mla: When you look like an MLA, Walk like…

All clubs have club rules, and these include rules of entry. For Parliament and legislative assemblies, entry is restricted to MPs and MLAs, and the personnel manning these citizenry-representing clubs. But what happens, as it did in the West Bengal assembly on Wednesday, when someone proclaiming to be an MLA walks into a vidhan sabha without being one? It brings into question two things: one, at an obvious level, the efficacy of the procedure that keeps ‘outsiders’ out; two, at a more fundamental level, does someone who looks like an MLA, walks like an MLA and quacks like an MLA become an MLA even if he’s not – at least for entering an assembly?

Gajanan Varma introduced himself as a legislator – actual MLA Manoj Tiwary, to be precise – and was granted entry. Once he was found loitering about in the assembly lobby, however, security personnel realised he was no Tiwary, no MLA at all. The imposter was handed over to the police. Which brings us to the bigger question of appearances. Establishments that ‘reserve the right for entry’ by sight may find it difficult to differentiate the wanted and unwanted if everyone looks worthy of entry. So, if, say, drivers look non-driverly and can merge with the preferred clientele in a restaurant, it is quite understandable for a non-MLA who looks an MLA to be given the salaam.