'Kya kehna chahte ho?': Shashi Tharoor stumped by over-the-top wordplay on X

Hindustan Times

7 hours ago

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, known for his rich vocabulary and eloquent speeches, often leaves people reaching for a dictionary. But this time, the former diplomat found himself on the receiving end of a playful, tongue-twisting reply that momentarily left him at a loss for words. Shashi Tharoor was left amused after a viral X user replied with a baffling word salad, prompting him to ask in Hindi.(PTI)
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It began when Tharoor took to X to respond to remarks made by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who had described New Delhi as 'recalcitrant'. In his trademark style, Tharoor offered a sharp yet elegantly worded defence of India's position.
"I hear some people are accusing India of being 'recalcitrant'. I say, far better to be recalcitrant than to be tractable, submissive or acquiescent to injustice," he wrote, earning admiration from many of his followers for the poised retort.
The tables turn
But the exchange took an unexpected twist when X user 'Sagarcasm', known for his satirical posts and creative humour, replied with an elaborate jumble of ornate words.
'That's fine Shashi but what about the abnegation of camaraderie in the egregious enfranchise that comes from the fatuous of the grandiloquent at the behest of impecunious and insidious semaphore?' he posted, leaving readers amused and slightly baffled.
For once, Tharoor ditched his trademark verbal finesse and opted for an uncomplicated response in Hindi: "Bhai aap kya kehna chahte ho? (Brother, what are you trying to say?)."
Check out the post here:
The unexpected simplicity of his reply sparked laughter online, and the post quickly went viral, racking up more than 700,000 views.
Users join in the fun
Social media users were quick to join the banter. One amused commenter wrote, 'Never thought I'd see Tharoor at a loss for words.' Another remarked, 'This is the linguistic equivalent of meeting your match.' A third observed, 'Sagarcasm just played Tharoor in his own game and won.' Someone else quipped, 'Tharoor switching to Hindi means the opponent has truly overcomplicated it.' Another user added, 'This is peak X culture — from recalcitrant to semaphore in one thread.' Yet another laughed, 'I feel like I need a PhD in English to even attempt reading that reply.'