Whose argument is right?

In case of Behzti, free speech of protesters is as crucial as that of the writer, writes Vijay Dutt.

Sex is one word, which I believe will describe and cover all the startling happenings and bizarre actions that bemused and, I dare say, titillated most of us in recent weeks. The lovelorn David Blunkett went out crying, I suspect, over the losing of his cabinet job rather than failing to get any sympathy from his former lover, the married Kimberley Quinn, publisher of the Spectator. At the end of it all it seems sex was the bond why else we were subjected to a public display of bitter and shameful acrimony.

Blunkett tried to convince everyone that he was a sincere Romeo and was not interested only in romps in the bed and also that he was a caring father of Quinn's two-year-son, who Blunkett claimed was actually his and not of the husband Stephen. He was not like most politicians who shut their door the moment they learn they have fathered outside the wedlock. But some lady colleagues in the media dismissed all this as a pretext to gain entry to Kimberley, who had shown him the door. They all said, with feminine intuition, that he felt jilted and did not want to do the honourable thing, quit. Maybe men will have a different perception. Whatever it may be, he is back into the ordinary existence of a backbencher, and does not seem to have any chance of getting back into the limelight for some time to come.

He has lost dearly for romps with a lady whose list of lovers, some allege, is still not complete. It is somewhat hilarious that at most parties names of famous journalists in important newspapers and senior TV broadcasters and presenters are being mentioned as the likely beneficiaries of Ms Quinn's favours. One Simon Hoggart, the political sketch writer and Radio presenter has, after a bit of reluctance, admitted to have had, albeit an infrequent, romps with the lady, while she was married to Stephen and having an affair with Blunkett. That raises a rather knotty question, can a cuckolder be cuckolded? Can Blunkett take umbrage or not? At least Stephen has forgiven his errant wife. Although some say that if more lovers tumble out of his wife's cupboard he may not be able to remain so understanding and patient.

I cannot resist repeating a rather harsh judgement of men following the saga of Quinn's conquests. She, no beauty by any standards, has shown that men are not so superficial that they fall helplessly at the feet of beauty. Indeed men are far more superficial they fall helplessly in the face of flattery. As Adlai Stevenson said a beauty is a woman you notice, a charmer is one who notices you. You can substitute the word flatterer for charmer. The lesson from this is that beauty is not a necessary qualification for a seductress. So no botox, no plastic surgery.

All out stores war
The turning of a religious event like Christmas into a season for purchasing spree has been hailed for long as the most amazing marketing feat. But some how this year things are not going that well. Customers have become wise and wait until the last minute for the stores to panic and go for heavily discounted sales. The stores know this yet they do panic if he sales do not pick up in the last week before Christmas.

The whole of Oxford and Regent streets are lit up with arc lights while illuminate arches have created an ambience of festivity. The crowds are here, it is impossible to walk in Marks & Spencer, John Lewis or Selfridges. But not many come out with bulging store bags. The tussle between the customer and the stores is apparent. Who will give in?

Some desperate store have now resorted to full blown panic and started to lower prices. The launching of sales before Christmas is a sure sign of distress among retailers. They are also worried that the Xmas message of peace, love and goodwill is being replaced by one of drink. Alcohol consumption shoots up in Britain by 41 per cent during Christmas. Naturally this cuts into purchasing power.