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One wouldn't expect a man who studied at the Delhi School of Economics and traded in commodities and derivatives for a living could write a book replete with humour and witty one liners!
This is what R Chandrasekhar has done in "The goat, the sofa and Mr. Swami".
At the outset, with the ludicrous introduction of the private habits of the octogenarian Prime Minister of India, one realises it is a work of fiction and a comical take on the world of politics.
The theme of the book is the visit of the Prime Minister of Pakistan at the "invitation" of his Indian counterpart to watch a game of Test match cricket between the two neighbours. And, the Pakistani Prime Minister wishes to bring a rare specimen of Baltistani goat as a gift. It is left to Mr. Swami, the Secretary to the Prime Minister of India and the protagonist to make all the necessary arrangements for the visit. However, all hell breaks loose when, after the visit is announced, the Prime Minister is unable to balance the pulls and pressures of coalition politics and foreign relations. Mr. Swami, the seasoned civil servant that he is, acts as the PM's crisis manager whenever the situation demands to save the day for his octogenarian boss.
There are multiple plots and sub-plots aptly woven into the theme such as the No Confidence Motion by the Leader of the Opposition, political caricature of fast until death, one-upmanship between the IAS & IFS, a sandalwood smuggler linked to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and several others. But the one that takes the cake is when Mr. Swami learns to his shock and horror that his boss, in an inebriated state, has privately bet the status of Kashmir to the result of the Test match!!
The author's wordplay is skillful, smart with short and crisp sentences that manage to hold the reader's attention alright. Witty one liners are aplenty. One idea the author would like the readers to get from the book is this - politics is all about gestures & symbolism and it is best summed up by " I don't care how the Ganga flows into the sea as long as it continues to flow into the sea."
Civil servants understand this well and know how to make use of it to get things done.
This political satire is amusing, at times outrageous and entertaining.
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