Shashi Tharoor, celebrated for his English oratory, just broke the internet. But, this time with his flawless French. In a high-stakes meeting in Moscow, Tharoor stunned global leaders and social media by fiercely criticizing Pakistan’s role in terrorism, all in fluent French. As the video goes viral, India is abuzz -- Is Tharoor the leader the nation needs right now? Should he consider joining the BJP? Watch as we break down why did Tharoor’s French speech made headlines, what are people saying about his leadership potential and Should he switch to the ruling party for a bigger impact? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
00:00This is Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP from Thiruvananthpuram and the Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs.
00:20He is speaking French in Moscow.
00:23And not just any French, he is taking on Pakistan's inclusion at a Russian anti-terrorism summit right in front of Russian Liberal Democratic Party Chairman Leonid Slutsky.
00:35Tharoor laid out that Pakistan's patronage to terror groups is impossible to ignore.
00:41No wonder the video went viral.
00:43India's message was delivered with clarity, conviction and a touch of continental flair.
00:49Tharoor's French was a linguistic flex, but it was also a strategic strike, reminding everyone that sometimes the sharpest weapon in diplomacy is the truth delivered in perfect French.
01:03For many, it was a diplomatic mic drop movement.
01:07But now, many are discussing whether Tharoor is the leader India wants.
01:18Now, let's address the elephant in the room.
01:20Is Dr. Tharoor an author, politician and former international diplomat, the leader India wants as part of the government?
01:28Or is he simply in the wrong party?
01:31I mean, here is a man who can outwit diplomats in English and French.
01:36In one of his tweets in 2015, Tharoor said he knows more or less fluent English, French, Hindi, Malayalam, basic Bangla and Tamil and notions of Spanish, Italian and German.
01:50Even in English, there is a big part in English, and a big part.
01:55It's a big part of the government.
01:58It's a big part of Congress.
02:00But it's a big part of the government.
02:03It's a big part of the government.
02:04That's why we have a birthday party.
02:09I was a big part of the government.
02:11He served as a career official at the United Nations from 1978 to 2007, rising to the rank
02:24of Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information.
02:29He served as a peacekeeper, refugee worker and administrator at the highest level.
02:36Social media is a buzz, should Tharoor be in the government, some even whisper, will
02:41he join the BJP?
02:43Imagine the memes.
02:44But for now, he is still Congress's most articulate weapon, armed with vocabulary that could humble
02:51a thesaurus.
02:53In 2022, he ran for President of the All India Congress Committee, but he lost against Malikar
03:00Jun Karge, with many condemning the party of sidelining leaders of the likes of Tharoor.
03:05Some examples they gave are Sachin Pallet and Jyotir Aditya Sindhya.
03:09Of course, with Sindhya now with the ruling party.
03:12The BJP says Congress prefers its old guard and is unwilling to let young leaders rise,
03:19allegedly to prevent anyone from overshadowing the Gandhi family.
03:23We all suggested we should make a practice of this more often.
03:27Sending MPs to engage with legislators in other countries.
03:31And the Prime Minister certainly seemed to take that idea on board.
03:33It was his idea to begin with, but it was well received in other countries.
03:37Tharoor's independent views, willingness to praise the government when warranted and his
03:41global reputation have sometimes put him at odds with the Congress Party's high command.
03:46Shashi Tharoor called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a quote-unquote prime asset for India,
03:53praising his energy and global engagement.
03:56Congress President Malikar Jun Karge responded sharply, implying Tharoor prioritized Modi over
04:02the country and distancing the party from his views.
04:19Tharoor then replied with a cryptic message, writing, don't ask permission to fly.
04:24The wings are yours and the sky belongs to no one.
04:28Those who show courage will never join the BJP.
04:31It is those who do not have the courage to fight, who might be tempted to do so.
04:43And if you think this was Tharoor's first time dazzling the world in French, think again.
04:48Flashback to Paris, 2011 UNESCO Conference on Communication and Social Media in the Context of Global Change.
04:56There he was, charming the audience, giving interviews in French and proving that when it comes to global diplomacy,
05:25Tharoor is always ready with the right words in the right language.
05:29So, whether it's Moscow, Paris or Parliament, Dr. Shashi Tharoor keeps reminding us that diplomacy is an art,
05:38and sometimes a little French flair is all you need to steal the show.
05:43So, what do you think? Is Tharoor the leader India needs? Tell us in the comments below.
