THE POTATO STORY

I was halfway through my plate of potato risotto when my phone rang. 

- Rakhi Bose

It’s a potato lynching, I was told. 

Somewhere in the heart of the heartland, a man was lynched because he ate a potato. 

The nation erupted in protest. 

“Killed for eating a potato? That’s inhuman,” said the liberal.  “That potato was grown on an industrialists’ farm,” said the leftist.  “Only the Devil eats potatoes,” said the conservative.  “Ban all potatoes,” said the Opposition.  “Ban all potato eaters,” said the despot.  “Profile all potato eaters,” said the editor. 

I looked down at my plate of potato risotto neither saffron nor green A vegan mush of brains and guts but no answers.

So I went to the heart of the heartland To meet the potato eaters.