M. Rajshekhar

This work strives to look beneath the surface in what is happening on the governance front in a selected sample of states and sectors in India during recent decades. The accounts are essentially forays into investigative journalism, which the author started with his deep analysis of the mining scams in central India during the UPA government and thereafter, some of which has been covered in this book as well. The book presents what may be termed the ground-level view of the state, from the point of view of those at the receiving end. Because of the wide range of cases covered, perhaps the reader may be left with a feeling that each case has not been dealt with in sufficient depth. The author also seems to have felt this, because of the seeming unwillingness to conclude his text and close the book: he appends an "Annexure" to his "Conclusions", and this is followed by a further "Afterword" by a totally different writer, V.Geetha. However, one must applaud the author(s) for boldly passing judgement on the authoritarian and clientelist direction that the present ruling dispensation is taking.… (altro)