Native Unrest

Despite India's unfortunate degeneration from British Imperial possession to functioning democracy, it appears that a few encouraging echoes of the Raj still remain. A Hindu nationalist politician apparently booked a business-class seat on an Air India flight, but found himself among the lesser breeds in economy; his complaint escalated into an altercation with the senior flight attendant, whom the MP was at last driven to chastise in the best East India Company fashion, by corporal punishment with an item of footwear. As a result of this enterprising and barnstorming conduct, the MP is now banned from flying with any member of the Federation of Indian Airlines, despite demonstrating a near-Conservative level of reasonability in demanding an apology from Air India. Doubtless our own Imperial Haystack is even now waiting eagerly for his phone to ring so he can mobilise the sepoys in defence of civilisation.