Sir — Tapas Pal, a leading actor of the Bengali screen and now a Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament, has threatened the members of the opposing political forces that he would press into service the cadre of his party to rape their womenfolk and behead their men. Very polite language, indeed! Naturally the remark invited universal condemnation.
But Mr Pal’s party leader Mamata Banerjee has let him off after he tendered an apology. Without hesitation it can be said that the party will lose large chunks of urban votes as a consequence. No amount of rigging and muscle-flexing by the Trinamool Congress can prevent it from happening.