If Rudyard Kipling was alive in the era of Twitter, he surely would’ve updated his iconic line and written: "Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet, until they run into each on other on Twitter.”
It’s an apt phrase for our times, where all elements of our political spectrum end up clashing on Twitter.
On Saturday, Bangalore South’s young MP Tejasvi Surya appeared to be enjoying a day out in the sun as he inaugurated a cricket tournament and wrote: “The best thing about inaugurating cricket tournaments is you get to bat or ball for a few minutes. The only time I am getting to play a sport these days. At the VET Grounds, JP Nagar this morning.”
This led to a biting remark from comedian Kunal Kamra who questioned the bowler’s intent and ability, writing: “This bowler is bowling to you exactly how ‘journalists’ ask questions to BJP leaders...”
Kamra’s comment was an extension of the belief that certain sections of the media give BJP leaders an easy time compared to members of the Opposition.
This led to a stinging remark from Surya who wrote: “Haha. Come on, Kunal. The bowler here was a 'Left' arm spinner. And we are particularly good against their spin ;)”
Surya’s remark, meanwhile, was the oft-held belief among BJP members and supporters who think a chunk of the mainstream media – with left-leaning journalists – are unnaturally hostile to the BJP and particularly Narendra Modi.
Whatever the outcome, we must say it’s nice to see people from different ends of the spectrum interact in a civil manner without resorting to abuses that has become the norm in our country’s fractured discourse these days.
