Double blunder: Shashi Tharoor misquotes Ghalib on wrong birthday, gets schooled by Javed Akhtar

Quick to notice Tharoor's gaffe, Akhtar tweeted, "Shashi Ji, whoever has given you these lines should never be trusted again. It is obvious that someone had planted these lines in your repertoire to sabotage your literary credibility."

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Moreover, Akhtar also responded to many others who had shared Mirza Ghalib’s lines and were informed that they too were not by the poet.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who often impresses his followers with his impeccable English, seems to have found himself in an embarrassing situation after committing a double blunder. Besides wrongly quoting Mirza Ghalib, Tharoor also wished the famous Urdu poet on an incorrect birth date. Taking to Twitter, Tharoor posted a few lines, which he thought were written by Ghalib, wishing him on his 220th birthday.

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However, Mirza Ghalib’s birthday falls on December 27 and after the 63-year-old politician realised the gaffe, he was quick to rectify it. However, little did Tharoor know that not only was the birthdate wrong, but also the lines shared by him belonged to another poet. This time, noted lyricist Javed Akhtar came to his rescue.

ख़ुदा की मोहब्बत को फ़ना कौन करेगा?
सभी बन्दे नेक हों तो गुनाह कौन करेगा?
ऐ ख़ुदा मेरे दोस्तों को सलामत रखना
वरना मेरी सलामती की दुआ कौन करेगा
और रखना मेरे दुश्मनों को भी महफूज़
वरना मेरी तेरे पास आने की दुआ कौन करेगा…!!!
Mirza Ghalib’s 220th birthday. So many great lines….

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 20, 2019

Ghalib is an all-time favourite, but today is not his birthday. I was misinformed. Relish the lines anyway!

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 20, 2019

Quick to notice Tharoor’s gaffe, Akhtar tweeted, “Shashi Ji, whoever has given you these lines should never be trusted again. It is obvious that someone had planted these lines in your repertoire to sabotage your literary credibility.”

Shashi ji , whoever has given you these lines should never be trusted again. It is obvious that someone had planted these lines in your repertoire to sabotage you literary credibility .

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) July 20, 2019

Moreover, Akhtar also responded to many others who had shared Mirza Ghalib’s lines and were informed that they too were not by the poet.

This too is not Ghalib .

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) July 20, 2019

Zaid saheb please have some mercy on poor Ghalib and leave him alone .

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) July 20, 2019

Kuch bi attribute kar detey bechare Ghalib sahib ku .

— Anjum Ara baig (@Anjumara5) July 21, 2019

How can you remember soo much about him sir ? It needs so much readings 😭

— Tammy (@Tami99) July 21, 2019

Mistakes from you two in your respective languages is a rare occasion,

— wajeeha umaid khan (@wajihaumaidkhan) July 21, 2019

Wow! You’re on a roll… Tweeting lines that are not Ghalib’s on a day that’s not Ghalib’s birthday…

— Aayush Shastri 🇮🇳 (@aayush_shastri) July 21, 2019