Contemporary Literary Review India | Print ISSN 2250-3366 | Online ISSN 2394-6075 | Impact Factor 8.1458 | Vol. 9, No. 2: CLRI May 2022
Book Review on Ravi Gowswami’s "FOILED: THE ENEMY’S PLAN" by Dr Anmol
FOILED: The Enemy’s Plan is a novella written by Ravi Ranjan Gowswami. He is one of many innovative contemporary writers of Indo-Anglo streak. The work is written in a very inventive and distinctive manner and dedicated to all defence, security and intelligence agencies working in India. The novella is in epistolary form: it shows diary like entries which inscribed in a very panoramic and episodic fashion. It is a thriller and audacious in its ambience. It deals with the subjects of the proxy war, terrorism and drugs mafia. It exhibits the work culture and professional ethics of the surveillance services. The story is based on an exciting activity that takes readers to a clandestine expedition.
The story opens in a hotel in Chennai; in the year 2016, on 1st March. Rajesh, a young detective agent of SWIB has been checked in the hotel, enjoying Ghazal program and whiskey waiting for his assignment from his boss. He is not happy with his new assignment as it is disappointing and not up to scratch. He wonders even after he is an excellence in the field; yet he is designated for such petite occupation this time. He keeps his morale high and flies to Singapore, where he stays in a luxury hotel; next morning he meets an old acquaintance and a colleague, Laila. The meeting follows consequent call together at Changi Airport, Singapore from where they embark on their secret mission to Islamabad.
In Islamabad, the story mentions of a couple; Abdul and Sadiya. Abdul is a short tempered man and his counterpart, Sadiya. She is deeply in love with him but always doubts him for his extra-marital affairs; this nature of doubt is the crux of their scuffle married life. Abdul is taxi driver who ferries commuters from Plaza hotel to Benazir Bhutto Airport, Islamabad. He picks Rajesh and Laila up from the airport and brings them to Plaza hotel as they have reservation there. Abdul returns home. He and Sadiya came to blows in morning but now he finds Sadiya tranquil and nippy. The marital relationship between Abdul and Sadiya has brief portrayal but it renders the social milieu and complexities of human relationships.
Next, it opens in New Delhi at Indira Gandhi International Airport where Alex George meets Peter. Alex is on a secret mission, his identity is disguised. He has arrived here (in India) to meet KK, a drug mafia of Kerla. Alex takes a flight to Kerla where he meets Vipin a Hawala agent to fix the drug deal. He also spends quality time in Kerla in the company of Vipin and Shayam before the final transaction. The microscopic detail of the things and places is another arresting constituent of the novella that produces picturesque effect on the readers. Now, the story moves at two divergent points; one is in Islamabad and on the other hand in India.
The hotel where Rajesh and Laila had stayed was blasted off; they hved narrow escape. Consequently in India, a meeting is conducted about the internal security of the country. Daljeet Singh being the head of the SWIB shows his deep concern to the internal security of the country. He also has words with the Deputy Head, Sanjay Shrivastva pertaining to the matter. Ranjan Goswami shows how the family circumstances impact our official works and vice versa. Sometimes it becomes hard to switch over from one thing to another in a rapid way. Alex has reached New Delhi with his luggage after the drug deal.
The intended stratagem reaches to its middle, the author puts light on how the USA has become amalgamated community hub. Senator Mark and Professor Albert have words on the political situation which have apparent affects on contemporary education system. Professor Albert is the grandson of Dr Wahid who had been migrated from Pakistan after the partition. Dr Wahid was the witness of the vindictive partition and its consequences on the Hindu-Muslim communities. Professor Albert had also been a victim of identity aftermath of the 9/11 attacks so he had changed his name from Alibaksh to Albert just to avoid the unnecessary friction. The segment also provides diasporic as well as nostalgic expression.
