Ah well, he is the king of timing… If only I had written this blog yesterday when I thought of writing it, he would still have been the captain of the Indian team :). MS Dhoni for long has been a favorite of mine … Many of my colleagues know that I have used his example for emotional intelligence, for how money chases skills and for how you can make a difference in a short span of time. The fact is MSD had no Godfathers in cricket and he wasn’t from India’s Mecca of cricket, Mumbai. He broke every mould and preconceived barrier to not just enter cricket but become the captain of the team and went on to becoming the greatest captain of all times – wow, and for all that he is from Jharkhand, not a state known for great cricket academies etc. Talent triumphs !!
Then IPL happened and rumors of betting happened and finally Sreesanth got banned … Meiyappan and Chennai Superkings’ owner Srinivasan got questioned and then the report mentioned current India team players being involved. Long back when Kapil Dev was accused of betting, I was in tears and I would have bet money to support him because it’s unthinkable that Kapil Dev would play badly or throw away a match for money. It was just out of the question. When rumors of Dhoni’s involvement in betting came about, I didn’t feel as certain. Maybe he is clean, but maybe, just maybe he is not. The very fact that his demeanour introduced some doubt in a fan’s mind, I lost respect for him. Harsh ? Yes that’s how fickle adulation is – a fan is constantly evaluating his or her idol on the pedestal and the minute the idol puts a foot wrong, the fan loses respect.
Yesterday for the first time, I felt Dhoni was insincere while playing in the second innings against Australia. I have never felt he was insincere before this, but clearly yesterday was so half hearted that it seemed insincere. Thank God we drew the match, but we could have lost just as easily. The sudden announcement that he is quitting test cricket, in the middle of a series … Sure, he has the right to decide at any time, but something doesn’t add up.
Infact, when I was at ISB’s Solstice program a couple of weeks back, Dr. Shashi Tharoor was the keynote speaker. His choice of words were great, diction flawless but he couldn’t touch the audience’s heart.. I thought then, if only this speech had been before the nation was treated to the Modi style oratory, it might have got a few more points from me :):). And then Kabir put the right word to Dr. Tharoor – he doesn’t give the feeling that he is sincere. And that was the word I was looking for. Dr. Tharoor comes across as insincere and more concerned with the appearance than the substance, the way he says things than what he really feels for it.
The worst detractors of our PM have to hand it to him that he is able to instantly connect with the audience, his oratory skills notwithstanding, it’s his deep passion for the subject that helps him connect with the audience. You may disagree completely with what he says, but you cannot disengage. His sincerity shines through.
Dr. Tharoor lacks that sincerity and I don’t think I will bother with his speaking assignments anymore. I still like the way he writes, and may continue to read his books, but will I take him seriously ? Nah !!
Insincerity in any sphere doesn’t pay. Either be sincere or don’t bother doing the thing. One of the roots of the word Sincere could be “Sine Cera” which translates to “no wax”. Sculptors in earlier times, used wax to gloss over their mistakes, so “Sine Cera” meant authentic sculpture without wax. Well, the meaning holds true in the modern word too – be authentic, don’t hide your flaws or gloss over them. Remain sincere.
Thank you for this post, which a friend has drawn my attention to. I am sincerely grateful that you have taken the trouble to analyse something which has troubled me for some time – the perception of insincerity that some people have about me.
I am frankly puzzled by this. After all, what could motivate such insincerity? I wasn’t at ISB to peddle a product; speaking at Solstice is not part of my job; ISB wasn’t paying me to address their alumni. Why bother to make an insincere speech if I am getting nothing out of it? Clearly it is only because I sincerely believe in the issues and ideas I addressed that I sacrificed a day out of my very busy schedule to come and speak to the gathered alumni. If I didn’t sincerely care about engaging passionately on these matters, why would I do it at all?
