'Ban Boomers On WhatsApp': Shashi Tharoor's Son Takes a Swipe, Dad Hits Back

Senior

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's son Ishaan sparked a debate on social media after calling for "boomers" to be banned from WhatsApp. The remark came in response to a post by Zoho co-founder and former CEO Sridhar Vembu, who had argued that India should consider keeping young children off social media. "I agree young kids should not be on social media at all. But India needs to ban Boomers on WhatsApp first before it does anything else," Ishaan wrote on X.

But Ishaan's father, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, was quick to turn the joke back on him. Responding to his son, Tharoor pointed out that the term "baby boomers" could, in an Indian context, apply to almost every generation.“Given our reproductive patterns, my son, unlike in the West, every generation of Indians, including yours, qualifies as [baby] Boomers!” Tharoor replied.

The father-son exchange added a humorous twist to the wider debate over social media use among children, with Tharoor effectively reminding his son that the "boomer" label may not be as simple as it sounds.

Tharoor praises Gen-Z

Tharoor on Sunday had praised Gen Z for turning their frustration over examination irregularities into action after prolonged protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) led to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.In a video, Tharoor said, “The resignation of the Education Minister is an important moment. It reminds us of something fundamental about democracy: when citizens raise their voices peacefully and persistently, governments cannot remain indifferent. Today, it's not about him. It's about a whole generation of young Indians. And Gen Z, I am so proud of you. You took your frustration and turned it into action. You took your anger and channelled it with courage, creativity, and conviction. You refused to be silenced, and you reminded the country that democracy belongs not only to those who govern, but also to those who hold governments accountable.”

Pradhan resigned on Saturday, following which the Cockroach Janta Party called off its 36-day agitation.Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced that a high-powered task force will be set up under the leadership of Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani as the next step towards examination reforms.