Archer’s magic missing in his latest book

‘Predictability’ is the word apt for Jeffrey Archer’s latest book “And Thereby Hangs a Tale”. Short stories gathered on travels, by Archer over the past six years, shape the content of the book. The book contains fifteen stories with all possible angles, emotions and drama. Like a typical masala Hindi movie it has all the ingredients - love, betrayal, sex, sorrow, police, investigation, fraudulence and what not.

The book is written in a lucid language which has the ability to create quite a dramatic impact on the readers. But I believe, Archer failed to nail the reader due to the cinematic twists and turns in every story. After a few stories you can exactly predict the climax and then you lose interest.

If you are fond of suspense and thriller stories, then some of the stories in this book will definitely hook you up. But if you are into serious stuff, then treat it as a time-pass. Being a hard-core Hindi movie buff, I could actually see reflections of certain movies in some of his stories. For e.g. the story named “Where there’s a will” talks about a girl who nurses an ailing old man to become the sole owner of his property. This story reminds me of the film “Aitraaz” where the young actress woos and marries an old business tycoon for his fortune. Similarly, the chewing gum technique of robbery used in the story “Stuck on you” reminds me of the various innovative stealing techniques used in the movie “Dhoom 2”. In fact, the “Blind Date” seems so be a carbon copy of Ruskin Bond’s short story “The Eyes Have It”, provided you forgive Archer for changing the time, location and characters of the story.

And Thereby Hangs a Tale is a book that you will like to read if you focus on some specific stories which are exciting and innovative. Stories like “The Undiplomatic Diplomat” or “The Queen’s Birthday Telegram” has been successful in provoking the emotions in the reader but such attempts are limited to a handful stories. This book gives you a feeling to crave for a little more but you end up disappointed.

Though it has become one of the best sellers in India, one of the possible reasons can be the insertion of the Indian story, “Caste Off”. It tells the tale of love with the inter-caste marriage angle twisting it. But sometimes, he winds you up in some parts of the book. For e.g. in the Caste Off he wrote,

“After the newly married couple had danced seven times around Pheras, the final confirmation of their wedding vows”

– Here, the word ‘danced’ can be taken as a slur by an Indian.

On the other hand, by keeping the Indian story as the last chapter, the author has strategically tried to keep his Indian readers running up to the finishing line.

Decent design and the handy-size give a good feel of the book and overall it’s worth a one-time read. But don’t be surprised if you feel you are already acquainted with some of the plots, structures or climaxes in certain stories.

My Verdict: 2.5/5

Scam-struck UPA

For news on scams, google UPA govt.

By Poulami Mukhopadhyay, Pune

Inflation, corruption and scams – UPA govt. seems to be clouded and overburdened by words like these. The country has seen the biggest scams under the UPA government. From corrupt ministers in land allotment or spectrum issues to price rise or inflation – they have it all.

The drowning UPA govt.

Source: indiadaily.org

In a press conference in New Delhi, BJP President Nitin Gadkari strongly reacted on the price rise issue saying,

"Earlier, I used to say the economic policy of the government has failed, but now it seems that the UPA-2 (India's ruling coalition, United Progressive Alliance) has failed on all fronts. All the promises made by Sonia Gandhi (UPA Chief) on issues such as corruption have proven to be false and shallow.."

If we look at it closely, the country’s largest scams fall under the UPA govt.’s banner. Scams like the Common Wealth Games, 2G spectrum, Satyam Scam, Adarsh Land scam, Bofors scandal are some of the highlights under the UPA govt.

Common Wealth Games Scam: An estimated Rs 1899 crores game event landed up becoming a Rs 70,000 crore one. But how? This gigantic expenditure on the CWG is a direct outcome of the frauds by the Games Organizing Committee and various functionaries of the Central and State (Delhi) government. To look deeply into the matter, UPA government has set up an enquiry committee headed by a former CAG. This committee was set up not only to find out the money laundering techniques, but also the people involved in doing that.

Common WEALTH Games

Source: commonwealthdelhi.com

2 G Spectrum Scam: One of the country’s largest scam happens to be the 2G spectrum scam where rules were grossly violated and spectrum licenses were given to random companies on the first come first serve basis. Interestingly, Congress’s chief ally and former telecom minister A Raja is the main accused in this case. This scam has cost Rs 1,76,000 crore to the public exchequer. In simple language, this money was enough for a universal public distribution of 35kgs of rice at Rs 2/kg for the entire term remaining for the UPA govt. This public loot by the telecom minister of the country has left the whole nation spell-bound. In fact, even after so many revelations, the Prime Minister kept mum in spite of being regularly questioned by the opposition and the media. Finally, after the immense pressure created by the Opposition in the Parliament, PM has agreed for a JPC probe into the 2G scam.

