New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has apologised after social media outcry over his comments against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday. He had accused Mr Kejriwal of enjoying “power without responsibility, which has been a prerogative of eunuchs”.
“Apologies to those who found my quote about “power without responsibility” offensive. It’s an old line from British politics, going back to Kipling & Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, & most recently used by Tom Stoppard. I recognize that its use today was inappropriate & withdraw it,” Shashi Tharoor tweeted this morning.
His apology, however, does not mention the word “eunuch”, which had provoked a howl of protests on social media.
This is what the Congress MP had told CNN-News 18 in an interview: “Mr Kejriwal is trying to have it both ways. He has made statements deploring the CAA and NRC but has not taken any tangible action. He has not even shown human compassion one expects from a chief minister from victims of violence in his state. In any other state, had students been bashed up in this manner, the chief minister would have visited them and shown them some concern. Mr Kejriwal really wants power without responsibility, which we all know has been the prerogative of eunuchs for ages.”
He was accused of “transphobia” and asked to immediately apologise to the LGBT community. Some on Twitter even called for a boycott.
After his apology, the reaction was mixed. While he was praised by a section for a gesture rare among politicians, others noted that he had left out the operative part.
Mr Shashi Tharoor is a Gentleman in the Political Rank.