Shashi Tharoor's English finally meets its match, and his Hindi comeback is pure gold

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, a man whose mastery of the English language can leave even seasoned orators fumbling for words, found himself in a rare role reversal this week when a social media user attempted to beat him at his own game.

The Thiruvananthapuram MP, known for his eloquent turns of phrase, was responding to a light-hearted jibe on X (formerly Twitter) about his penchant for using unusually complex vocabulary. The exchange unfolded after Tharoor defended India against comments made by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who had labelled the country “a bit recalcitrant” in ongoing trade negotiations.

While Tharoor’s robust defence of India drew praise from many quarters, one mischievous social media user decided to engage him in a battle of linguistic fireworks.

“That's fine Shashi,” the user began, “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?”

Tharoor’s reply was short, sharp and entirely in Hindi: “Bhai, aap kehna kya chahte ho?” (Brother, what are you trying to say?)

The playful exchange quickly went viral, delighting his followers who appreciated seeing the erudite politician momentarily trade Shakespearean flourish for street-level simplicity.

‘Better Recalcitrant Than Submissive’
Earlier, in a pointed response to Bessent’s remarks, Tharoor had written: “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.”

Bessent’s original comments came during an interview with Fox Business, where he noted:
“The big trade deals that aren't done or aren't agreed… Switzerland is still around, India has been a bit recalcitrant. US trade representative Jamieson Greer and his team of lawyers are busy papering all this over.”

Trade Tensions on the Rise
The war of words arrives against the backdrop of escalating trade friction between India and the United States. President Donald Trump recently announced sweeping tariffs totalling 50% on Indian goods, including a 25% levy on Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil, due to take effect from 27 August.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs swiftly condemned the move as “unjustified and unreasonable”, vowing to take all necessary steps to safeguard the nation’s economic security and strategic interests.

The timing is particularly sensitive, with a US delegation scheduled to arrive in India on 25 August for the sixth round of negotiations on a long-awaited bilateral trade agreement. Both sides have expressed hope of concluding the first phase of the deal by the autumn of this year.

Inputs from agencies