Showing posts with label corruption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label corruption. Show all posts

Friday, 25 November 2022

Laundromats, Laundering and World Cup!


I used to be fascinated with the term 'money laundering'. At face value, it looked simple enough - to cleanse money obtained via unsavoury means and to put them in circulation whilst giving them a legitimate source of origin. Was it a coincidence that Al Capone used a laundromat to store and 'cleanse' his ill-gotten gains during Prohibition? 

As the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup is in progress, another word frequently mentioned is 'sports washing'. Traditionally sports have been utilised to cement friendships between nations. It has also been used to spur nationalism among its own citizens. For years despotic regimes whitewash their sins with the glamour of sports. During the 1936 Olympics, Hitler tried to paint a new image of a rejuvenated Germany after the humiliating defeat in the trench War and to prove his supremacist Aryan race theory. Sadly, Jesse Owen's achievement simply threw dirt on Hitler's face. Then it was the Argentinan junta who tried to whitewash their political witch hunts and extra judicial killings by organising the 1978 FIFA World Cup. For a moment, the world thought the world of Argentina had risen from ashes. 

Is Qatar following in the footsteps of the above?

From the word get-go, Qatar has been hogging the headlines for all the wrong reasons. True, the media giant was established with free-flowing Arab petrodollars to paint a more accurate picture of the Arabic and Islamic world; no paint brushing can hide the ugly truth. How it won the bid to host the pinnacle of the world's favourite sport is suspect. How the hell did the FIFA Executive representatives feel that Qatar, with its desert heat and a summer temperature of 50 degrees C was a better choice than Australia and the United States? 


Even before the coin toss or kick-off, the death toll and abuse of its migrant workers had hit the ceiling. The narration of non-payment of wages and non-compensation for injuries sustained during its many infrastructure constructions is common knowledge.

Now that the game has commenced, more and more of their shenanigans have come to light. The Wahhabi-infused Qatari royalty has decided to showcase how a halal football tournament should be carried out. Revellers who flew in to join the merriment of their winning teams in style had to contend with non-alcoholic beverages. They are also strictly told not to display their sexual preferences on their sleeves.

Migrant worker death toll at 1,400
So when someone told me that he was excited that the first two preliminary matches revealed unexpected results. Saudi Arabia, which had a 251 to 1 odds of beating Argentina, did precisely that. And who is the right kind would have thought the minion Japanese who have ousted the four-time world Cup winners Germany? The bookies would have thought so, too, since they would ensure the best returns. Nothing is surprising anymore in this money-raged world of moolah and how businesses control every aspect of our lives. 

In the organisers' zeal to showcase how an Islamic country has a 'secular' event, they decided to use the occasion to proselyte fans. Who can be the best evangelist with an incredible track record to prove this than the fugitive Dr Zakir Naik? He had been specially flown in for the occasion from Malaysia.

Interestingly, Qatar insists that Dr Naik is not on the invitees' list.

Is the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar's way of sport washing its world image as the premier sponsor of terror? Do they expect the world to forget all about the state-sponsored madrasahs and ulamas after organising a memorable display of world-class football? Villains become valiant defenders of truth?

Friday, 9 September 2022

All the justice money can buy.

Chief Justices Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, Chief Judge of Sabah and 
Sarawak Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, and apex court judges 
Nallini Pathmanathan, Mary Lim and Mohamad Zabidin Diah.
The naive, straight-thinking, law-abiding me with no background in the legal field used to think that the buck stopped at the Court Of Appeal. If one fails at the Appellate Court, it was pretty much that. One goes to jail to complete a sentence or meets his maker as he hits the gallows. 

Now we know there is life after the appeal. One can seek justice by pleading at the Federal Court. If the results there are not to his liking, he further argues to have a judicial review of the panel of judges that meted his sentence. Even the Federal Court can be held at ransom. This is called justice in the world of the high-heeled. Everyone deserves adequate legal representation, and it is his human right. Of course, it becomes mandatory if the client can afford the obscene amount of retainer fees involved as the case goes higher in the hierarchy of the legal accolade. Nobody has the guts to inquire about these people's seemingly bottomless coffers and the disproportional amount they save from their structured civil servant pay.