So what makes me seem insincere? Is it my fluency, my too-well-chosen words, my assurance with facts and figures, my assertion of well-honed opinions? These are the result of a lot of hard work, thorough preparation, considerable research and reading, and convictions that come from long experience. Yes, I try to wear all this lightly, and to make it seem effortless. But would the audience really have found a halting, stumbling, nervous, tongue-tied presentation better because it is seemingly “more sincere”?
I am sincerely grateful for sharing your perception, and would appreciate your helping me understand what I can do to dispel it, in you and others. If it is my appearance, my clothes, my accent, there is not much I can do about those: I am who I am. If it’s something else I can fix, I genuinely – sincerely!—will try to do so. Let me know.
Yours sincerely,
Shashi Tharoor
Dr. Tharoor, am genuinely floored with your note. I apologise if my blog hurt your sentiments in anyway. I have enjoyed your writing and I first heard you speak at your alma mater St. Stephens and I was really impressed. Infact I gathered some of my fellow classmates for your keynote address at ISB and was genuinely looking forward to it. I was left underwhelmed and I couldn’t put my finger on why. When I mentioned it to a friend of mine the word sincerity came up and I felt that was the word I was looking for.
The reason you probably gave the perception of being insincere, maybe because of your awesome vocabulary and I don’t mean to be sarcastic here. You do have an awesome vocabulary and even while reading your books, I have read a few statements a couple of times before I got the meaning. When you speak, it may be helpful to speak in a language that is easy to understand. Unfortunately, the standard of English in our country and the rest of the world is not as good as it used to be. The focus on grammar and diction seems much lesser and also many words that I used in school essays seem to be not in use anymore. Choosing words that are not in regular use, makes the audience to perceive that you are out to impress them with your vocabulary than focus on the substance of your speech.
My husband and I infact had a friend, who is no more, who had this exact problem. People would clap loudly after his speech but mutter amongst themselves saying “what did he really want to say ?”.
Maybe the combination of your celebrity status and awesome vocabulary also dont help you in connecting with your audience.
Hope this helps. Again, am genuinely sorry if my blog was hurtful in anyway. Wish you a great 2015 ahead and all the very best.
Regards
Bindu Krishnan
You should not have used such words on Dr. Shashi Tharoor as those hurt the fans of Dr. Tharoor’s oratory skill which is one of the factors that attracts our love & respect towards him. His oratory skill is internationally accepted, then why can not you? Go through Dr. Shashi Tharoor’s YouTube videos and try to correct yourself. Nowadays, criticising Dr. Shashi Tharoor for cheap popularity has become one new trend. It is our humble request that don’t be a part of that.
I love this exchange. Very refreshing.
I think Shashi Tharoor is beginning to reinvent himself in the absence of his benefactors. The metamorphosis is perhaps the cause for changes in the forcefulness in his inflections. Tonal quality of voice directly relates to your personal perception of your place in the world.
Then again it could be over-rehearsed content and extreme dependence on data and details causing Dr. Tharoor to lose his connection with the audience.
There seems to be so many people here defending Mr. Tharoor -and I believe for good reason. However, I was more pricked by your comments on MSD. I see the timing of his quitting in a completely different way and I think it reflects his sincerity than the lack of it. We all will have to wait several years before MSD writes a book to understand what prompted his decision. I don’t think he would have planned to quit in the middle of a tour.As with every test match, I watched this one also closely and like many others, was disappointed with the way we conducted ourselves in the field. It was bad enough to see the talk going on and some of our players spoiling for a fight- but Virat’s presence within the batting crease as Haddin was taking guard was shocking. I don’t think this kind of behavior was encouraged by MSD, but I dont think he had enough control over this popular player -seen as the future of Indian cricket. I think a captain who couldn’t / didn’t have control over this player to prevent such behavior had no right to remain as captain. And I think MSD must have felt the same way as well. He has worked with and captained phenomenal players like Sachin, Rahul, Anil, Saurav and didn’t ever have a problem handling them as they were statesmen themselves who always put India first. But I don’t think he could rein in Virat and this was probably a situation he wasn’t comfortable with.
