Writer and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor recently came under fire for his comments on Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his use of the word “eunuch” with reference to Kejriwal. In an interview to the TV news channel CNN News18 on January 13, Tharoor was offering his reading of Kejriwal’s response to recent developments in Delhi, be it the widespread opposition to the CAA and the NRC, or the violence faced by JNU students.

“Mr Kejriwal is really trying to have it both ways,” Tharoor had said. “He has made statements deploring the CAA and NRC saying ‘Why is it necessary? Government should withdraw it.’ But he has not taken any tangible action, he has not even shown the human compassion one expects of the Chief Minister towards victims of violence in his own state. In any other state, had students been bashed up in this way, the CM of the state would have visited them in hospital or at home or shown them some concern or gone to their campuses. Mr Kejriwal really wants power without responsibility, which we all know has been the prerogative of the eunuch for ages.”.

After outrage on social media accused the comment of being transphobic, absurd, or just uncalled for (above), Tharoor tweeted an apology (below). However, the apology he posted failed to address the reason his comments were receiving criticism, the use of the term “eunuch” in a derogatory sense.

As a result, his apology too has faced backlash online, with many saying that “Witty quotes from Yes, Prime Minister are not acceptable if they’re transphobic.” Tharoor’s apology cited Rudyard Kipling, former British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, along with Tom Stoppard, as those who have used the phrase.


As it happens, the line attributed to Rudyard Kipling actually ended with the phrase “prerogative of the harlot”. The “eunuch” variation was used by playwright Tom Stoppard and, then, Sir Humphrey Appleby, a character in the BBC sitcom Yes, Prime Minister.