Not to forget the special treatment these VIP client is entitled to. In the eyes of the law, unlike what everybody else says, he is not a criminal until he has exhausted all his legal avenues. Till then, he will be roaming freely, still flashing his designer outfits and not repeating wearing the same tunic more than once. He can perhaps add a tinge of tangerine in his tie to mock naysayers who miss the joy of seeing him in an orange prison suit. The shiny steel cuff links can remind them of the handcuffs that he does not have to wear. 


We, the mere mortal we are, are also told that everyone deserves a second chance. Like a true religious confession, with a single stroke of the royal quill, one can get a clean slate, free to do what he seems fit, sniggering at the whole parody of it all. 


In the true mantra of cash is king, money can buy friends, love, liaisons with the rich and famous and definitely justice and freedom. Laws are made to make the powerless remain so and squirm at the sight of the stick. For the privileged 1%, it is just an inconvenience. Laws are meant to be broken. The rich can challenge it. The poor just have to oblige. 


Monday, 27 June 2022

Beware of the circle of deceit!

Ardh Satya (Half-truth, Hindi; 1983)
Director: Govind Nihalani

This Indian movie is said to be a benchmark upon which other police dramas are compared. Acted beautifully by doyens of the silver screen of Bollywood then, Om Puri, Amrish Puri, Smita Patel, Naseeruddin Shah and Sadashiva Amrapurkar, it paints a multidimensional view of the job of a policeman. 

Our social system is flawed. The very system that had been devised to be law and order is anything but orderly. Things that go under the guise of upholding the law are anything but by the book. There is an unholy alliance between law enforcers and law breakers. The political dogs who made the gangsters their running dogs have made a lapdog of the police. The police, it seems, under the pointers of the politicians and the umbrage of the baddies. In a world where money can right a wrong, the brunt of law enforcement is only felt by the poor. The rich can literally get away with murder. They can quash evidence or buy the best legal representation that money can afford.

With increasing pressure to fill up the coffers within a lifetime, everybody is becoming increasingly creative in creating revenue for their own pockets. The whole shebang, from the low-ranking staff to the administrative panel, has their hands dug deep into the cookie jar. It is a mess out there.

Law enforcement is a messy affair. Too much in the hands of enforcers is bad, for sometimes the innocent get caught in the crossfire. Giving in too much to human liberty and human rights makes policing more difficult. In this type of Catch-22 situation, our man in blue tries to make this country safe.

This movie is said to be one of the most balanced Indian police dramas made in India. Unlike most Bollywood movies which usually showcase lone honest cops fighting singlehandedly a putrefying system and putting the fear of God into the villains, this one explores the challenges a cop has to face to do what is right. Following the footsteps of his father and grandfather against his own wish, Anant joins the police force. After getting into the police force, Anant tries to do what he perceives as right.

He finds that all in his station are working under the thumb of a local politician/thug. Anant tries to keep himself away from the clutches of the gangster, but it becomes increasingly more difficult. He hits a wall when a convict he interrogates dies in custody, and Anant has to get the help of the thug to bury the wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, Anant meets a literature lecturer who is his love interest and motivates him to do the right thing. Then there is a disillusioned drunk cop who was suspended because he fought the system. On his home front, Anant has to deal with an assertive father who wants to micromanage his son.

What is doing the right thing when exposed to the circle of deceit? Do we, like David, fight the Goliath of the system? Do we leave everything and start anew as if the grass elsewhere is any greener.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Sunday, 27 March 2022

Politics is strange...

The Kingmaker (2019)
Director: Lauren Greenfield

An eerie resemblance exists between the Marcuses' story and that of Najib Razak's. Ferdinand Marcos was democratically elected as the President of the Philippines in 1965. The beginning of his tenure was marked by massive development and prosperity, aided by foreign funds. By the end of his second term, the economy was in the doldrums, prompting a citizen uprising. In 1972, martial law was introduced. The opposition and media were silenced.

True, in the early stage, progress was apparent, and everyone was happy. Slowly, sycophants and rent-seekers began to move in. The Marcoses soon became megalomaniacs. Beyond their collection of handbags, shoes and paintings, the symbol of their opulence is the Safari Park in Calauit Island. Imelda Marcus had had exotic animals uprooted from their natural habitats in Kenya to create a wildlife sanctuary in their own backyard. To make room for these wild animals from the other side of the world, the Government had to displace the island's indigenous people, who had lived there for generations.

