• PAGE ONE
• INDEX
• HOME

Lifeline

D. Murali

DOZENS of CAs had come as a group and were banging at my door desperately. As the president, I had to listen to them and so let them in, for I guessed they could be carrying the story of how a council colleague of mine was bungling in his constituency, o r about the new alliances that were getting formed for the coming elections.

``We are senior chartereds,'' one said furiously.

``I can get the FM announce special benefits for senior citizens who are CAs,'' I tried to appease him.

``I have been practising for 20 years,'' another said, ``but I am yet to see more than mere lakhs.''

``The problem is a lack of lakhs?'' I asked.

``We have been tolerant all along even when we didn't earn enough,'' an angry member fumed. ``But now, they are earning more!''

``Who are they?''

``The ones with fast fingers!'' they said in unison. ``Though everybody knows how fast we used to tick the vouchers.''

``True,'' I acknowledged. ``I used to be the champion pencil pusher in my office, though I now push files.''

``Why not you do something?'' they pleaded.

``I can subsidise your phone calls to KBC's numbers,'' I offered, ``but you should refund the dole to ICAI when you get through the first screening.''

``Kaun karega review of syllabus?'' they questioned.

``I have already appointed a committee to review education and training,'' I assured them. ``They have been meeting every night between 9 and 10 to incorporate new topics in the study content.''

``And for those who passed the exams earlier?''

``For the members, we shall be carrying focussed articles in the journal. My own message `from the president' will be in a multiple-choice format.''

``When do we start getting a share in the pie?''

``I am talking to Bhaiya Bee to have his cheque audited concurrently before he plays with it in front of the contestants and the camera.''

``And, the ICAI should appoint a non-CA as a common friend.''

``For what?''

``To use as a lifeline.''