My Columns: Without Fear and Favour

Saradha Scam – the Sordid Saga By  Deepak Parvatiyar September 22, 2014 The Saradha scam has all the ingredients of a Hollywood pot-boiler. The Rs 20,000-crore scam that has rocked West Bengal for about last one year now has many skeletons tumbling out of the closet. Interrogations of top rival politicians in two states (Bengal and Assam) including film director-turned politician Aparna Sen; interrogation of the lawyer wife of former union Finance Minister P Chidambaram; arrest of a ruling party’s Rajya Sabha Member as well as of a retired West Bengal Director General of Police and an Assamese singer; suicide by a former Assam Director General Police for his alleged involvement; suicides by the investors as well as agents of the fraudulent company (the company had over 3 lakh agents who now fear for their lives from angry investors) ; litigations; demonstrations; and political bickering! Sudipto … Debjani … Scheming Scamsters You may also like to read A...

Chinese President Xi Jingping’s India Visit : Impact on Bilateral Relations    By  Deepak Parvatiyar September 22, 2014 Notwithstanding the enduring image of Chinese President Xi Jingping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi swinging together at the banks of River Sabarmati in Ahmedabad, the intricacies involved in India-China relationship demand translation of such apparent bonhomie into stable, deep-rooted bilateral relations at the ground level. Jinping and Modi met for the second time in less than 100 days, yet Jinping’s visit to India was only the third such visit by a Chinese President since 1996. This does suggest a welcome thaw in the relationship at the political level, but much more is needed to take the relationship to the desired level of trust and openness between the two neighbours not at ease with each other. Incursions Marred Jinping-Modi Bonhomie You may also like to read Expectations of Chinese President's Xi Jinping's Indi...