This book comprises a collection of blogs/ published articles written between 2022 and 2023 and posted on my blog site, “Whatever it is, I’m against it” at https://b-b-dash.blogspot.com/. They deal with life experiences, incidents and experiences gathered in my jobs which included Policing, corporate career and two United Nations deputations in Africa, social and societal issues and shenanigans which have lent themselves to a lighter take within a serious or not-so-serious paradigm.

The articles are written as a somewhat detached observer of incidents and situations even while participating in them and meant as a foreground for the reader’s own conclusions. They seek to make a few points but do not wish to pontificate and impose those points. Many of the articles portray some not-too-well-known aspects and incidents of Policing while the other articles are about life and society in general.

The idea is to observe and participate in life’s vicissitudes without being too serious all the time. It is easy to criticise people and professions but immensely difficult to put oneself in others’ shoes and even more difficult to do something about the situations and the “system.”

Although some kind of chronology is maintained in terms of college experience, first job and Police career, the articles do not follow any particular order and have been put down as and when they have come to crystallise in one’s mind in an unpremeditated manner. To that extent, they follow the general pattern of life itself.

Most of the articles pertain to the 33 years I spent as a cop. Policing in India is considered very opaque, stern and brutal. In these articles, I have tried to say that there is a human side to Policing and not all of it is dry and taciturn, although it has its flaws.

Bibhuti Dash

Kolkata

January 28, 2023