The very act of doing it once again, knowing fully well the repercussions and impropriety of sharing in the social networking site his personal views on an official decision, cannot be dismissed as the super diplomat having once again got his foot in the mouth.
Is this modus operandi a strategy with him? If it is so, he had better watch out. The congress party is not going to be happy about its party men washing dirty linen in public, or having to rush to damage control moves whenever Mr. Tharoor’s creative fingertips tap out truncated controversial remarks for his fans and for all the world to see.
The Minister of External Affairs has sent out the warning to Tharoor loud and clear. “The broad policy parameters are dictated, decided by the Minister in-charge of External Affairs of this country and everyone will have to fall on the same page," and he goes on: "If there are any perceptions, they should be sorted out within the four walls of the two ministries”.
It is not insignificant that Tharoor has not come up with an apology. The media, which followed him around in the exhibition stalls after he inaugurated it, was greeted by that charming Throorian smile only.
What’s brewing, one wonders.
The government, it is reported, is considering reviewing the two month gap policy in issuing visa. Whether it is on account of their eyes being opened to the commonsensical wisdom of Tharoor’s tweet that the 26/11 terrorists had no visa, or because of the protest from the US and UK, it is not clear. Probably both.
So, is Tharoor using the twitter to bring pressure on the government to see wisdom, or pay heed to his views?
Is this the style of functioning of the new breed of Indian politicians?
Smart, if he can get away with it.
Speculations. Speculations.
In the meanwhile, I cannot agree with Tharoor’s argument that 26/11 terrorists had no visa, and therefore visa restrictions won’t help. The truth is, 26/11 was made possible, made so easy ‘cos of the ground prepared by the comprehensive spade work effected by Headly and his likes who could move freely within India.
I couldnt agree more. Brilliant post!!
ReplyDeleteI'm seriously getting a bit irritated by these Tweet business my MP is carrying on. While I was fully at his side during the 'cattle class' dinghy, this visa tweet was probably inappropriate. It would've been a decision taken by a group of people who knew what they were doing and Tharoor should'nt have criticized the decision in public. They would've discussed the pros and cons of such a move, surely I don't feel its a totally dumb move though there are disadvantages.
ReplyDeleteTharoor may be digging his own grave if he continues with this open-tweets on public domain. Make no mistake, I still admire him and have high hopes on him as my MP but if Congress decides that 'enough is enough' then the people of Trivandrum will have the right to feel let down.
It would be for his own good if Tharoor undertakes a retrospection of his tweets. I sincerly hate him getting into the bad-books of Congress High Command by creating one issue after another. Our country needs leaders like him on the controls and he better learn his trade well, and quick!
Happy new year to you ma'm. :-)
nice post on the problem called Tharoor. watching him these days, i have a feeling the term 'diplomat' is a misnomer for him. in fact, he is the least diplomatic diplomat we have had, and for that i have developed a special liking for him. God bless him!
ReplyDeleteHe was welcomed as " Minister Twitter" during his visit to UAE, by the UAE minister of Foreign Trade.God sense of humour.
ReplyDeleteAs per a twitter tabulation website, Twitterholic, Tharoor’s account, has the largest following of any account based in New Delhi.( No where near Obama's 1.6 million followers)
Shashi's twitter gives an insight to his personal life and opinions.
“In a democracy like ours, accountability to voters is fundamental to who we are. The vast majority (of followers on twitter) are Indians and this is part of the whole process of making democracy more transparent,” Tharoor once told The Indian Express.
Or is it that politicinas are not allowed to have humor sense? Just name me a politician who is responsible in our politics!! Killers like Soran and looters like Lallu rule the country..thats all fine... Shashi cant talk,that is the problem!! He talks because he knows,and tweets because he is one of the very few who has the skills for that among our illiterate politicians. And then,just what is this diplomcacy? Is it synonymous with hypocrisy?
Happy New Year, Ma'am, Prathik, Scorpionesquegenius, Dr. Antony! Have a great year!
ReplyDeleteI dont wanna comment on what Tharoor tweeted. But its becoming increasingly irritating that everything he tweets about has gotta be given such a lot of hype and media overdoze! Forget his tweets, each and every movement that the man makes is news! Whats it all about really, I dont understand!
ReplyDeleteOh and "happy" new year KT :-)
ReplyDeletewhat kind of cabinet level minister is he if he is twittering an important policy issue such as visa on a social networking site ? he can twitter if he belches and say that he is caught in the rain in manhattan, but NOT treat an important policy issue trival enough to be twitted - this is about indian security after all
ReplyDelete