Like that Najib won the 2018 elections, albeit with accusations of gerrymandering and money politics, he reinforced his position as PM. That is when the putrefying scandals of corporate foolhardy came to light. People rose to the occasion to oust what they thought was the ruling party in GE14.

Like that, after witnessing their opposition leader, Aguino, gunned down in the cold upon return from the USA, the Filipino People Power rose to the occasion to send the First Family reeling off to Hawaii from Malacanang Palace.

The long arm of the law then reached out to retrieve the vast wealth of the people, which was parked all over the world. Slowly, the dust settled. Ferdinand Marcos died in exile.

Calauit Safari Park
The initial euphoria of the People Power dwindled as the economy slowed down, and the divide between the haves and have-nots widened. Crime and drugs menaced the country. Half of the nation had to find employment overseas. People now reminisce about the good old times of the Marcos era, when life was better. The public heart mellowed. The Marcoses' plea to return was granted. The former President's body was allowed to be buried in Filipino soil.

They saw hope in Duterte as their next President to put things in order. Imelda slowly shows her mettle. Her son, Bongbong Marcus, also appears in the scene to run for the post of Vice President. The people then realised that Duterte had his election campaign financed by none other than Marcos' daughter, Imee. It all fell into place. The Marcoses are back, and the system is rigged for their purpose. Rodrigo Duterte drops another bombshell. His father was a cabinet minister in Ferdinand Marcos' first Government. There we see the connection - Duterte's link to the Marcoses!

The same thing happened in Malaysia. After the initial thrill of changing the Government without bloodshed, Malaysians soon discovered that change was not easy. The nonagenarian, whom they thought had turned over a new leaf, had all the while plotted a twisted Machiavellian move to sabotage his own Government.

Fast forward to 2022, like a scene from Mission Impossible, where Nathan Hunt removes his disguise after disguise, we see the same clowns that we abhorred reappearing stronger than before in identical, ridiculous suits.

They say love is strange, politics is stranger!

Friday, 25 February 2022

All I can do is dream?

Exit (엑시트, Korean; 2019)
Director: Lee Sang-geun

Every time I see Koreans in action, be it in sports, movies or showcasing yet another new car, I get depressed. Koreans used to be our whipping boys in the Merdeka Tournament but look at them now, playing the same level of football with the big boys now. Kia started making automobiles in baby steps about the same time as us, but now, Korean cars are making Japanese cars sweat. Ours, on the other hand, is a national embarrassment.

With the innovation of P Ramlee and his friends at Jalan Ampas studio, they churned out hits after hits and even won cinematic awards at the Asian level. But now, all we can do is reminisce, brood about lost opportunities and imagine a country that we could have been.

Twenty years' master plan to learn, copy and innovate storytelling and moviemaking now sees Korean cinema and miniseries sweeping the world by storm. Korean culture is no longer alien to the people the world over. 

This movie is living proof of what the Koreans have achieved while we were napping, dreaming about Vision 2020 and Malay Supremacy. 'Exit' is a disaster film infused with traditional Asian family dynamics, light comedy, love interests and excellent computer graphic imaging. Just when I thought that disaster in movies would just mean run and run, here they have become imaginative. The storytellers have introduced rock climbing as a way to escape rising toxic fumes.

Yong-nam gets no respect. As far as his family is concerned, he is a loser. Even his nephew, an early teenager, does not think much of him. He is labelled a failure with no permanent job, not on his path to success any time soon, and no girlfriend to show around. He only has his rock-climbing skills to show.

The turning point comes during his mother's 70th birthday party. The girl he fancies works as a captain at the restaurant the party is held. A disillusioned scientist releases a toxic gas near the vicinity, and mayhem ensues. Everybody has to make it to the top of the buildings to be rescued by rescue helicopters. As the exit to the top is locked from the outside, our hero has to get his rock-climbing skills to good use. Of course, things get complicated, and our hero and the love of his life go through a whirlwind of adventures to win the day.

The way how emergency services are seen to be devised to combat disaster gave me another low. It reminded me how dismally our emergency disasters relief plans were executed during the recent Shah Alam and Hulu Langat floods. People were left to fend for themselves whilst leaders made cursory publicity visits. It was as if there were no contingency plans for emergencies. Surprisingly, when citizens wanted to vent their dissatisfaction over the case of the fox guarding the chicken coop, i.e. the Anti-Corruption Commission's alleged corruption, the whole civil service was at German precision to squash demonstrations with anti-riot gear and even court orders to make it illegal.