In my mind, that is what prompted his decision to hang up his white boots. I think he took a very sincere decision with the future of team India in mind -because he has ensured that there is someone backing up for each of his roles in the team.
1) Captain: The next test series is several months away and his quitting now gives the new captain the experience of leading the team in an away test. The mindset with which Virat will lead the team in this test will be very different from the first test- where he was just filling in for MSD. The full burden of the responsibility for the team will be on him now and it will be a good experience that will help him in future.
2) Wicketkeeper: MSD’s absence gives Wridhiman Saha yet another opportunity for establishing himself as the test wicket keeper for the country. He should use it well so that he does not have to compete with the other keepers to remain in the squad. We don’t want to go back to those ages when we had to ask Dravid to keep wickets because we didn’t have a wicketkeeper who’d walk into the side. Again, this is in the interest of Team India.
3) Reserve wicketkeeper: In the eventuality that Saha gets injured, we need a reserve keeper. And by not coming back to India and staying on with the team, MSD gives the team the reserve keeper option as well.
Ms. Krishnan, if MSD has empowered players in the team to take over each one of his roles and seems to be thinking of the long term sustainability of the Indian team, why would you feel he is not sincere?
I think with MS Dhoni as well as Shashi Tharoor, what you don’t get is rhetoric, but actions that speak.
Actually tharoor,I don’t think you are wholly sincere,the way it comes across from your tweets. The reason i have is different from the one the poster bindu krishnan has of your grammar/diction overshadowing the content.
The fact is the content is not well thought out enough to truly appreciate & confront,then differ,what your opponent or different viewpoint on whatever it is that you say.
Since you try to correct diction/whatever,it is only natural to expect your content to be correct & encompass & put forth genuinely thoughtful views,but in the latter you often seem to be mediocre & fall short,your intentions notwithstanding.
Of course its all ok so long as you have fun living the way you want to but this is something you may be able to work upon
How young am I !!! I always baffled-quiet deliberately my comments and everything because I never wanted to be seen inclined. But this time I concede, I must say something. I have been thinking, figures like you might be using proxies to make comments. And speeches –they are well scripted monologues. Anyway it was a reasonable doubt because how you get time? Now from your words I get the sense that my benchmarking tools are not well seasoned. But for instance what people consider more sincere or even,’sincere’? I personally hold a conviction that people compare one’s words with actions and stands. Hence they assess a person’s sincerity. But what you doubted is also true that the audience really have found a halting, stumbling, nervous, tongue-tied presentation better because it is seemingly “more sincere” .Now that it’s a tool. We often hear such speeches.
lol…an excellent response Dr. Tharoor
Curious. So are you suggesting that the standing ovation I got for that speech was itself insincere?
Dr. Tharoor,
Why do you try to rationalize and explain the ” insincerity” you seem to communicate by belittling the audience ( your flow ,and language that is seemingly highbrow….etc. ) . Why don’t you take the feedback given by Bindu, and itrospect with humility.
I have heard you speak many times- first when you were a kid coming to the Sping festival at IIT, KGP with Ramu Damodharan. You were outstanding ..and I ( was in my fourth year then) remember telling someone that this guy will go places; and you have! You are an incredibly good speaker.
I also often find your speaking to be “insincere”. And that is not because I am overwhelmed by your vocabulary or your diction or your looks. Sincerity comes when you speak what you truly believe. For instance, when you made that ” cattle class ” comment – you were brilliant and sincere. But, unfortunately sincerity doesn’t always win you friends. But to hell with such ” friends”, Shashi…
I think you must always speak your mind ( god has gifted you a great mind!) it will finally get you the admiration of people. For example, I have always found that Chetan Bhagat, always comes through as being totally sincere. He is not as eloquent as you or as suave, but he come through as sincere.