Adarsh Society Scam: Adarsh Housing Society was set up for the widows of the martyrs in the Kargil war and for the families of war veterans, in the year 1999. In a shocking disclosure, it was known that none of those 103 apartments were allotted to either the widows or the war veterans. In fact, these flats were pocketed by top defense officials, top politicians and some bureaucrats. This scam is an example to show how the law makers of the nation turn into its law breakers, where the Chief Minister of the State can becomes the centre of corruption. With the exposure of this scam, the Chief Minister of Maharastra, Ashok Chavan, had to resign from his post.

Adarsh Society - the ideal scam

Source: ndtv.com

According to BJP general secretary Ravi Shankar Prasad, Congress under UPA II presides over corruption and constitutes for about 3 percent of the country’s GDP.

Recently, the Parliamentary sessions were boycotted by the Opposition in the demand of the formation of a JPC in scams like 2G spectrum, Adarsh and CWG. But Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave the green signal to the 2G spectrum scam only. In fact, the bleakly cornered UPA finally woke up and decided to introduce measures to curb down corruption. It proposed a 90-day limit to decide upon prosecution sanction against corrupt bureaucrats and dismissal of officers if a court files criminal charges against them under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

In the last two years, all these scams have largely scarred the UPA’s image and threatened its position. Thus, this decision of ending discretionary powers of the ministers is seen as small step to save their image. In fact, arrest of A Raja by the CBI, removal of P J Thomas as the CVC, JPC probe can be considered as strides towards the anti-corruption campaign.

Baba Ramdev slams UPA over Black Money

Source: Star News

UPA behind Inflation: Nitin Gadkari

Source: TV 9

Related articles:

http://punjabnewsline.com/content/top-ten-scams-upa-govt-under-congress-rule/27124

http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/NAT-POL-bjp-national-executive-meet-begins-scams-on-agenda-1735755.html

http://agenceindiapress.com/kashmir-news/2885-congress-led-upa-government-has-failed-on-all-fronts-bjp.html

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/prakash-karat-hits-out-at-upa-government-on-corruption-impropriety-issues/articleshow/7643752.cms

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Utter-disgust-in-country-over-governments-conduct-LK-Advani/articleshow/7640311.cms

CBI arrested A Raja in 2G scam

No bail but jail for A Raja

By Poulami Mukhopadhyay, Pune

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested the former Telecom Minister Andimuthu Raja, almost two months after his resignation from the post. Raja’s arrest came after the Apex Court’s notice on his alleged involvement in the largest scam in Indian history – the 2G Spectrum Scam of Rs 1.76 lakh crore. Raja was arrested in New Delhi on Wednesday together with his Personal Secretary RK Chandolia and the former telecom secretary Siddharth Behuria. He has been convicted under sections 120B, 13(2), 13(1D) of Prevention of Corruption Act on the charges of criminal misconduct, violation of policies and favoritism towards a few companies in the allocation of licenses of the 2G Spectrum.

A Raja arrested by the CBI

Source: Getty Images

There has been continuous pressure created by the Opposition, on the Government, for the formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into the 2G scam and even his resignation as a Minister was in the wake of a Parliamentary storm over his continuance. With the Budget sessions and state elections coming close, the arrest of A Raja seemed unavoidable. Even then, the BJP commented on Raja’s arrest being “too little too late”. In fact, BJP Spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said that the Government cannot be given any credit for the arrest. He further stated,

"Be it inside Parliament or outside Parliament, the Prime Minister should answer the questions of corruption."

DMK backed Raja saying that the Opposition unnecessarily targeted Raja and that Raja is not guilty. But the Congress-DMK alliance seems to be in danger after the resignation and arrest of DMK’s former Communications Minister A Raja. Raja not only belonged to the DMK cadre but was a prominent ally of the Congress at the Centre.

