Twitter: Minister Tharoor
By Bala Shah

Popular micro blogging platform Twitter projects itself as a hub for information sharing. Twitter describes Indian ex Minister, Shashi Tharoor, as a Twitter Advocate. In Oct, 2009, Twitter banned Techgoss writer and satirist Techgirl for spoofing Shashi. Shashi’s office complained about Techgirl and within 5 minutes her satire account was offline.  On Nov 1, 2009 Twitter suspended an Indian who politely questioned Shashi Tharoor about that ban.

Despite repeated requests, Twitter refused to even acknowledge Techgirl’s emails asking why she has been banned. Was it because of a misguided sense of loyalty to an Indian politician?

As her colleague, I can tell you ignoring Techgirl is wrong and never works.  She wrote about being banned by the dynamic Twitter-Shashi Tharoor duo and soon the story was picked by American technology super blog Techdirt, Indian media watchdog Thehoot and popular blogs like Blogbharti and Jocalling.  At least 10 Twitter users picked up the story.  On Sunday, November 8, 2009 India’s most read English newspaper ‘Times of India’ interviewed Techgirl about the Twitter ban. Shashi Tharoor refused comment to Times of India.

After this barrage of publicity, Twitter contacted Techgirl and invited her back as long as she followed their guidelines for satire accounts.

Shashi Tharoor exploited the full potential of Twitter to create a strong online profile and build solid links with Indians on the net.  By last count, Shashi had 730 thousand Twitter followers of which at least 10-20 percent are spammers whose business is to follow everyone to get noticed.

If any real proof was needed that for Shashi, Twitter was only a platform to talk on his terms, it came when he clashed with IPL boss Modi and it soon became clear that Shashi may be ejected from the Ministry.  Shashi went mum on Twitter.  His last post was on April 16, when he Twittered: “Thanks for all the support &good wishes.U folks are the new India.We will "be the change" we wish to see in our country. But not w'out pain!”

Shashi handed in his resignation to the Prime Minister on Sunday, April 18, 2010.  On Tuesday, he explained his resignation to Parliament.

Shashi has not posted anything on his Twitter account for 4 days.  Do his hundreds of thousands of Twitter followers deserve at least one message even if it is one professing innocence and promising to clear his name?

Shashi’s Twitter account still describes him as a Minister of State for External Affairs.  As one of India’s Twitter celebrities, Shashi used to update Twitter as soon as he emerged from a conference and even while sitting as a chief guest of a cultural program.  How long will it take him to update his Twitter profile to say he is no longer a Minister?