It’s been whispered that ghosts of yesterday can mix with the nocturnal spirits of today, as no time bar separates them in the supernatural realms, which is why in the other worldly bar that phantom souls frequent, the late Winston Churchill walked across the spooky floor to join the late Thomas Babington Macaulay for a ghostly drink. “What are you grimacing about Thomas?” he asked lightly, dropping the title of ‘Sir’ which Macaulay would have otherwise insisted be added to his name, but not so for the great Churchill.
“Ah Winston, how are you, and I do hope you’re enjoying the spirits here!”
“Enjoying imbibing them and keeping company with them!” guffawed Sir Winston, “But coming back to you, I saw you frowning to yourself and wondered what was bothering you ole chap? You thinking of something of your days on earth?”
“As a matter of fact, India!” said Macaulay.
“Fancy that,” said Churchill as he perched himself on the club chair and pulled out a cigar, “And what about that great jewel of our crown you were thinking about?”
“About the sedition law I got passed in 1870!” said Macaulay with a frown, as he shooed away the cigar smoke that floated towards him.
“If my memory serves me right, section 124A of the Indian Penal Code!” said Churchill.
“You got a good memory Winston,” said Macaulay grudgingly.
“Considering I used the law many times as a cabinet minister to imprison Gandhi and what’s his name…”
“Nehru!” said Macaulay.
“Yeah Nehru, quite a guy huh, that Jawaharlal, never thought them Indians could be so charming!”
“Well, our good Mountbatten found out a bit late didn’t he, at least his Edwina did!”
They both laughed, and Churchill continued, “What about the sedition law you introduced to jail Indians who rebelled against us English?”
“They’re still using it!” said Macaulay angrily.
“You must be joking!” said Churchill, “But we left them over seventy years ago?”
“Yeah, but the law didn’t leave with us!” said Macaulay quietly, “It’s still there and used conveniently by every government, not to book those who incite violence against the state, but to imprison anyone who doesn’t agree with the policies of an existing government!”
“Well, well!” muttered Churchill as he blew a wad of smoke onto the senior ghost.
“Well what?” asked Macaulay.   
“I did tell everybody they were not ready for freedom or democracy!” said Churchill smugly.
“Yes, you did, while I spent every year there as Governor, bringing in education so they would ultimately be ready for a freedom, I knew they would get someday!”
“Looks like it’s not the education you gave them that’s working Macaulay, but the draconian law you taught them to use,” said Winston Churchill wickedly as the great late Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay coughed violently inhaling the ghostly cigar smoke blown intentionally in his direction…!

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