“ Politicians in democracies the world over have warmed to Twitter, the microblogging service, and other social media tools, like Facebook, to connect with voters. Many members of the United States Congress use it, as does Australia’s prime minister, Kevin Rudd. But in India, the world’s largest and most boisterous democracy, it has not caught on with elected officials. Indeed, many of India’s power elite, whether in politics, the news media or business, seem to look askance at Mr. Tharoor’s enthusiasm for a medium that collapses the distance between the governors and the governed and dismantles the layers of protocol and decorum that keep elected officials and senior bureaucrats here aloof from the everyday concerns of those they serve. Most of India’s political elite seem to have no idea what Twitter is. Many senior bureaucrats see it as a waste of time. Asked if he would consider using Twitter, India’s home secretary, G. K. Pillai, pursed his lips disapprovingly and said, “I haven’t got the time.
January 6, 2010
