Antara went to study in Kolkata because her parents and Close Female Relative wanted her to do so.
Ajit had been due for a promotion at his workplace since the mid-1980s, he had cleared the requisite departmental engineering tests, thus eligible for promotion, as were many of his colleagues.
By 1992-93, Ajit had remained at the same designation for more than two decades, he had never been promoted at work. His name appeared on promotion lists, often at No 32, which meant there were 31 colleagues ahead of him, either seniority (joined before him) or slightly older in age. He'd go to Kolkata to check the promotion list once it was published, after years of waiting, he'd come back in the evening. "They promoted the top 31, I missed out, just bad luck, I'd be the top name on the next list."
The next list would be prepared in another two-three years.
ii. Asansol Girls College, situated along a shady lane, was right next to Antara's neighbourhood, the housing society where she grew up. It was convenient, involved no commute, took five minutes to reach the college, why Antara's Close Female Relative studied there, both Junior College Science and undergraduate/Bachelor of Science. Her academic results were slaughtered (warning: the Class of 1995 hated it when Close Female Relative's college days were brought up, especially the sorts that married into the Armed Forces.)
"You saw what they did to me, I wouldn't let you study at Asansol Girls College, you go to Kolkata, study the Arts," Close Female Relative had advised Antara. For her part, Antara listened to no one but Close Female Relative, and she followed her advice.
Thus, the influence of Lane Technical School or Laura Lane had not been sought by any of Antara's family members (on her side), it had just been impossible for them to avoid.
What was Lane Technical's expertise anyway? Asansol Girls College had a vendor outside its entrance gate, selling the ubiquitous 'Kolkata jhalmuri', a spiced puffed rice mixture. He arrived before the college started for the day, set up his snack kiosk, then went around in Antara's neighourhood, from one government quarters to another, "Would you give me some mustard oil?" or "Do you have some boiled potatoes to spare?" or even "Do you have some puffed rice?". The housewives provided whatever he needed.
"So the jhalmuri-seller had nothing of his own, his business was based on government quarters willing to help," Anjali would say.
iii. Ajit finally got his promotion in 1994, after India had implemented its LPG/Liberalisation, Privatisation, Globalisation agenda in the early 1990s.
His new post was called 'Technical Assistant', "It was not even a job, it had no duties, no responsibilities, probably not even an office. If someone asked for technical advice, I'd be needed," Ajit had said. "Why should they ask me for technical advice, they were engineers themselves."
Despite the above, you have to believe that the Indian authorities supported BT's lease, that all Indian engineers supported Ajit!
Where were they in 1994? Why didn't the Indian engineers come out and protest on Ajit's behalf, "after three and a half decades of Govt Service, was that a way to treat a Class A Gazetted Officer, he'd be used only if the need arose?"
So Indians neither supported BT nor Ajit, they didn't respect them either, it had been a disinformation campaign.
iv. In 1994, as Ajit received his promotion to 'Technical Assistant', he was posted to Malda.
"I'm not going to Malda," Ajit had said.
"Just to ruin Antara's Board Exam, what a farce of a promotion-transfer, she was in Class 10, which school in Malda would accept her?" Anjali had said.
Ajit refused the promotion-transfer to Malda, he continued where he was. Was it now clear that Ajit didn't support Nasser or the 1957 lease in favour of NS Road?
Everyone's likes, dislikes, preferences, allegiances (on Antara's side) have been solved. Antara's parents were her own but who took them away from her in the first place? It began from 2016 or so, vivid dreams that she was being beaten and viciously assaulted by her parents. It continued for the next seven or eight years, till 2024, 'minders' insisting that Antara's parents had wanted her assaulted or even lynched at a public place.
"Who were these people, what were their names, were they in your head?" Antara's spouse would say, if she brought up the matter. Indeed, who were these people, what were their names?
Antara's parents didn't support NS Road, they didn't support Malda and Batanagar. Just because they were no longer around, who got the courage to undertake such an audacious campaign against Antara?
Antara's father got promoted and transferred to Purulia in 1995, was that what was bothering SNCF?
And Chetla, before you find a war, do check with SNCF if they wanted one.
September 21, 2025.
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