Thursday, 3 February 2022

The post-apocalyptic pillbox?

 

T junction - Semenyih, Hulu Langat Batu 18, Genting Peres.

This junction had seen better days. Weekends and holidays used to be marked with a hive of activities, loud banters and laughs. Streams of cyclists enjoyed the mild temperatures, the greenery and the challenge of steep hills leading to Genting Peres. This is the once busy T-junction of Batu 18 Hulu Langat leading to Peres and beyond. Now it stands a sorry sight of the testimony of all the putrifying underhand dealings that had been happening right under our noses.

Used to be a family heirloom, now a staircase
to nowhere.

To me, this reminds me of my own imaginary vision of how the world would be after the apocalyptical World War 3 - a pillbox amidst the man-made ruin, standing proud as the last man standing, a symbol of victory after a zero-sum game.

To the outside world, it was a front for prosperity. Unbeknownst, behind the row of lush greenery that paved the web of highways lay hidden hectares over hectares of government-sanctioned logging to line the pockets of political ballcarriers. As if a signed document can cement the ecosystem that Nature took generations to reach a steady state. 

As a near sexagenarian, looking back at the repeated faux pas that put our nation in the international media for all the wrong reasons, I realise my generation and the generation before me have blood in their hands.

Nowhere in the world would Forces of Nature
systematically slice timber! Yet the authorities
denied issuing any logging licences. Of course,
the issuances were legitimised at whim.
First, they told us the majority of the country held only 5% of its wealth. Let us all prosper together, they said. What was kept away from us was an accurate breakdown of the distribution of wealth. Somehow, statistics from Government-linked companies did not make it to the public pool. Then they said affirmative action would only last 20 years. But then, a cat fed milk daily would shy away from catching mice! Then race supremacy, and religious hegemony ensued. Rubber barons ruled the roost under the cloak of official secret and siege mentality. A halo of grandiosity was painted on its citizens. Like an Emperor with his new clothes, only we were proud of our perceived achievements even when meritocracy took a backseat and the floodgates to brain-drain laid bare open.

The leaders who we thought would take care of various interests either slept on the job or were bought over. Yet they keep painting a rosy picture despite the parched desert terrain that we see. We sensed a feeling of unease when two strange bedfellows, politicians and businessmen, were screaming 'win-win'. Little did we know that 'win-win' never referred to the nation and its citizens but upon themselves!

Meanwhile, as the economic pie got smaller, accentuated by a worldwide pandemic by years of sweeping under the carpet, the stench from years of decay is finally seeped out. It took a global jolt to expose the shortcomings. Do we need another cataclysmic catastrophe to change this crony capitalism, nepotism and unashamed corruption?

Saturday, 22 January 2022

Just a little bit more...

Finally, after a long time, I attended a family get-together. As expected, most of the attendees were there not because they were dying to witness the obnoxious display of affection amongst family members. They were there either for the booze or were just happy to come out of their houses after being cooped up for so long. 

Of course, the event they looked forward to most was banter with friends over drinks at the corner of the hall. It was the opportune time to catch up with the rumours around Malaysian public life. These lively and animated talks are more convincing than the umpteen WhatsApp and social media messages circulating amongst friends. Nothing beats live chats. In Malaysia, coffee shop rumours are notoriously known to carry more weightage than official statements. Even though denied vehemently by the powers-that-be, these rumours will prove to be the real deal after all.

This time around, the corner crowd comprise civil servants and self-made entrepreneurs. Being true blood Malaysians, they whine about everything and do nothing about them. What better topic to talk than about politics and corruption? I gather that these men, of their esteemed stature, must indeed have had frequent encounters with politicians and men in high office. After a few doses of inhibition-inducing beverages, boy, did they start venting!

Malaysia's own superhero
after Superman, Spiderman, Batman and Hanuman,
welcome SAPUMAN!
If these people were complaining that corruption was rearing its ugly head ten years ago, now they seem to be singing a different tune. They used to sing praises of certain leaders who still held true to their profession. These friends of mine claim that taking bribes is not too bad. It is the norm, a social lubricant, that happens the world over; even developed nations are guilty of it, and feted leaders do it. The grouse they had is with people who make obscene kickbacks.

