Last month [November 1974], there was a debate on the food situation in the state Assembly – a listless debate … The quorum was frequently lacking when the discussion on the food position was on. Immediately following the debate on food, someone raised the issue of allocating a quota of test match tickets for the MLAs; the Food Minister, who is also the Sports Minister, rose once more to speak on the question in his latter capacity; suddenly, there was a rush of incoming members; the Assembly was brimming to the full. The Sports-cum-Food Minister, kindly soul, unable though he is to provide food to the poor who die in their thousands, was generosity unbound. Per MLA he was prepared to allot a quota of five tickets. Pandemonium in the House; no, no, we demand justice, we must have at least 25 to 30 tickets each; the members of the Assembly could not be more conscious of their prerogatives – and of their social responsibilities. Their constituents may die for lack of food; that is no matter; ticket for the cricket test match is an altogether different proposition, truly a matter of life and death. They must be given at least 25 tickets, each one of them, or else West Bengal would once more be brought to the brink of revolution. The Food-cum-Sports Minister, ever responsive to the stirrings of emotions at the grassroots, pacifies them: he relents, and straightaway assures them an initial quota of 10 tickets; he also promises to talk to the Cricket Association of Bengal so that the MLAs could get some more tickets before the test match starts. The revolution is averted, the MLAs cheer the Sports-cum- Food Minister, they chair him, wish him long life.