as a buffer state between Pakistan and India as it will be impossible for it to survive. But my paper takes a pro-militant stand because it sells. I have no sympathy for India, specially the Congress. I was a victim of the Darbara Singh government in Punjab. He had not let me serve my dying mother. I can never forget and forgive this. May be, you can call it my revenge." Years later, Purewal was killed by the very militants in England whose misplaced philosophy he had tried to encash.

This episode, vis-`E0-vis K C Mohan, has enormous relevance. Punjabi Darpan was founded to take on Des Pardes. It was certainly a tall order as Des Pardes was well established not only in terms of readership but also resources. On the other hand, Punjabi Darpan had neither funds nor readership. But K C Mohan continued to publish unmindful of the constraints.

A polite and humble person, K C Mohan did not wear a pagri then. He came from a Punjabi Hindu family and his father not only believed in Sikhism but also wore a turban and kept a beard. His mother tongue was Punjabi and although in he fared much better in Hindi while in college, he continued to express himself in Punjabi alone. K C Mohan was primarily a poet and a short story writer. Journalism happened to him, when in 1978, he joined Punjab Times as an Assistant Editor. But later, he practiced journalism out of choice and conviction. Today, he earns his bread as a social worker in South-West London and continues with his literary pursuits.

Recently Uddan Publications, Mansa, has published his Punjabi short stories in Hindi titled Katha Pardes. These have been translated by Darshan Mitwa. In the introduction K C Mohan has very categorically stated that he does not believe in writing literature for the sake of literature. "I believe that a writer has a responsibility towards society. The writer has to be vigilant and document the impressions and observations whether in literary writings, essays or in journalism. As such, my personal experiences of having lived in India and in England are woven into my short stories."

The sensitivity and creativity of K C Mohan emerges rather naturally and spontaneously in his stories. His stories are simple but profound in the messages that they convey. For instance, Mallin is a simple narration of two young minds getting ready for a beautiful relationship as friends. Wading through challenges of life and family bonds after parting from each other, they acquire dimensions which are both pleasant as well as unpleasant. The female mind goes through an apparently blissful marriage only to realise one day that her husband was neither trusting her nor respecting her.

Living in Europe many years, K C Mohan has understood the nuances of racism. He says, "The First World countries are afflicted with racism. Even though the Blacks have been a part of America for centuries and have achieved many high positions, the Whites continue to look down upon them. The number of Blacks is very high in the UK, too, but they lead a life of insecurity. On their part, even when the Blacks and the Asians are doing exceedingly well, they continue to suffer from a mindset that is a throwback on the days of colonialism.

"The Whites here still stubbornly refuse to acknowledge our role. Even in the 21st century, the Whites continue to think that they are superior to us. Most of them refuse to have any social links with Asians and the Blacks. The end result is widespread crime by the younger generation of Whites against Asians and the Blacks."

K C Mohan's understanding of racism has been depicted rather subtly in a story titled, Kala Adami. The story begins with a chance meeting between a Black and a White man. It ends on an unnatural reaction from the White man, who first uses the Black man to pass his time and then shuns his hand of friendship without any sense of guilt.

He has maintained his links rigorously with India. "On an average, I am in my village four to five times in a year. I. therefore, get to closely observe what is happening here. I feel that the present-day youth is not only directionless but also does not have opportunities to use its skills. They are thus filled with frustration and low self-esteem. Alcoholism and drug abuse are rampant. I hope the government wakes up to this alarming situation."