Twitter and the not so Sacrosanct Cow
by on 28 Sep 2009
Can a frivolous comment on Twitter be the downfall of one of our finest and most accomplished ministers of state?
Shashi Tharoor’s remark on Congress’s new austerity drive has not only raised an outcry among the layman but also among the so-called distinguished politicians of our country. In response to a question on Twitter, a micro-blogging, social networking site, on whether he would travel in “cattle class”, Tharoor responded with a rather unexpected quirky response - “Absolutely, in cattle class out of solidarity with all our holy cows!”
What seems to me a tweet said in passing has not only been misinterpreted but has also been blown way out of proportion by demagogues and by the media. The All India Youth Federation (AIYF) have boycotted Tharoor’s functions at Thiruvananthapuram, which is his home constituency, and have also shown the extent of their disdain by burning his effigy.The Congress Party’s spokesperson Manish Tewari said: “Action will be taken (against Tharoor) at an appropriate time.” Joining the band wagon of extreme measures, Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, among others is also pushing for his resignation. However, Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, who seems to be the only guiding light on this hour dissent , has played down the comments made by the Minister of State for External Affair, “It was just a joke and should be looked at in a light hearted manner.”
The important question to be asked at this juncture is: how long will India continue to live behind this transparent veil of free speech and modernity, when a few innocuous words can beam us back to the dark ages.
Was the tweet profound or prosaic, you decide. In defense of Mr.Tharoor, the statement was not meant to be taken literally. However, toying with the idea that it were to betaken literally the first question that pop’s into one’s mind is - since when has the cow become a derogatory word in a predominantly Hindu country, which above all else, holds the animal sacred. And “cattle class” is more of a jibe at the way airplanes and trains treat people who can ill afford to travel luxuriously, rather than belittling the passengers on board. Furthermore following logical deduction, do our fellow countrymen really have such a poor sense of self that we immediately assume, that it is us who are being ridiculed by the very people that we have chosen to govern us? This truly is a frightening thought.
Along with an apology from Tharoor came a brief explanation of what he was trying to say “holy cows are NOT individuals but sacrosanct issues or principles that no one dares to challenge”.
Somehow an irony prevails here - it almost feels like a callous premonition on his part which opened a can of worms that no one wants to acknowledge. Hypersensitivity and mis-judgment have bred a wave of unfounded discontent that can lead to disastrous consequences. If he is made to step down from his position as External Affairs Minister, it will be at the expense of the integrity of the Congress and at our expense as well as we are governed by them.
Hi Maya
I totally agree with your view on the scrutinity bestowed upon Mr. Tharoor’s tweets being over the top!
This has happened more often than not - a big part is shamefully played by a not-yet-socially responsible media. There is just too much space and a huge lack of content. This drives the need to sensationalise just about anything - right from a kiss to a tweet!
Hence I would lay full responsibility of this issue being blown out of proportion to it being overplayed by the media - else you and I would not be hearing and hence writing about a trivial issue like this over nothing.
Corporates have been driven to social responsibility over the years - it is time we drive the media to do the same.
28 September 2009 at 7:38 PM