"It is okay to make money, but it is not okay to take too much," they say as if justifying corruption. Just like skin-deep beauty and beauty on the inside, nobody talks about good virtue anymore!


Wednesday, 2 June 2021

Who wants to bell the cat?

Line of Duty Seasons 5 and 6. (2019-2021)

Since writing about the TV series in 2017, two other series had been released. Continuing from the previous series, Anti Corruption No.12 (AC#12), continue in their endeavour to wipe out corruption in the police department. On the one hand, the police department wants to be seen as carrying out their duties above the board, without fear or favour and one-minded in seeking the truth to mete justice. At the same time, the department does not want to appear overtly corrupt but gives an image of having integrity. It is an interplay between maintaining the appearance and preserving integrity.

The funny thing about this whole exercise is that both arms of the regulators are from the same parent body. For any enforcement to function, it had to garner the trust of the general public. So how can it shoot itself in its foot and be able to run? But who would want an outsider to sieve through their household laundry and embarrass them of their soiled linen? No police officer worth his salt wants an independent body to go through his activities or shortcomings with a fine-tooth comb to point out their errors. 

With this balance in mind, the screenwriters of 'Line of Duty' managed to spin another two seasons with equal edge-of-the-street suspense at its predecessors. The AC#12 team races against the clock to pin down the mastermind behind the web of chicanery that goes on within the system.

All these hours of police procedural drama would naturally stir our curiosity to check our own backyard. With the constant bombardment of news of police corruption and death in police custody, it seems imperative that such an exercise is more important now than ever. The recent admission of the outgoing Inspector-General of Police of the unholy union between cops and underground elements is sufficient grounds to establish an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Committee (IPCMC).

There is no shame in admitting rots. The first step in correcting a broken system is the admission of failure. Many police precincts in the United States have turned themselves around after a series of misconduct. The New York Police Department has had undergone a series of scandals over the years but still functions with a check and balance system in place.

When everyone somewhat has his hand soiled with slime, how will he be the first to switch on the light? Nobody wants to leave their mark on the switchboard!

Tuesday, 7 July 2020

Honour among thieves

Bad Education (2019)


They used to say that education was the only left to us to come out of the rut that we were stuck. At least that is what Amma made us believe when we were forced to burn the midnight oil even during festivities. While others were busy getting ready to usher in the festival in full spirits, in new garments and air of celebrations, we were made to cramp in facts about biology and Newton's law of gravity. She impressed upon us that at the time of reckoning when our future endeavours were at stake, our knowledge and quick thinking that would pull us through interviews and promotions, not stories of merrymaking and feasting with friends.

Then we grew up. The years in the School of Hard Knocks showed us that Amma was only partially correct. True, education would help to lift you up by your boot-straps but 'whom you know' will skyrocket you to greater heights. Knowing people helps to cement transactions and grease you out of difficulties. 

We all understand that a good education can be bought. In the real world, we can see that not all who graduated from the Oxbridge or Ivy League got in via merits. There is, of course, donation or diplomatic connexions. 

Losers will talk about the law of Nature and how evil gets back you. A crime is a crime only when one is caught. Even apprehension does not equal conviction as one can get the best justice that money can buy. The best legal representations can ensure acquittal on technicalities. It is common knowledge that the law is no friend of the poor. The mere legal procedural process itself can be bankrupting.

This 2019 film is based on a true story that happened in a high ranking American public school district in the State of New York. Its superintendent and his assistant are exposed in embezzlement of using the district monies for the personal needs. The scheme was presented by a student reporter of the school magazine. They were incarcerated.

On another note, in the US, in 2019, another scandal arose over a criminal conspiracy to influence undergraduate admissions decisions at several top American universities by cheating on college entrance exams and fabrication of elite sports credentials. The importance of good education is evident to everyone that people are willing to lie, cheat and find the simplest way to secure a good education for their loved ones, even for their apathetic, non-motivated and intellectually challenged ones. It is just an extension of helicopter parenting.

This story also reminds me of the corrupted system that we all live in. It is filled with the spirit of patronage, serfdom but aloofness at the same time. I guess they call it professional courtesy or honour amongst thieves.


Monday, 22 April 2019

On the other side of the Iron Curtain...

