The entire ilk of VIPs, VVIPs, and hotshot celebs would do well learning about how not to throw one's weight around from former Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.

Chatterjee, stopped for violating a traffic rule in Mussoorie, paid the fine for the offence without so much as a hint of the bullying that our sundry 'VIPs' hit the headlines (Mail Today carried a front-page story on the high-handedness of some of our politicos) for.

The former Speaker was stopped by the Traffic Friends, a citizen-action group constituted by the city police to aid traffic management. His vehicle was hauled over by the group for driving on Mall road after retsricted driving hours.

Chatterjee, who was in the city to deliver a lecture, paid the fine of Rs 100 even while he commended the citizens for their active participation in the governance of their city. The praise, though, was mutual with a senior citizens' forum from the city saying that Chatterjee set the right example for other public representatives and government servants to follow.