Shashi Tharoor Uses Urdu Poetry to Target PM Modi Over Paper Leak Issue

When senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor went on social media to respond to the government’s latest actions on exam security, he didn’t just issue a routine political press release. Instead, he turned to poetry, quoting a famous couplet by the late Pakistani Urdu poet, Munir Niazi. "Hamesha der kar deta hoon main har kaam karne mein..."—always late in doing everything that needs to be done.

It was a sharp, biting critique that echoed a sentiment that millions of students and families across the country have been feeling for months. The atmosphere around competitive examinations like NEET has been filled with anxiety, frustration and a sense of betrayal for a long time now. A delayed response doesn’t feel like a solution when paper leaks and systemic flaws shatter the dreams of lakhs of young people who spend years burning the midnight oil. It feels like an afterthought.

The Price of Doing Nothing

Tharoor’s poetic dig points to a frustrating disconnect between reality on the ground and the pace of politics. The administration has lately come out with an action plan promising swift justice and fast-track courts to curb malpractice. The general reaction from the opposition, and the student community in general, has been a weary sort of scepticism. The main argument is simple: why did it take mounting public outrage, mass protests and prolonged disruption for these measures to finally come about?

deep crisis of confidence

This is not just politics, not just the language of parties battling it out; it's a deep crisis of trust. Education and competitive exams are the great equalisers, providing millions of families with a ladder to a better life. When that system feels compromised, the panic it brings is deeply personal. Students are left wondering whether their hard work even matters when the integrity of the entire process is constantly called into question by recurring leaks and institutional blind spots.

Above and Beyond Reactive Promises

Tharoor tapped into the very real public weariness by portraying the government’s intervention as chronically late. Promises of future fast-track courts and tougher laws are steps in the right direction, but they don’t provide instant healing of the already broken trust. And until structural reform is seen to be proactive rather than merely reactive, poetry will continue to speak, like Niazi’s, as an uncomfortable reminder that when it comes to safeguarding the futures of our youth, to arrive late is as damaging as not to show up at all.