CHAPTER 78: CHAPTER 71: ANOTHER ONE

Delhi – Prime Minister’s Office, South Block – 21st December 1948

The December cold had settled deep into Delhi, but the air in Arjun Mehra’s office felt even colder.

Reports on his plans were all over his wooden desk. Be it the constitution draft which was ready to be debated upon in couple weeks, or the Ashoka Group’s progress. Along with these, there were also reports of the industrial change happening in the nation.

Yet something new had begun to trouble his carefully organized thoughts, a small detail that, from his knowledge of the future, represented a dangerous long-term threat.

He had been reading dispatches from East Bengal, reviewing reports on administrative progress and efforts to restore order. Among the data on food distribution, one specific detail caught his attention.

A small foreign mission had been established in Calcutta, focused on helping the poor and sick. The name connected to it: Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, known as Mother Teresa.

Arjun leaned back in his chair, his mind reaching through decades of future history he carried within him.

He remembered her clearly – the global symbol of charity, the Nobel Prize winner, the saint in millions of people’s eyes. But his knowledge went deeper than the public story.

He could see the real threads of her purpose: not just helping people, but serving as a calculated instrument of the Vatican, a religious agent disguised as a selfless caregiver.

He recalled the historical criticisms that had been dismissed as cynicism in his past life, now appearing terrifyingly accurate.

The deliberate maintenance of poor hygiene in her hospices – not from lack of resources, but as a twisted way to prolong suffering, ensuring a steady supply of dying, desperate souls ready for conversion in their most vulnerable moments.

Lack of transparency on how the millions of dollars were utilized. It was a strategy built on suffering, expanding religious influence under the cover of charity, which was especially effective in post-war Bengal of his timeline.

Circumstances were different in this world. He had radically changed the history and Bengal was nowhere near the crisis that it was supposed to undergo.

And yet, Teresa is still carrying out her mission, just more adapted to the new reality of this world. Of course, the impact will also be significantly reduced, but it will persist nonetheless.

Which was completely unacceptable. India under his rule would not tolerate such sneaky, long-term religious interference.

He was building a unified state, not a new battlefield for foreign religions. Be it the Vatican now, or the Saudi of the ’70s, no one will be allowed to establish such a foothold, especially not through methods so fundamentally opposed to national health and social order.

He pressed the intercom button. "Send urgent summons to Director Sharma."

Director Sharma of the Intelligence Bureau arrived within minutes, his face showing nothing, his manner efficient. He stood waiting for orders, sensing the serious nature of what was about to be asked of him.

"Director," Arjun began, his voice calm but completely emotionless, "we have a new priority. A situation in Calcutta. A foreign national operating under the pretense of humanitarian work more specifically. I’m sure you would have heard her name. Mother Teresa."

Sharma’s eyes flickered slightly, showing he recognized the name and its public reputation.

"I have received a rather troubling intelligence from...a trusted asset," Arjun continued, his voice dropping to a low, chilling whisper, "that her operations are not truly humanitarian.

They are deeply flawed, systematically maintaining unhygienic conditions that make disease worse rather than better. This is deliberate strategy, Director.

A way to control vulnerable people, to spread a specific foreign ideology, and to create a long-term foothold for outside influence, particularly in our sensitive new territories in East Bengal."

Sharma’s face remained blank, but his mind was already calculating the implications.

"An this...this cannot continue," Arjun stated, fixing his gaze on Sharma. "She is a direct threat to public health, to our national ideology, and to the long-term stability of the Bengal region. Her activities must stop."

He then delivered his chilling order, his words sharp and precise, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

"Director, I want Teresa to be eliminated. And I want it done so perfectly, so completely without trace, that no one, absolutely no one suspects murder. It must look like an accident. An unfortunate, tragic accident.

And while the world will mourn a saint, India will be free of this subtle but dangerous threat."

Sharma’s jaw tightened almost invisibly. The importance of this target was enormous, a global icon. But he understood the reason behind Prime Minister’s absolute determination. But he wondered how sure was the Prime Minister about this intelligence? Because, it could lead to rather unsavory circumstances.

"I will require need some time, Prime Minister. As it needs very careful planning. I would need to consider every small detail."

"No problem, get it done before the first parliamentary session. I think that much time should be more than enough" Arjun nodded. "And her assistants. Her closest associates, her key helpers in this operation. They must also be dealt with. But they can be dealt with slowly.

Gradually. Over the next year. The methods can be accidents, medical deaths, or the missionaries can simply... voluntarily leave the country and never return, by making their lives completely unbearable.

Ensure no pattern or connection exists. Each needs to be a separate incident. This is not about sending a message. This is about completely destroying the network. By the end of next year, the Vatican’s influence operations in Bengal, and anywhere else they might try such tactics, will be completely dismantled."

Without pausing, Arjun moved to a broader, related order. "Furthermore, Director, my government will immediately ban all Foreign Missions and Non-Governmental Organizations that receive foreign funding.

They are, far too often, channels for outside influence, for ideologies that don’t align with our national interests, and for activities that bypass direct state control."

Sharma’s eyes flickered again. This was a massive, sweeping action, far beyond targeting a single person.

"A permanent ban, Prime Minister? That will cause considerable international protest. Many humanitarian and development organizations currently operate using funds from various Western nations."

"The protest will be handled," Arjun replied firmly.

"The Ministry of External Affairs will issue a directive: all international aid and development must now flow directly through the Government of India, or through state-controlled organizations. We will cite issues of national sovereignty, accountability, and the need for unified planning.

We will present it as India asserting its self-reliance, ensuring that all foreign assistance truly serves our national development goals, and is not diverted for other purposes."

He continued, "India, as of now, is strong enough now to manage its own affairs. We will accept foreign help on our terms, not through a chaotic mixture of foreign-controlled organizations.

The Bureau of National Ideology & Religious Oversight will provide justification for this in terms of protecting our cultural and social fabric from outside ideological infiltration.

Your IB, Director, will ensure this ban is strictly enforced, and any attempts to continue operations secretly are quickly and completely stopped."

Sharma gave a short nod, his face now showing professional, cold determination. "It will be done, Prime Minister."

As Sharma turned to leave, Arjun walked to the window, looking out at the sprawling city below. His mind was already moving beyond this immediate task to the larger picture of what he was planning.

The decision to eliminate Mother Teresa was not made in anger or haste. It came from his deep understanding of how seemingly small influences could grow into major problems over time.

The ban on foreign NGOs was equally calculated. These organizations, no matter how well-intentioned they appeared, represented potential channels for outside powers to influence Indian society and politics.

They could fund activities that didn’t align with his vision for India’s future. They could create alternative power centers that might challenge state authority.

Most dangerously, they could introduce foreign ideologies that might weaken the unified national identity he was working to build.

From his future, Arjun knew that NGOs would eventually become powerful political forces in many countries, often serving the interests of their foreign funders rather than the nations where they operated.

By banning them now, he was preventing this problem before it could grow.

The world would see these actions differently, of course. They would mourn the "tragic accident" that claimed a beloved humanitarian. They would criticize India’s "restrictive" policy toward international organizations.

But Arjun didn’t care about immediate international opinion. He cared about building a strong, truly independent India that could not be influenced or manipulated by outside forces.

As he returned to his seat, he pressed the brass intercom, "Send Minister Rajagopalachari to my office."

He need to be prepared to take charge of the narrative, before it can be shaped by someone else.