Three Mistakes of My Life by Chetan Bhagat

'In school and now I have a sports store. I've seen players, but none like Ali,'
Ish said passionately.
'But it's just a game. One guy hits a ball with a stick, the rest run around to
stop it.'
'It's more than that,' lsh said, offended. 'But if you have never played it, you
will never understand.'
Ali's dad said, 'You know I am a member of the secular party?'
'We saw the sign,' I said.
'Would you like to come and visit our party sometime?'
Omi suddenly stood up. 'Do you know who you are talking to? I am Pandit
Shastri's son. You have seen the Swami temple in Belrampur or not?' His voice
was loud.
Ish pulled Omi's elbow to make him sit down.
'How does that matter, son?' Ali's dad said.
'You are telling me to come visit your party? I am a Hindu.'
'We won't hold that against you,' Ali's father grinned. 'Ours is a secular party.'
'It is not secular. It is suck-ular party. Suck-up politics, that is all you know.
No wonder Muslims like you flock there. Now Ish, we are leaving or not?'
'Omi, behave yourself, we came for Ali.'
I don't care. Let him play marbles and fail maths. If Bittoo Mama finds out I
am here...'
'Bittoo is your Mama?' Ali's dad said.
'He is your opposition. And a suck-up party will never win in Belrampur.'
'Calm down, son. Sit down,' Ali's dad said.
Omi sat down and Ish massaged his shoulder. Omi rarely flared up, but when
he did, it took several pacifying tactics to get him back to normal.
'Here, have a banana. I know you are hungry,' Ish soothed.
Omi resisted, but took the banana.
'I am also new to secular politics, son. I was in a hardline party,' Ali's dad said
and paused to reflect, 'yes, I made a few mistakes too.'
'Whatever. Don't even try to convert people from our party to yours,' Omi said
fiercely.
I won't. But why are you so against us? The party has ruled the country for
forty years, we must be doing something right.'
'You won't rule Gujarat anymore. Because we can see through your hypocrisy,'
Omi said.
'Omi, stop,' Ish said.
'It's ok, Ish. I rarely get young people to talk to. Let him speak his mind,' Ali's
dad said.
I don't have anything to say. Let's go,' Omi said.
'The communal parties aren't perfect either,' Ali's dad said.
I guess even Ali's dad loved to argue.
'There you go. Here is the bias, you call us communal. Your party gives
preference to Muslims, but it is secular. Why?' Omi said. 'What preference have
we given?' Ali's dad said. 'Why can't you let us make a temple in Ayodhya?' Omi
said. 'Because there is a mosque there already'
'But there was a temple there before.' 'That is not proven.'
'It has. The government keeps hiding those reports.'
'Incorrect.'