It is really amusing to learn that the sense of self-importance of some people borders on insanity. Case in point: Comrade Somnath Chatterjee. He doesn’t want to go to Sydney because

‘My country’s prestige is at stake and I don’t want to compromise on it. As Speaker of the Lok Sabha which represents the world’s largest democracy, if I am not trusted in any of the countries, then I should not go there. We have to be exempted from security checks as heads of government and heads of state,’’ Chatterjee said from Manila…

The prospect of getting frisked at the airport security terrifies this benevolent Parliamentarian. The wisdom in the saying anger is rooted in fear applies quite well here. Or am I misunderstanding the import of his statement? Does Com. Somnath think he is above the law? Well, on this subject pretty much everybody in India–from auto drivers to peons at government offices–thinks he is above the law. But do they seriously harbour the notion that this principle applies in, and to other nations, too? The Commies have reaped their biggest vote haul in the 2004 elections and they are already feeling compelled to tread the path of their illustrious predecessors: Lenin, Stalin, Mao… No security checks, no law, no mores should apply to these worthies. But there are different ways you can interpret statements like this.

But what I don’t get is this: look at it from whichever angle, how does Com Somnath fit the title of head of a government/state? Even the High Priestess Sonia Maino “Gandhi” doesn’t qualify for this. And he calls this an insult to the pride of India. Hey, I guess this is the flavour of the season: Modi did the same when he was denied the visa and now the mere prospect of getting frisked at the airport makes this Communist relic look at it as an affront to the country’s prestige. What next?

Now I’m waiting for those edits and “informed analyses” to speak on this issue the way they did about the Modi issue.