Savukku Sankar, as he is known after his popular website ‘savukkuonline’, is an ex-employee of the Tamil Nadu police force. In his Tamil book ‘Oozhal-Ulavu-Arasiyal’ (Corruption-Espionage-Politics), he explains, in first person singular, the trials and tribulations that he had undergone when he had to be tried for a suspected leak of supposedly classified information, while the truth was, he had inadvertently raised suspicion to have leaked a recorded telephone conversation concerning a then state government minister.
The book is racy, has its share of thrilling moments and lots of instances that portray the decay and nadir the police, state government and the judiciary have reached in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
That Sankar mentions the crime perpetrators by first name, who, in most cases, are government officials, chief ministers, judges and police officials, should not only ring alarm bells in the minds of corrupt officials, but also in the minds of the readers to look at the worthies using the spotlight shown on them.
Sankar also mentions some Jihadist elements, whom he had met in jail, who were later connected with some political parties connected with the minority community. This shows the kind of leaders who are heading such parties and who define the destiny of the followers of their ideology.
While we cannot compensate Sankar for the trouble and pain he had undergone in the hands of the supposed ‘protectors of law and justice’, we need to thank him for bringing out the politico-legal-police nexus and for highlighting the extent to which the united trio would stoop, at tax payer’s expense, to safeguard one another’s interests.
I do not subscribe to Sankar’s views on Islamic radicalism or left oriented activism. But, I would applaud his efforts in bringing out the decay in the govt machinery.
The books is mostly riveting and straightforward yet callous and monotonous in a couple of chapters.
P.S.: Not recommended for heart patients.
Amaruvi's Aphorisms 