Emperor’s Clones: A Parable on Page 1?

Mamata Banerjee’s refusal to order a probe into the sting puts her in a tight spot, ahead of the upcoming polls.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee finds herself in a potentially embarrassing situation that could hurt her electorally. (Photo: The Quint)

On Monday afternoon at 4:00 pm Mamata Banerjee led a rally in South Calcutta through her constituency, Bhowanipore. Through the procession, Firhad Hakim, Sovan Chatterjee and Subrata Mukherjee walked right behind her. All three Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders were allegedly seen taking bribes in the Narada News sting operation. The state government has called the sting a political conspiracy and refused to initiate a probe based on footage that implicates some of TMC’s top leadership.

The Telegraph thought that the visuals merited not just a news story, but a parable. They carried an excerpt from The Emperor’s New Clothes, the 1837 story by Hans Christian Anderson about a ruler who does not realise his own predicament.

Everyone in the streets and the windows said, “Oh, how fine are the Emperor’s new clothes! Don’t they fit him to perfection? And see his long train!” Nobody would confess that he couldn’t see anything, for that would prove him either unfit for his position, or a fool. No costume the Emperor had worn before was ever such a complete success. “But he hasn’t got anything on,” a little child said. “Did you ever hear such innocent prattle?” said its father. And one person whispered to another what the child had said, “He hasn’t anything on. A child says he hasn’t anything on.” “But he hasn’t got anything on!” the whole town cried out at last. The Emperor shivered, for he suspected they were right. But he thought, “This procession has got to go on.” So he walked more proudly than ever, as his noblemen held high the train that wasn’t there at all.

Excerpt from the <i>Emperor’s New Clothes</i>

The message was not a subtle one.