New Delhi: Twitter mourned the loss of legendary Urdu poet Rahat Indori who died from a heart attack Tuesday. Indori was being treated for Covid-19. But it also welcomed the candidature of Kamala Harris as US Vice President on the Joe Biden ticket.
BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain remembered the “fearless” voice of the acclaimed poet.
राहत इंदौरी साहब के इंतक़ाल की ख़बर सुनकर गहरा दुख हुआ। वो आज के दौर के सबसे बड़े शायर थे , बेवाक तरीके से अपनी बात रखते थे। दुआ करता हु की ख़ुदा उनके परिवार और चाहने वालों को इस दुख को सहने की ताकत दे। #RahatIndori
— Syed Shahnawaz Hussain (@ShahnawazBJP) August 11, 2020
Here’s a tribute from one poet to another.
#RahatIndori Ek bebak shayar khamosh ho gaya…Heartfelt condolences for Rahat ji’s sad demise . A Poet with a unique voice and a signature style . Will be missed. In his words Ek hi nadi ke hain yeh do kinare doston,
Dostana zindagi se maut se yaari rakho..— Prasoon Joshi (@prasoonjoshi_) August 11, 2020
Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala also bid farewell to Indori, in the poet’s own words.
“आँख में पानी रखो, होंटों पे चिंगारी रखो,
ज़िंदा रहना है तो तरकीबें बहुत सारी रखो।”अलविदा श्री राहत इंदौरी।
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) August 11, 2020
Actor Jaaved Jaaferi shared some iconic lines of the ‘shayar’.
“Afwaah thi ki meri tabiyat kharaab hai
Logon ne pooch pooch ke beemaar kar diya.
Do gaz sahi magar ye meri milkiyat toh hai
Ay maut, tune mujhko zamindaar kar diya.”
Waah #RahatIndori sahab #RIP— Jaaved Jaaferi (@jaavedjaaferi) August 11, 2020
Cartoonist Satish Acharya too paid tribute in the best way a cartoonist can…
Alvida Rahat Sahab! #RahatIndori #rahatindorisahab pic.twitter.com/oqQ8UNtxy5
— Satish Acharya (@satishacharya) August 11, 2020
Elsewhere politicians celebrated Krishna Janmashtami. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman welcomed Krishna home.
Janmashtami greetings. Welcomed Him home, and offered all things dear to Him. Jai Shree Krishna. pic.twitter.com/zAOqXpiWTu
— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) August 11, 2020
While Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shared an important lesson about “truth” on Janmashtami.
भगवान श्रीकृष्ण ने कहा है- जहाँ सत्य व धर्म हैं, वहीं ईश्वर है।
असत्य व अधर्म का विनाश करने वाले भगवान श्रीकृष्ण के जन्मोत्सव की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएँ।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 12, 2020
Congress spokesperson Sharmistha Mukherjee lovingly recalls the Bharat Ratna bestowed on her fahter former president Pranab Mukherjee who is now battling for life in hospital.
Last year 8August was 1 of d happiest day 4 me as my dad received Bharat Ratna.Exactly a year later on 10Aug he fell critically ill. May God do whatever is best 4 him & give me strength 2 accept both joys & sorrows of life with equanimity. I sincerely thank all 4 their concerns?
— Sharmistha Mukherjee (@Sharmistha_GK) August 12, 2020
Actor Sanjay Dutt is not well either – here’s his announcement.
— Sanjay Dutt (@duttsanjay) August 11, 2020
Academic Shahid Siddiqui and S. Irfan Habib provide lessons for those rioting in the name of Prophet Muhammad. This follows communal violence in Bengaluru Tuesday.
These self proclaimed defenders of the Prophet insult him by their conduct. https://t.co/J2xDVDnMMj
— S lrfan Habib (@irfhabib) August 12, 2020
It was a big day in US politics as Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden announced Indian-origin senator Kamala Harris as his running mate.
Let’s go win this, @KamalaHarris. pic.twitter.com/O2EYo6rYyk
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 12, 2020
Senator Harris is already on the job of being a good running mate.
.@JoeBiden can unify the American people because he's spent his life fighting for us. And as president, he'll build an America that lives up to our ideals.
I'm honored to join him as our party's nominee for Vice President, and do what it takes to make him our Commander-in-Chief.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 11, 2020
Former Democrat presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were in full support of Biden’s choice.
This is a terrific choice! @KamalaHarris will be a great partner and she and @JoeBiden make a strong team.
— Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) August 11, 2020
I’ve known Senator @KamalaHarris for a long time. She is more than prepared for the job. She’s spent her career defending our Constitution and fighting for folks who need a fair shake. This is a good day for our country. Now let’s go win this thing. pic.twitter.com/duJhFhWp6g
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 11, 2020
Americans of Indian descent were elated by Harris’ nomination.
Oh, and I am PROUD that Kamala Harris has chosen to embrace her identity as the daughter of immigrants, and of Jamaican-Indian parents. It makes me feel as if I (finally) belong in this country. My 2 daughters embrace their Indian-Chinese-Scottish-Irish identity.. THEY ARE PROUD.
— Siddhartha Mukherjee (@DrSidMukherjee) August 12, 2020
Congress leader Milind Deora used the Biden-Harris ticket to highlight intra-party dissent. Are Indian politicians taking note?
A little over a year ago, @KamalaHarris was challenging @JoeBiden’s record on race. As of yesterday, she’s his running mate.
Parties & nations that are democratic, that nurture & provide space for dissent, have a better shot at winning pic.twitter.com/B2Tugj9WLH
— Milind Deora मिलिंद देवरा (@milinddeora) August 12, 2020
Former Rajya Sabha MP Majeed Memon has a weird take on the coverage of Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.
Sushant was not as famous during his lifetime as he is after his death. The space in media he is occupying nowadays is perhaps more than our PM or President of US !
— Majeed Memon (@advmajeedmemon) August 12, 2020
With inputs from Shubhangi Misra