The birds were chirping on the window sill of our Baker Street flat as I sat readingthe papers. From the adjoining room came mournful squeaks as Sherlock Holmes fiddled withhis violin. My friend came in and I put down the paper.
I say, Holmes, I exclaimed. Isn't it funny how Sonia Gandhi suddenlyresigned? Surely Pawar's letter couldn't have upset her that much! Seems a dashed mystery,what? My friend thoughtfully sucked at his pipe. It is puzzling, Watson, he said. I don't think she was indulging in histrionics!
Exactly, Holmes! I said. Then why did she have to resign? Why, man,why?
Holmes stopped pacing and stared out of the window. Consider this, Watson. Thecwc met on the 15th when the dissidents spoke but were isolated. The same evening theydelivered their letter to the party. On the 17th Sonia's resignation letter is drafted.But that letter is pre-dated to the 15th!
That's incredible, Holmes, I gasped. How on earth did you find out?
By reading the newspaper, Watson, he replied. The question is, whathappened on the 16th to make her change her mind? Why was she anxious to prove that herresignation preceded whatever happened on the 16th by pre-dating her letter to the15th?
Perhaps you should read the paper of the 16th to find out, I said helpfully. Well done, Watson, Holmes said and patted me on the back. I confess I hadlittle idea of what I had done so well! On the 16th The Statesman carried an articleby B. Raman, a retired raw officer. In it he described how Rajiv tried to foist Sonia'ssister's husband as the agent through whom raw should enter into a training project tobenefit from Italian security expertise. That plan was thwarted due to the resistance putup by raw officers. What does that tell you, Watson?
That raw officers were disobedient? I said shrewdly.
No, no, Watson! Doesn't it mean that Sonia's family was a conduit for Italianintelligence? Further, even if she surrendered her Italian passport she could underItalian law always reclaim dual citizenship!
She would never require Italian citizenship as an Indian PM, Holmes.
Conceded, Watson! The question is, would Italian intelligence require it?
Ah...um... I see what you mean, Holmes, I muttered.
Go to Rome,
Or stay at home,
But please be clear
About what is where!