You are gifted- you can think analytically, you can speak very well, you can do research . Don’t try to be “proper”- be yourself- no one will call you insincere then.
Cheers,
Venu
No Dr. Tharoor, I think the applause was spontaneous and genuine and so is my feedback. Both are correct. People enjoyed your style, diction etc but didn’t have any concrete takeaways. Didn’t feel the connect with your message. It’s feedback from me and a few others who expressed similar feedback during our conversation post the address. No sweat, it’s great of you to write and ask why is it that I had the perception I did. Hope my comments clarify why I carried the perception. Wish you the very best !!
I don’t you how Bindu Krishna finds Modi’s oratory sincere. I guess it’s a matter of individual perception. To me he looks as though he is saying things for the effect and it is more of pretence and a kind of acting skill that he has mastered over time. There are lots of half truths also he speaks, but who cares. Dr. Tharoor on the other hand is a welll read and learned man, I am sure he does his research before speaking on any subject. Agree, he may not have mass appeal like Modi as his he does not speak in the hindi – the language of the masses – neither is he a good actor like Modi, but Dr. Tharoor is definitely sincere in whatever he says and does. That’s my view!
Amazing reply Mr Tharoor..I totally enjoyed reading the blog…Sincerely…
As a member of parliament of our constituency(Trivandrum) i always felt Dr. Shasi Tharoor is a sincere person. As rightly pointed out, you may be feeling that he is at distant person on account of his status and personal capabilities, But, insincere is a false allegation.
The critic didnt quite seem to like the spotlight back on her:-)
It could be my assumption. But I feel one reason if Mr Modi manages to engage the common people of this nation is because his words, sentiments and ideologies border somewhere between the words passion, fanaticism and fundamentalism.And nothing scorches the imagination and loyalty of a group of people whose sense of identity lies on religious/ethnic/cultural superiority and self righteousness. History has produced many such leaders who have been ‘sincere’ in their clarity of ideologies. Adolf Hitler, in his time, also could engage his people with his ‘sincerity’. When it comes to dictators and hard lined ideologists, one thing we can never accuse them of is insincerity.(So Bindu Krishna is right there with her observation.) India with 80% Hindu population always has potential for feeding on divisive ideologies because that gives the people as sense of belonging, superiority and status quo. It is human nature- people like to be fanatical about something in their life, be it religion, football, region,language,stardom,nation, anything.. And that’s what passionate dictators, semi dictators and hard liners in any form and time-space provide them with. But I feel what a democracy needs in 21st century are tolerant, sensible, unbiased, educated leaders who can lead by sharing knowledge and acting and not misled leaders who lead by creating a frenzy and by misleading his people.“Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it.” ― Leo Tolstoy.The worry is then, is democracy an Utopian idea, just like communism!?
Dear Shashi Tharoor,
Your knowledge is so vast as you have operated in a Global environment & your vocabulary and expertise in the English language is truly extraordinary.Nobody should doubt your sincerity as we have seen you enough in various forums and occassions.What is required is a “connect” with the audience whose knowledge of English language is pathetic.Remember that the British left India in 1947 & with their ouster,the language of English in India is becoming poorer by the day.Talk to guys in Singapore & Malayasia – they speak English better than us as they know its importance as a Global language;easily identifiable to connect with the world.So if English has to be taught & learnt ,it should be done the correct way.
The tendency of equating effortlessness and ease with insincerity seems to be an obvious consequence of our growing cynicism in every walk of life. Our faculties are increasingly trained to examine ‘something that is lacking there’ in everything. The media and the new-hour screams may have a substantial role in the creation of this general sceptic mind.
On ‘jumping to conclusions’ Bindu Krishna says on Dec/22 :-
“A favorite quote of mine is “when you jump to conclusions, you leap over facts”. It’s not a quote that I apply very much in my life, but would like to. So I remind myself of it every time I leap over facts :):):):). Two instances happened in the last two days.”
