Mumbai: Veteran Congress leader Shashi Tharoor may have drawn flak for his ‘Chillar’ tweet, but the lady in question – Miss World 2017 – Manushi Chhillar – isn’t upset at all.
The beauty queen, the first Indian to win the Miss World crown in 16 years, took to Twitter Monday to react to the politician’s tweet.
She posted: “A girl who has just won the World isn’t going to be upset over a tongue-in-cheek remark. ‘Chillar’ talk is just small change - let’s not forget the ‘chill’ within Chhillar @ShashiTharoor (sic).”
The Congress leader had attempted to attack the Centre over demonetisation using the surname of newly crowned Miss World but little did he know that his tweet would backfire.
"What a mistake to demonetise our currency. BJP should have realised that Indian cash dominates the globe: look, even our Chhillar has become Miss World," the Thiruvananthapuram MP wrote on micro-blogging site, apparently punning on the word 'chillar', which in Hindi means 'loose change'.
The National Commission for Women on Sunday said it will summon him over his 'derogatory' remark.
It also demanded that he should apologise for allegedly degrading the achievement of Chhillar.
"NCW India will summon Shashi Tharoor to commission on his derogatory and degrading tweet on our pride Manushi Chhillar. She got fame and name to the country by winning Miss World crown," the commission said on Twitter.
Accusing Tharoor of degrading the achievement of Chhillar, a medical student who hails from Haryana, the NCW asked whether the Congress leader will call his own daughter a "chillar".
"He must apologise immediately," it said.
Tharoor issued an apology immediately after his tweet drew flak. He tweeted: “Guess the pun IS the lowest form of humour, & the bilingual pun lower still! Apologies to the many who seem to have been righteously offended by a light-hearted tweet today. Certainly no offence was meant to a bright young girl whose answer i've separately praised. Please: Chill! (sic).”
Guess the pun IS the lowest form of humour, & the bilingual pun lower still! Apologies to the many who seem to have been righteously offended by a light-hearted tweet today. Certainly no offence was meant to a bright young girl whose answer i've separately praised. Please: Chill!
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) 19 November 2017
The 20-year-old from Haryana, who is a medical student, edged out top five contestants from England, France, Kenya and Mexico at the event, which saw participation from 118 countries.
Chhillar was presented the crown by Stephanie Del Valle, the last year's Miss World winner from Puerto Rico at an event held at a resort in the coastal city of Sanya.
The first and the second runners-up were Miss England Stephanie Hill and Miss Mexico Andrea Meza at the event.
(With PTI inputs)
