Rahul should just smile, not speak, say twitterati

NEW DELHI - In the season of scams and Radia tapes, the latest WikiLeaks expose on the comments made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has given fresh impetus to the cynicism of Gen X who are venting their anger and sarcasm in the virtual world.

Twitter, which has become the lifeline for anyone who has a say, has been inundated with messages taking a dig at the Gandhi scion for calling radical Hindu groups a “bigger threat” than the Islamist terror groups.

While some comments border on communal lines, some heap ridicule on the Congress general secretary, a few are dipped in sarcasm, few are hilarious, but many are so nasty that they can’t be published.

“I used to love Rahul Gandhi for his dimples; he should just smile, not speak,” a status message on the Facebook profile of a young girl is doing the rounds on the internet.

“Rahul Gandhi wants us to make a movie, My name is Kumar and I am not a terrorist,” goes a clever one, capitalising on the Bollywood hit “My name is Khan…”.

In the New Delhi US embassy cables leaked by WikiLeaks, Gandhi has been quoted as telling American ambassador Timothy Roemer that “Hindu terror groups” could pose bigger threat to India than Muslim militant groups.

One Twitter message even pits Gandhi in the league of former US president George Bush: “I think George Bush has heir for being (the) butt of political jokes, welcome.”

“Rahul Gandhi should be summoned to the podium of the show ‘Rakhi kaa Insaaf’. No better solution is possible than this,” goes a double-edged comment.

“I support Rahul Gandhi. We should convince US that Hindu terrorism is bigger threat and get billions of aid,” goes another.

But some messages exude genuine sensitivity over the issue: “Terror has no colour, no religion. It is absolutely wrong on the part of s….. politicians like Rahul Gandhi.”

“Rahul Gandhi & others have been successful in diverting attention from 2G, CWG & other scams,” says another.

Until Gandhi’s “Hindu terror” remark made in August last year became public knowledge, the main villain for the Indian twitterati seemed to be Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi.

Kalmadi had attracted much derisive comment following allegations of mismanagement and corruption in the holding of the Games that were almost called off before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh intervened.