Surely we're past the point of no return for the illustrious Mr. Tharoor with this latest imbroglio? There is a new brood on the Indian political scene (some even sons of seasoned thugs), wearing some very old mantles ... corruption and intrigue ... his latest inamorata (very unbecomingly labeled as coming from a 'humble background' simply because papa is a retired mid-level army officer) gets a share (70 crores) in a newly formed cricket team ... nononono she declared, she's getting sweat equity (causing the unflappable Junior Minister to break out in a sweat I wonder?) for her own untiring efforts at marketing ... her paramour not even peripherally involved?! Really?!! If nothing else, looks like Mr. Tharoor has a penchant for such tactics. I've 'read' it said that while on his way to stratospheric heights at the UN, he moved the future wife #2 into an adjacent office (he unfortunately, did not make it into the rarified atmosphere in NY, so moved his enormously gifted self to the land of his forbears who did speak his native, native tongue)!
From among the 'new' I like the Brit. habit of ministers resigning at the very mention of controversy. Methinks this is a good custom to adopt ... Shashi has had his last hurrah and should voluntarily exit the public stage ... to live happily ever after being bowled over by wife #3's charms. He can also get all those eyebrow plucking sessions (yes, I just read that too) free of charge at her spa.
So, a not so great or novel an end of an Indian [1] ... his being history is already old news (I'm too late; even his Wikipedia page has been updated ) ... but not as old as our expectations of people in such public view ... that of integrity and the ability to rise above being the scum de la scum ... more's the pity ... one would have thought that the good Dr. Tharoor would have understood something of 'Law and Diplomacy' for which he was awarded a PhD from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.
[1] Just me playing around with the title of his early work 'The Great Indian Novel' (a satire on the Mahabhaarat)
Mr And Mrs Parshuram