May be we can call this is the third instance.
Nice try :):):):) but this isn’t a conclusion I have drawn. And there is data – the speech that Dr. Tharoor gave and I was in the audience. I walked away with the perception of insincerity – not a conclusion.
Nice one !! 🙂 🙂 🙂 I can almost see the third jump to confusions!!
(Whether I agree or not, I like your writing, Ms. Krishnan)
India is on the cross roads now. Fluency is deemed insincere. Broken language is seen as engaging. A look through the corner of the eye suggests dubiousness. Being religiously minded means he or she is prejudiced.
If someone retires today, well, it should have been either earlier or later… definitely not now. If not retired yet, then, its too late and insensitive.
Usage of good English is seen as being arrogant, even aristocratic. Talk to a non-Hindi speaker in Hindi, and that’s being patriotic (Seriously, i don’t understand half of what our PM says, but i do know the Hindi literary quality is very good, and that he is serious about what he says).
That said, Dr Tharoor’s speeches have seldom NOT struck a relevant chord.
Increasingly, blogs and social media at large have contributed a lot of ‘writers’, ‘thinkers’ and ‘poets’. From that platform comes, immature, irrelevant and at times insensible ‘observations’, ‘commentaries’ and even ‘advises’. 24-hour news channels, starved of quality news, place them on television screens and promote these ‘little’ notes and they become opinion influencers to society.
This skepticism is sure to destroy our country, the way we think and importantly, the way we act. If we don’t understand good English anymore, blame it on those who learnt it well, and use it.
If players on the cricket/football fields don’t convince us of their sincerity, well, try playing the game for one inning, or one half.
Blanket allegations are not the way forward as we aspire to move forward in 2015 and the years ahead. It helps none. Not even the one who raises the allegation.
I thoroughly enjoy listening to Dr.Tharoor speak and insincere is the last word that comes to mind!
Modi plays to the masses, that hardly makes him sincere.
Well said.
To many who suffer from an innate inferiority complex, Shashi Tharoor is a good target. Fluency in language, capability to deliver views and thoughts confidently and an amiable disposition even in crisis, these and other attributes set Mr Tharoor apart, away from the cattle class. Critics may look at him more closely at every opportunity.Please do not change Mr Tharoor. You do not have to change to anything else to appease your constituency!
You are very popular among some of us because you introduce some freshness in politics. You call a spade a spade; you admire contribution to society even when it comes from an adversary Please continue to be who you are, Mr Tharoor
As opposed to PM Modi’s theatrics, Dr. Tharoor’s views are clearly that of a learned mind. However, the contradiction between the level of intellect that Dr. Tharoor (and many of his colleagues in the INC) possess and the allegiance to the family within their party is irreconcilable. While this contradiction has nothing to do with whether the party is doing well or not, but the failings of the partymen and their leadership is magnified manifold at this time of crisis. Finally, the way party politics works in India and the thin skin of the holy cows makes one doubt the sincerity of anything expressed on this subject.
I heard Dr. Tharoor once, at a literary festival. When introduced as an accomplished politician he responded by saying–‘of sorts’ Nothing extraordinarily eloquent about it except that I found it the most sincere thing for a politician of his status to say about his political achievements. While chest beating leaders are hailed as the next big leader here is a man who knows in Indian politics he will always perhaps be an under-achiever because people in our country are not looking for peace and prosperity but chaos and competition which diplomats like Dr. Tharoor perhaps do not root for.
Mr. Tharoor ,
Amusing indeed are the comments!
To be honest I too have felt an element of insincerity in your adventure as a MP.I just could not relate why a successful career diplomat who spent more than 3 decades in the international lime light and almost made it to the Secretaryship at the UN volunteer to descend upon Thiruvananthapuram in a new avtar of MP of a party that survives on the charisma of a withering dynasty which thrives on sycophancy and shenanigans. Certainly the class ,the education and sensibility of the political class you rub your shoulder with is moronic. Besides by your venture you were also inviting antagonism of a political class that has chosen politics as means of livelihood.
