Changing stripes

Minutes after Bengal’s intelligentsia addressed a press conference to speak against the state’s fascist tendencies and its joint operations on Maoists in Lalgarh, Mamata Banerjee put forward her case at the state secretariat. In her inimitable style, she chose a metaphor to explain her stance: “What will you a do when a cannibalistic tiger attacks you? Will you not kill it? I am sure you will.” As soon as she said this, Banerjee realised she had said something wrong. She took back her explanation and said: “Oh! Killing a tiger is also illegal.”