September 19, 2008, December 28, 2008 and March 1, 2010. Tharoor has done it again bizarrely. Without showing any sign of care he has taken of his tongue after each controversial remark. His recent views on Saudi Arabia’s ‘valuable interlocution’ between India and Pakistan for peace talks, has not been digested so well by the opposition and the media. His remark of ‘cattle class’ for the Indian middle class had caused much of uproar last September. Three months down the line his views against tightening visa rules had once again embarrassed the Congress government in rule, forcing it to keep a mum over the issue. Tharoor has also been filling the void left over after the big controversies have settled down by his regular tweet comments. His latest public comments on Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Indo-Pak talks have begun to question his presence in Indian politics altogether. With the issue being much more serious this time and the clarification from Tharoor being more unconvincing, Tharoor has given an open invitation to more worries for him in the coming days. His defending remarks, saying that the style and tone of the English he speaks is more often misunderstood, is even more annoying and speaks volumes about what he thinks of Indians. Is it a justifiable remark Mr. Tharoor over an issue which is concerned with Indian foreign policies and its relation with neighbors’?
I think the ace columnist, journalist and writer seriously needs to update himself with the English Dictionary he is using. What reference is he talking about when he uses the word ‘interlocution’ for the Saudis? Is he not hinting towards a third party talk for solving Indo-Pak conflicts which has been totally unacceptable by all ruling governments in power so far? It’s just not that only the government is against it, the common people of our nation have also supported this fact that only bilateral talks can improve the ties with our neighbor. Third party intervention will only delay the peace process with focus shifting from main issues and diverting towards the needs of the third party in return of helping the mediation.
The Minister of State for External Minister has taken the importance of such portfolios to a new low. His comments can only be termed as a slip-of-tongue rather than being treated as meaningful, to-be-heard and acted upon suggestions by a cabinet minister. His other debated opinions include his views as expressed in the article ‘India’s Israel Envy’ in which he expressed sympathy towards Israel and questioned India’s foreign policy in this regard. Another controversy had erupted on Gandhi Jayanti when he said that people should be working rather than taking a holiday, thereby paying real homage to Mahatma Gandhi. Mr. Tharoor is so concerned about the GDP level of our country that even a day of leave when we recall our Father of Nation is irking him. I wonder how much we will think of Bapu if we do not keep a holiday. The diplomat has a message to convey here but the way of implementation is against Indian culture and history. He can be more elaborate than using his ‘Tweeting’ style in the media. It is high time Mr. Tharoor that you keep a check on your words when you speak about anything. It only adds to the general feeling of less understanding of Indian politics and culture of yours. The day is not far when we hear about Congress stripping the minister off his post over his controversial tweets and public statements.
The writer is a Goa based correspondent of Youth Ki Awaaz and also a student at BITS, Pilani — Goa Campus