Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday clarified his use of the word “drama” while describing the devastating flash floods in Nepal, saying he had intended the term to refer to a situation involving intensely clashing forces rather than something theatrical. Tharoor said he regretted choosing a word that could be easily misunderstood, after his earlier social media post drew criticism for appearing insensitive to the disaster. Tharoor was responding to the backlash over a post on X in which he described the events in Nepal as “drama that had taken place in the hills”. The remark triggered criticism on social media, with several users questioning his choice of words and accusing him of being insensitive while referring to a disaster that has caused widespread destruction and loss of life.

Clarifying his position on Friday, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said the word “drama” has more than one meaning. “For all those fulminating in outrage about my use of the word 'drama' in my first tweet from Nepal, the word does not only mean something theatrical,” Tharoor wrote on X. He explained that another definition refers to “a state, situation or series of events involving intensely clashing forces”. Tharoor said that was the meaning he intended when he used the word in his original post. However, he acknowledged that the choice of wording could have led readers to interpret his remarks differently. “That's the sense in which I intended it. But I do regret the choice of a word that could be so easily misinterpreted,” he said.

His clarification came a day after his original post generated a strong reaction online. In the Thursday post, Tharoor had said he travelled to Kathmandu without being aware of the “drama” that had taken place in the hills and caused catastrophic damage. His reference to the disaster was subsequently criticised, with one social media user describing it as a poor choice of words given Tharoor's reputation for having an extensive vocabulary. In the same post, Tharoor had expressed concern over the devastation caused by the flash floods in Nepal. He said a severe and sudden flash flood had struck northern Nepal's Rasuwa district near the Tibet border, causing extensive destruction along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers.

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Tharoor also referred to possible explanations for the disaster, saying experts had suggested that global warming and/or an earthquake in Tibet may have caused a large section of a glacier to break away and fall into the valley. The resulting event, combined with the mountainous terrain and powerful water flows, caused severe destruction in the affected region. The Nepal disaster has prompted major rescue and relief efforts, with communities along affected rivers facing extensive damage. The scale of the devastation has also generated international attention, while authorities continue efforts to locate missing people, recover victims and assist those displaced by the floods and landslides.

Tharoor's clarification seeks to separate his intended meaning from the interpretation that emerged online. Rather than referring to the disaster as a theatrical performance, he said he had used “drama” in the broader sense of a complex and intense series of events. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the word was inappropriate in the circumstances because of its potential to be misunderstood. The episode highlights the sensitivity surrounding public commentary on disasters, particularly when descriptions are made on social media where individual words can quickly become the focus of wider debate.

Tharoor's decision to explain the intended meaning while expressing regret over the wording comes as criticism over his original post continues to circulate. By acknowledging the ambiguity, Tharoor has sought to address the controversy without withdrawing his broader concern over the devastation in Nepal. His clarification reiterates that his reference was intended to describe the intense events surrounding the disaster, while his expression of regret recognises that the wording did not convey that meaning clearly to many readers.

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