A literally fishy tale about Air India

The story of the national carrier, Air India, gets fishier day by day. In the latest chapter of this never-ending narrative, an AI Dhaka-Kolkata flight was delayed for an hour after a security official stopped the pilot of the plane from smuggling on board a 2.5 kg hilsa fish, a much-prized delicacy on both sides of the Bangla border. This incident of fishy business transgressed the laws of both countries in that the export of hilsa is banned by Bangladesh, and Indian regulations do not permit the import of uncooked edibles without the requisite licence. Foiled in his nefarious attempt to infiltrate a doubly illegal Bangladeshi immigrant into India, the errant pilot had to leave behind his Piscean prize.

The episode, however, could provide a new angle for those who like to fish in troubled waters and are opposed to the proposed sale of the carrier. Having failed in its effort to hive off the airline in its first attempt, the sarkar is now planning fresh infusion of funds into the debt-laden organisation. But contretemps such as the hilsa hiccup could deter potential customers from swallowing the proffered bait, hook, line and sinker. Would-be buyers could tell the Maharaja to go fish, much to the satisfaction of jet-setting netas and babus who can continue to make free use of the carrier to give themselves a whale of a time.