A meeting was organised by Pakistan authority to discuss the recent bomb blast at hotel Plazza in Islamabad; Maulana was also invited to the meeting. Ravi Ranjan also explains how political and religious figures of country contribute to build public opinion. Dr Albert has arrived in Islamabad to address a conference; being in Islamabad and as directed Rajesh and Laila also join this symposium. Maulana has also joined the conference and in his speech he blames India to spread terrorism in Pakistan. Maulana finds Dr Albert fit to accomplish his secret mission. Dr Albert explains that culture and faith are the roots of a nation. Maulana gradually takes Dr Albert in clasp by convincing him that Muslims are being discriminated and victimised in various parts of the world. Dr Albert propagates a new presumption to fight against the enemy in different by in his latest book; instead of fighting with arms one should strike at the roots of enemy.
On the other hand, Rajesh is in great dilemma from where to start his search. He starts digging out the nexus between Maulana and Dr Albert. In the meantime, Dr Albert returns to USA. Rajesh gets the information that Maulana has given Dr Albert CD and some confidential documents. Dr Albert is heightened in spirit with his recent tour to Pakistan especially with the sheer importance which was given in Pakistan by Maulana and other official of high ranks. Dr Albert looks in the CD and documents with Zoya, his wife. She becomes anxious being inept to comprehend the motifs of all these things. CD and documents have substantiations about the persecute camp and activities on the end of Indian Army in border areas. Dr Albert convinces Zoya that he will not harm anyone neither he is going to join ISIS.
Dr Albert is now a puppet in the hands of Maulana, step by step Maulana starts exhibiting his moves on the land of USA. Dr Albert has raised fund and starts writing a blog to broaden the propaganda of discrimination and victimization of Muslims. A consequent meeting of Maulana, Defence Secretary of Pakistan, Don and Chief of Pakistan Army takes place where it becomes evident that Drugs and spurious currency have been circulated in India by their agents to craft anarchy. They have prepared a broad line to execute their plan well in India.
Asim, a young man reaches India and initially stays at Dharavi and later moves to Gorakhpur as per plan he has to blast a bomb. Two men are arrested in Gorakhpur involved in the process of making a low intensity bomb which is blown off accidently in their apartment. Rajesh has intimates Sanjay Shrivastva the deputy of SWIB about the threat which may be a communal classes, terrorist attack and students’ unrest etc in coming future in India. Rajesh returns to India to investigate the two men who have been arrested in connection of bomb blast in Gorakhpur. Maulana has initiated the first leg of his plan- the upspring of students in New Delhi who raise anti-nation slogans. Consequently a few places in the remote of the country have faced the same insurgency; army is deployed to control the situation. Intelligence agencies of the country become observant and vigilant.
Finally Maulana has designated the May 14th, 2016 for his final move without knowing the fact that CD and documents have already reached in the hands of SWIB of India. Maulana, Defence Secretary of Pakistan, Colonel Shakir and Don all expecting bomb blasting in India but they find nothing to match their expectations. Colonel Shakir utters the words in twinge and rage that India has foiled our plan. He shots his TV in frustration and fury. The parable is an amalgamation of many inconsequential themes which for a while take readers to short flights of humour, reflection and deliberation. The story moves from one level to next as it brims up and the unity of place and time is well observed. The conic plot is knitted bit by bit to its final integration.
About the author: Ravi Ranjan Goswami is a native of Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India. He did his BSc from Bipin Bihari Degree College, Bundelkhand University Jhansi and MSc (Physics) from Agra College, Agra University. He is engaged in literary service after retiring from the post of Assistant Commissioner of Customs of Indian Revenue Service. Currently he lives in Cochin. He writes poetry in Hindi and stories both in Hindi and English. He has written more than twenty books. Some of the notable books among them are Nakam Dushman (Failed Enemy), Luteron Ka Tila Chambal (Chambal – The Den of Dacoits), Playan (Migration), Meri Paanch Kahaniyan (My 5 Stories), Gold Syndicate, Mere Kavya Sandesh (My Poetic Message), and Ashta Yogi (Eight Priests).
About the reviewer: Dr. Anmol is presently working as a Lecturer in English in the Department of Higher Education, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh, having more than 9 years of experience in teaching. He has attended several workshops on Literature & Languages and presented his research papers.