Just couldn’t comprehend.
To add to the misgivings the controversy such as the Sweat Equity did not help.
The gauche and imbecility besides the moronic poltical culture here is not favouring you.Why then this man come here to rough it out while he could have savoured the exotic spirit from Bordeaux
and teed off in the green expanse of European or Hawain golf courses besides earning fat sums on lecture tours. If not why no demand of a minister ship in the MEA through the Rajya Sabha from the party that brought you here and with the vast experience of a career diplomat ?
After all the controversies certainly a round peg in a abysmal square hole.
Hear! Hear! I too feel that Dr. Tharoor’ continued association with a blind disconnected organization that his party has unfortunately degenerated into does tend to contribute to this perceived sense of insincerity.
Like me, it probably amazes some on how someone with the good doctor’s level of intelligence genuflects to a leadership with an IQ less than what maybe available in his little toe!?
You praised Mr.Modi sometime back then went into a recant because it wasn’t seen as the right thing to do? Couldn’t a debate on a sense of bipartisanship been sparked? Would that have shown authenticity? I think so.
I too agree with most of the responders here that people who don’t have the brains to appreciate shashi tharoor will always be the ones who will spend sleepless nights trying to bash him and then hope to ride on his ‘insincere’ cottails as a publicity stunt. good job. these people find nothing wrong with the ridiculous lot of Kerala politicians; yet shashi tharoor is insincere! wow! go figure that out.
When I was just a school kid, I emailed Dr. Tharoor and congratulated him on his nomination for the Secretary General. To my absolute surprise, he replied and thanked me, a little boy who had nothing to offer him. Years later, I saw him speak at my wife’s medical school graduation and was amazed at his ideas and convictions on the youth of his country. To this day, I have followed his work and continue to be amazed at his boldness and sincerity. While I respect the author’s perceptions, I think her comparison of Dr. Tharoor with Mr. Modi speaks volumes of her flawed ideas. As a keen observer of Mr. Modi, I cannot stretch my imagination far enough to equate him with sincerity or honesty.
Ms. Bindu it seems you belong to the cult of Dan Brown intellectuals (You know what I’m referring to). Your responses to Mr. Tharoor smack of the very insincerity who were talking about.
You are a genuine and intense orator.You speak with conviction
I’m really shocked at your criticism of Shashi Tharoor.He is an extremely good speaker and as for substance he doesn’t lack it in the least.It is the leader you seem so biased in favor of who lacks substance and sorry to say I switch channels when he starts to speak as there is nothing that I am going to miss! All he does is yell and if that in your opinion is an oratory skill kudos to you.
Your life Sucks !
Mrs Bindu Krishnan,
I understand that the talk was given by Dr Tharoor at ISB. Isn’t it expected of students from ISB to have a good command over English language? In that case, is it fair to tag Dr Tharoor as insincere, just because he has impeccable grammar and rich vocabulary? Moreover, I feel, if certain words which Dr Tharoor use, are not clear to you, then why don’t you take that as an opportunity and enrich your vocabulary? Of course, your smart phone will be having a dictionary app.
Most importantly, if vocabulary and grammar are the parameters which you use, to measure a speaker’s sincerity, then I am sure that all British, American and most of the European public figures and scientists, will appear insincere to you.Period.
Bindu, are you saying that one is punished for being eloquent ? I would have agreed to at least a part of what you are suggesting in this post if you had not made that comparison with Modi. You lost it the moment you say that Modi is sincere – or perhaps, what you meant was Modi engages his audience when he speaks. These are two different things and ‘sincereity’ is not the word you are looking for. Await your new post.
This aam admi would watch a Tharoor video, listen to a @shashitharoor speech when he felt a little low; low on motivation etc. There has never been a problem understanding his English. He has a knack of conveying ideas through humour! @aamadmy
Criticising famous people ,\is the cheapest way to get “noticed”.
