ArHi FF! We, the people [Completed] - Page 3

My goodness!! the intensity of your writing literally amazes me!!A quarter of quarter of the plot is revealed and from that a lot of questions arise...seriously my curiousity keeps on increasing with each sentence.!!

I must say that the part where Arnav feels angry at Dhananjay caught me by surprise.
The scandal is intriguing. Lets see how Khushi saves him. Warrants in rape cases are non bailable I believe.
Lets hope the persecution has good lawyers

Thanks for the pm...

Originally posted by: -Siaa-

My goodness!! the intensity of your writing literally amazes me!!A quarter of quarter of the plot is revealed and from that a lot of questions arise...seriously my curiousity keeps on increasing with each sentence.!!

The way it's being woven, it's brilliant!!

Thank you very much... :-)

Originally posted by: ivre

I must say that the part where Arnav feels angry at Dhananjay caught me by surprise.
The scandal is intriguing. Lets see how Khushi saves him. Warrants in rape cases are non bailable I believe.
Lets hope the persecution has good lawyers

The warrant is for DNA test which is mandatory. I am not sure if it's a non-bailable warrant... gotta check it out. Thanks Sur :)

Originally posted by: dorindakate

Thanks for the pm...

Feel kinda sorry for La...she needs to wise up and realize that Arnav isn't interested in a relationship with her...that he's just using her for sex...course maybe she's doing the same...

Khushi is really good!! Love the bright urbane confident astute Khushi!!! Just hope she remains perceptive where Arnav is concerned...

His place...this evening?...sounds like it could be trouble...

Waiting for the storm...

She is in the relationship for reasons not yet known. Maybe being associated with Arnav has advantages to her like the way he has advantages being with her.

Thanks.. :)

Originally posted by: A...

Impressive writing once again. Right know the focus of yur story is on building the entire setup and Background n Arnav n Khushi's understanding is still in mysterious mode. But I'm eager to know if their relationship is platonic or not. Would love to read more and specially a complex bond btwn two individuals who r the part of a grey life.

Thanks. Exploration of their relationship will come in future chapters and I assure you that it is complex :-)

Chapter 4:

"Do you know what the best form of corruption is?" Arnav asked Khushi handing her a plastic tube wrapped neatly in green wrapping paper tied with a pretty pink bow.

"Is it when no one knows about it?" Khushi asked taking the box from him. "What's this?" She asked ripping off the paper like a little girl.

"No, it is when everyone is on it; a corruption so big that you have half the politicians of the assembly, party in majority, media and corporate." He replied and watched the expression on her face with a smile. "I know that it's something you are going to like," he added. She opened the tube and unrolled the paper inside.

"Is this…?" She asked her eyes wide and held the sheet in her hands.

"Yes. Beohar Rammanohar Sinha the renowned painter, who designed and decorated preamble to the constitution of India made several drafts before the final one was approved. The sheet that you hold in your hand is the one which is most similar to what you see in the original constitution, including the text." Arnav finished quietly. Khushi was looking at the paper in sheer admiration and the smile on her face was bittersweet; he knew that because he saw her fingers dancing on three words on the paper – 'We, the people…'

"Arnav, this is amazing. I can't begin to tell you…how much this means to me," Khushi said her voice laden with emotion. Arnav simply smiled at her.

"I am going to get it framed and hang it in my office." She said rolling up the sheet and placing it back in the container. "How did you manage to find something like this?"

"It's a very long story and I will tell that you other time. For now, let's eat and talk," he said gently pushing her towards the kitchen.

"Do you remember the issue with coal miners two years ago?" Arnav asked serving her rotis.

"And your party rallied for a bill which would improve the lifestyle of the said coal miners. You even got most of what you were demanding," she said opening the bottle of wine she had bought for dinner.

"Quite frankly it was one of those things we did to ensure we had enough cash surplus for our next election."

"What do you mean?" She asked pouring the wine.

"It was a grand scheme. Well it still is in fact. When a survey done by UN on coal miners dietary and living habits were published in major journals, national media couldn't help but slam the state government. So then we decided to rally against the government and draft a bill that would ensure a decent daily wage, good food, shelter, clean water, good sewage system, schools and free clinics."

"I know about the bill and my firm, including me, was reviewers of the bill." She said taking a seat at the dining table as Arnav did the same. He had served the food for both and she had poured water and wine.

"As a part of the bill it's customary to add in a section to suggest and let government know how much all this is going to cost per person. The ministry would check the value we propose against the national average of the same socio economic and negotiate a sum which is satisfactory to all. So using this data along with latest census data we arrive at final sum plus additional set up costs." Arnav said.

"Okay, I understand this part."

