While the itch to post irrelevant things in the social media might be a common man’s predilection or even passion in a medium with billions of users that seems to invite impulsive comment, a political party’s spokesperson is expected to stay well within the bounds of reason and relevance in any output that is likely to reach the public
The Congress Party has had a long history of its middle rung leaders and party spokespersons putting their foot in their mouth. Dr Shama Mohamed may have excelled in this eccentric game of shooting oneself in the foot with a wayward comment made on the Indian cricket captain that was so unnecessary that she put herself in the record books as being the one who committed an extreme faux pas by saying the wackiest thing imaginable.
What business is it of a political party spokesperson to make a public comment, on social media or otherwise, on the embonpoint of Rohit Sharma, an accomplished international cricketer, aggressive batter with tons of runs and captain who has won a couple of shiny silverware for the BCCI cupboard?
While the itch to post irrelevant things in the social media might be a common man’s predilection or even passion in a medium with billions of users that seems to invite impulsive comment, a political party’s spokesperson is expected to stay well within the bounds of reason and relevance in any output that is likely to reach the public.
What the lady might not have understood while posting — “Rohit Sharma is fat for a sportsman! Need to lose weight! And of course, the most unimpressive Captain India has ever had!” — is that cricket’s batters are not necessarily tuned-to-the-minute athletes who must look lean and mean in appearance and do the 100 metres in under 10 seconds like Usain Bolt.
What makes it even more mysterious is, given her ignorance of sport, why she felt she had to post something on these lines when the man has a captaincy record that holds up well in international cricket. Far from being apologetic for a major error of judgment, the lady was even trying to justify the senseless opinion she had stated while body-shaming a sportsperson.
The Congress Party, which has often had problems with loose cannons like Sam Pitroda and others making flippant remarks on all subjects under the sun, and has had to often disassociate itself from eccentric opinions stated or made public, must look to maintain a tight rein on members it picks for such tasks as official spokespersons. It is best the party reins her in and asks her to stay on subjects she may have knowledge of rather than seek notoriety through ignorance.