The Mitrokhin Archive II (2005)

It all sounds like a plot of an espionage paperback set in the Cold War era. The only thing that makes it interesting is that it is said to have happened in the real world - that a KGB employee, disillusioned with the direction that Communist Russia was taking, should decide to painstakingly make short notes, via his handwriting, of secret documents as the KGB headquarters was relocated and the archives, in the pre-internet days, were transferred. Vasili Mitrokhin, the low-level official, after the collapse of Soviet Union, in 1992, decided to take his 10 years worth of handwritten documents and to defect to the West. He had apparently shown up at the American Embassy in Latvia with his papers but was turned down. At the British Embassy, however, he was cordially offered a cup of tea and the rest, as they say, is history.

   

The papers were a damning account of the clandestine activities of Soviet Russia in many countries of the world.  In simple words, the archives were accusing Russia of spying many countries around the globe whilst influencing their leadership. From bugging of Henry Kissinger's office to forged documents in promoting false narratives to placing informants amongst leaders in South America and the Middle East, assassination plots of some world leaders and even literally putting heads of India in the KGB payroll. 

Christopher Andrew, an MI5 historian, released two books based on the records- The Sword and the Shield (1999) and The World Was Going Our Way: The KGB and the Battle for the Third World (2005). Almost immediately after the release of the first book, select committees were set up in many countries to investigate its allegations, namely the UK, Italy and India.

With the heat and adrenaline associated with the ongoing India Elections, one by one, KGB's involvement in the administration of newly independent Congress ruled India is coming to fore. Call it sensationalisation, call it political slandering. The documents are freely available on the public domain for scrutiny.

It was no secret that Nehru had reverence to the Soviet Union and the course of socialism. Maybe deep inside, he was a closet Communist. Russia took notice of him after the Bandung Conference in 1955 and his involvement in the Non-Alignment Movement. The largest democracy, India, became KGB's most concentrated operation. India was regarded as an imperialist puppet. At one time, the Soviet Union had such a free hand in running the country. Its money ran the Congress Party, and they had a firm grip on the succession of leaders. Indian Embassy in Moscow was infiltrated by the KGB. Even though the Communist Party of India was funded by Russia, it also had access to India's Intelligence Bureau's knowledge of the activities of the party. 

Krishna Menon, the Defence Minister, was earmarked to be Nehru's successor. Menon was instrumental in sourcing for Russian weapons to arm itself, instead of Westen ones. Unfortunately, his nonchalant outlook of the 1961 Chinese invasion of India brought him into disrepute. Lal Bahadur Shastri took the realm after Nehru's demise even though Gulzarilal Nanda was their man. Shastri mysteriously died one and a half years into the tenure in Tashkent. There is another conspiracy theory behind that one.
Vasili Mitrokhin

The KGB had their eyes all set on young Indira Gandhi even as a young girl. She was viewed as a possible popular figurehead whom they could manipulate. The last thing that the Russians wanted was for Morarji Desai, the right Hindu traditionalist to lead.

Indra, with her trusted advisor, Parameshwar Narain Haksar, was accused of selling of India to the Soviet Union. She, with her codename, Maimoona Begum was on KGB's payroll. Russia's involvement was there in 1971 war in defence of East Pakistan and throughout the Indian Government -intelligence, counter-intelligence, Defense and Foreign Ministries and police. 

Mrs Gandhi became increasingly unpopular as an obscene amount of money started flowing into the politician's coffers. It seems that Mrs Gandhi did not care if the money to run her party came from the KGB. Neither did she care that in return the communists virtually made a coup of the entire nation and occupied every vital position in all political, academic, judicial, executive and media institutions of the country. The whole country was up for sale, and Indira Gandhi sold it to the communists.

KGB also had an influence on the Indian press. The published materials are often said to be favourable to Russia's image. Soviet active measures manufactured unfounded evidence against the CIA and the unsubstantiated Pakistani intelligence behind the Sikh separatism.

As the Gandhi dynasty came crumbling and the Soviet bloc was beginning to disintegrate, the Indo-Soviet relationship, to which the KGB had devoted much of its energies, came to an inglorious end.

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/07/06/kgb_papers_kept_in_secret_since_1992_released_by_british_archive.html

https://mitrokhinarchiveii.blogspot.com/2005

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitrokhin_Archive

https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/collection/52/mitrokhin-archive

http://indiafacts.org/indira-gandhi-soviet-agent/



A love song from a shopping list?