Rajs's fate undecided

Source : News100.net

DMK supports A Raja

Source: ndtv.com

Pawns exposed, Raja arrested

Source: ndtv.com

Related articles :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._Raja

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-11-15/india/28269828_1_telecom-minister-telecom-portfolio-raja

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/raja-arrest-what-the-cbi-did-for-five-months/142200-3.html

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/dmk-backs-raja-says-he-is-not-guilty/142271-37.html

where the night never sleeps

through the 'fish eye'

my midnight friend

substitute for my scissors

colors that caught my eyes by the roadside

seems as pure as a prayer

C-Metro v/s. D-Metro

Being a middle-class ordinary girl in Kolkata, metro rail has been a part of my daily existence - not just to save money but to save time. After going to Delhi, I still remained that same middle-class ordinary girl but the reason to travel by metro was exactly the opposite - it was not to save time, but money.

So, in those sixty minutes of my travel every day, I started analyzing it.. rather comparing the C (Calcutta) metro with the D (Delhi) metro. Strange it might seem to you but my observations are quite decent.

Let’s begin with the ticket. In Kolkata, you buy a ticket as in a paper card, punch it and cross the gate. And you’re up on the train. No more formalities. In Delhi, you buy a ‘token’ from the TICKET COUNTER and then pass through a metal-detector machine to reach the next level where the guard is waiting to ‘check’ you.

So, here we are.. back to the platform of Kolkata metro. One metro line, one platform and two tracks on both sides of the platform, but Delhi has several lines (you name a color, they have a line with that name), tracks in between and platforms on the sides. Sometimes matching the line-color with the destination station will make you miss some three trains (that’s the least). In Kolkata, you miss a train, they make you wait for one tenth of an hour (okie 6 mins.), Delhi is fast.. trains come every 2mins. and cause a traffic jam before every three stations. ‘Bade bade seher-o mein aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hai’.

Trains doesn’t stop in Kolkata (on duty hours).. never.. until you jump and commit suicide on the track (but those are weekly incidents, rarely happens daily). Interestingly, in the capital city, trains stop here, there, anywhere (and to compensate, the speaker says sorry to you after every 2 sentences).

In the city of the India Gate, its stylish.. Gorgeous white coaches, comfortable seats, exclusive ladies’ compartment, air-conditioned trains, speakers telling you what to do what not to do.. I wonder why there was no such announcement like “don’t pee in the train?”, I mean they gave almost every other ‘fatherly’ instruction like ‘don’t make friends with strangers’, ‘don’t touch unidentified toys’ (as if we haven’t learnt a lesson from the film Mr. India), ‘don’t listen to music’, and so on..

In Kolkata metro, they say nothing other than the name of the station that is next. Sometimes they even forget that. Also, there’s NO air-conditioner, no electronic station indicator, no ladies’ compartment and its all underground. I hope you’re not feeling claustrophobic :P

In a capacity of 100 people in a single coach, you won’t find less than 699 people in one compartment in a Delhi metro. Like you can’t even itch your butt, your hand might touch somebody else’s something else. Yeah. By chance if you keep your cell phone in your pocket on vibration mode, then my friend, either you have to enjoy or suffer that vibration till you reach the next station. It’s possible you’ll reach the station, but cannot possibly reach your own pocket in that situation.

Kolkata metro is the same, but unlike Delhi metro where most people are talking or staring or exchanging a glance (sometimes phone number, if he/she’s too fast, then flat number); in the city of Rosogollas, everybody is either talking non-so-sweet about politics or not talking at all. The only time a tolerant person opens his/her mouth in the train is when he/she tells the other person, “kindly do not raise your hand to hold the handle, I might just suffocate to death!”

The only thing that I found similar to both the cities is, when a little girl pukes in the train, everybody moves 3-hands away from her in less than one second, as if she is some suicide bomber. Not one person goes up to her and asks “Are you okay? You need water?” or may be JUST one person will. May be you’ll find such one lady in a lot of thousand and this sadness remains closed in the coaches of both the C metro and the D metro..

lost in a limbo

It was a dark blue night

I was sitting by my window

A wind came to me

Asked me my name

I looked at the moon

Wasn’t shining so much then

I spoke to the wind

As I never spoke till then

It asked me a wish

A wish that I long for

I sat there confused

Deciding what to ask for

Thoughts were running like rats escaping a trap

Discovering fancies that I never believed I have

Facing those secrets as dark as the night

Meeting the new me whom I was long trying to hide

Wind was waiting for my wish

One wish that I desire

But it left me with a thousand questions

Still shining in my head like the burnish of a sapphire

Solving the puzzle till now sitting by my window

Darker nights have passed while I was lost in a limbo !!