"The first thing we did was to increase the number of people who are eligible for this special service."

"Why would you want to do that? And how is that even possible as the census data is more or less accurate?"

"There is a catch here. The elegibility criteria considered for census is the economic group."

"So all you had to do was to ensure that the criteria arrived at finding out total number in need for this special service would be revisited." Khushi said, nodding at Arnav.

"Yes and we did do it. All socio economic bodies agreed with our argument that inflation and real estate was never recalculated thus the final index always gave us low numbers. By doing this, government saved a lot of money in the name of economic reforms."

"I agree. Assuming that a person can live only on 32 rupees per day is insane. Especially when you consider the city in which a person lives," Khushi replied.

"Exactly. We first revised the poverty index and then the number of people in below poverty line in coal mine areas increased by lakhs. So the total funding automatically increased. To ensure we were being fair, a council of economists, bankers from various national and privatized banks and social reformers were invited to evaluate our proposal. The proposal also proposed a committee that would perform periodic audit, surveys etc."

"And you guys passed in flying colors." Khushi said furrowing her eyebrows. "This was a good proposal Arnav, where is the problem?" She asked not understanding how something this solid can screw up.

"The policies made in this country are brilliant. They are rarely biased and have very few cracks for corruption to slip through. The problem here is in the execution part. All the good intent put behind a bill or a reformation policy goes to toilet because of people who start executing them. Corruption is never because of a policy but because of people."

"How do you fit in here?"

"We just took advantage of the fact that people can be easily manipulated. In every step of executing our proposal, we ensured the party got enough funds. Every part of socio economic structure of this country was touched by this policy."

"I don't understand," Khushi said knowing what he meant but unable to fully comprehend with a workable scenario.

"I'll give you an example; the supplies for clinic, food trucks getting into rain thus ruining wheat or whichever grain or food products they are carrying, real estate rates etc. Opportunities to use resources to our advantage are endless. " Arnav said not looking at her.

"Did those people get anything at all?" She asked.

"They did get something but not everything that was promised." Arnav replied.

"And since every part of the food chain was well fed and established, media didn't care too much about it; until now." She said.

"It's not the media who is tracking the operations of past two years but it's a NGO."

"How did they get hold of so much of information? They aren't that easily accessible Arnav, you know that."

"I know that Khushi but the leak is from inside and someone very high up in government. I believe they have gotten account numbers and statements of lot of people who have much to lose than someone like me." Arnav said.

"Why do I get the feeling that my father is in it too?" Khushi said in nonchalance. Arnav didn't reply immediately. "It's alright Arnav. If his name is going to come out then my position will be compromised and I am aware of it. Since am technically disinherited, I should be alright." She added calmly.

"You are disinherited? When did it happen?" Arnav was shocked to hear that.

"Oh, it was done ages and ages ago. My dad and I never got along with each other. The apartment I live in was bought from the inheritance money I received when my mother died." She said looking straight at him. "How far are you in this mess?" She asked finally understanding why she was being told about the scandal that was about to break lose anytime soon.

"Will you believe if I said that I am totally clean?" He asked. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. He chuckled. "I actually am. No document bears my name or signature or account number or even an indication that I am or was part of it," he said with a smile.

"How is that even possible?" Khushi asked dumbfounded at the new information. He laughed at that.

"I am a mere party worker Khushi and I can't be part of something this huge. You always forget that," he said with an enigmatic smile.

"But you planned it all, didn't you?" She asked narrowing her eyes.

"It doesn't matter if I did. I am a political adviser and my job is to ensure that I give best advice without getting my butt all over the place," he replied. Khushi hummed and continued to eat.

They finished the rest of dinner in silence. Once the plates were cleared and dishes were stacked in sink, the two picked up their glasses and wine bottle and went to balcony.

"How are you not part of this scandal Arnav?" Khushi asked after her glass was half empty.

"I ensured that I wasn't Khushi. I don't need more money than I already have. When you don't have greed, it's quite easy to lead life," he replied.

"That's tad too philosophical coming from you. Unless you have found a much better way of dealing with things or you actually believe in it." Khushi replied.

"I am not this Robin Hood of politics who takes money from government and give it to people who deserve. I am no con who messes around with politicians. I actually don't' care too much about it at all," he said and shrugged.

"How can you not care about people at all?" Khushi asked willing to know the answer as it was a question she often asked herself.

"By not reacting to their issues," he said softly. Deadly silence surrounded them as the truth behind choices of many people reflected in his words. Total apathy towards economically backward classes had led to the sheer distinction in the society. In that crucible of apathy and materialism, people like Arnav and Khushi were born.

The gift was very sweet I love their whole dinner set up how they each set up something without breaking their conversation well done with update :))