In practical life also, we see the auditors getting all the bouquets, while the business owners who do the work, get , rated , branded vilified, inspite of their being the providers , the employers .etc.
In Indian Political skin, the first requirement, we have seen is the need to have a thick skin, which Shashi Tharoor has shown that he does not posess.
In spite of this shortage, that Shashi tharoor has survived in the Indian political scene, and as of date remains the only Congress Politician of note , who still is respected by the educated Indians,
Instead of being a self appointed critic of Shashi Tharoor, and trying to use the image of of Shashi Tharoor, to gain immediate acclaim; it will do India good, if Ms. Bindu, did think out a good welfare program, or used her pen and thoughts to gather people to atleast contribute to; build a toilet in lacking areas in India or to encourage education of the girl child.
However , such acts probably will not be noticed and so will be a waste for arm chair intellectuals seeking quick fame.
Iam no sycophant of Shashi tharoor or Narendra Modi, who by the way, is good to speak to the gallery , like Mark Anthony, but is yet to perform.
However I do appreciate Shashi Tharoor,who inspite of his many failings, do try to make a difference,
One opinion of Tharoor I have is that he tries to intentionally uses complicated words to describe his views.He tries to make simple things complicated, sometimes complicated things simple,either ways there is a loss and hence he is insincere.His attitude,views,actions,associations all herald his support for a class based society and certainly not egalitarian.
Hi Bindu,
I would like to narrate a small incident how Dr.Shashi gets connected to even children below 15. My son was studying in 10th standard. He was selected for a debate competition. The day before the competition the teacher of his evaluated him and told him he was not good enough to take part in the competition. He came home totally demoralised and was not willing to participate in the next day. After much persuasion,he agreed for my suggestion to watch Dr.Shashi Tharoor on tedtalk. He was very much impressed and motivated.To sum it up, he won the much coveted 1st prize in the said competition.
If don’t know whether it is Dr.Tharoor’s connect coupled with sincerity to the audience has rejunevated my son’s morale.I thought if I don’t narrate this I’ll be ungrateful to Dr.Tharoor whom I’ve never met. Regards, George Roy
Quite unfortunate that we ask others to lower their standards than raise our own.
We cry day and night about how most of our politicians lack the quality we expects but when someone rises up to the standards, we brand them as an outsider or insincere. It’s as if we have fallen in love with mediocrity!
Ms.Bindhu seem to last her way:) you can’t simply take potshots on a living legend like this. I don’t see modi anywhere near to the excellence Dr.Tharoor holds himself. The comparison you made sum up the whole quality of your viewpoints!
Ms.Bindu, Insincere is too harsh a word to be used on anyone be it MSD or Dr Tharoor, you may use it in your conversations with friends but to use it in public like you have done, is in very bad taste, the bitter taste in the mouth refuses to go!At least you should have weighed the pros and cons carefully before posting it. Coming to Dr Tharoor, I do not think the word insincere, is even in his dictionary! The hurt you caused him is palpable in his reply! You might as well have driven a dagger into his throat and he might have felt less pain than when you accused him of being insincere.Anyway you have given him an unforgettable New Year gift, and that sure is a Feather- albeit dishonourable, to your cap. And I am waiting for MSD’s response when he comes to know of this. You better wear a cricketers helmet in anticipation!
Ms. Bindu, I appreciate your sincerity in voicing you opinion, Dr. Tharoor, you continue to amaze me by the way you took the criticism. Good points noted and taken…whether MSD and Tharoor are sincere or not, time would tell. Ms. Bindu, continue to let your thoughts flow without obstructions…..if you can, try the Tharoor way…..
Dr. Tharoor, don’t lower your standards or vocabulary – help us rise higher. Only politicians like you can help us get out of the mediocre rut we find ourselves in now…