A Marxist's 'Ramayana'

On the last day of Parliament, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien, responding to effusive thanks from members for his adroit handling of the House during tough sessions involving the passage of the Telangana Bill, reminded the House of Elders of the "Lakshman rekha" that must not be crossed when reacting to or opposing legislation. He was obliquely referring, of course, to the rowdiness in the Lok Sabha when the Bill was being discussed there. CPI (M) senior leader Sitaram Yechury was quick to interject that the Chair (Kurien) usually looked at him when talking of "Lakshman rekha", adding with a wry smile, "Sir, Nobody knows Lakshman rekha better than Sitaram." To which Kurien graciously agreed that Yechury indeed had "never violated the Lakshman Rekha". All this talk moved BJP's senior leader Balbir Punj to observe, "Deputy Chairman, Sir, your inspiration has even motivated our Marxist friend, Mr Sitaram Yechury, to accept that there is a Sita, there is a Ram and there is a Lakshman!"