The Congress party on Sunday distanced itself from recent comments made by Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor in which he applauded veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani. Congress party spokesperson Pawan Khera stated that Tharoor’s views are personal and do not represent the party’s official stance.
In a social media post on X, Pawan Khera wrote: “Like always, Dr. Shashi Tharoor speaks for himself and the Indian National Congress outrightly dissociates itself from his most recent statement. That he continues to do so as a Congress MP and CWC member reflects the essential democratic and liberal spirit unique to INC.”
The statement by Khera came after Tharoor offered birthday greetings to the former Deputy Prime Minister on his 98th birth anniversary on 8 November. In his message, Tharoor lauded Advani’s “unwavering commitment to public service, modesty, and his role in shaping the trajectory of modern India.
“Wishing the venerable Shri L.K. Advani a very happy 98th birthday! His unwavering commitment to public service, his modesty & decency, and his role in shaping the trajectory of modern India are indelible. A true statesman whose life of service has been exemplary,” Tharoor wrote on X.
However, Tharoor’s message drew objections from some quarters, with critics suggesting that the Congress MP was attempting to gloss over the true history of the BJP leader.
Supreme Court Advocate Sanjay Hedge criticised Tharoor, arguing that Advani’s actions in “unleashing the dragon seeds of hatred” could not be described as “public service,” in a clear reference to the 1990 Ram Rath Yatra he led.
“Sorry Mr Tharoor, unleashing the “dragon seeds of hatred” (to quote Kushwant Singh) in this country is NOT public service,” Hedge’s post read.
This sparked a discussion between the Congress MP and the advocate Hegde, with Tharoor defending the legacy of one of the BJP’s founders and drawing comparisons with the legacies of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.
“Agreed, @sanjayuvacha, but reducing his long years of service to one episode, however significant, is also unfair. The totality of Nehruji’s career cannot be judged by the China setback, nor Indira Gandhi’s by the Emergency alone. I believe we should extend the same courtesy to Advaniji,” Tharoor wrote on X.
Advani, who is credited with scripting the BJP’s rise as a formidable force in national politics, was this year awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour. He spearheaded the Ram Janmabhoomi campaign by embarking on a seminal Rath Yatra in 1990.
About the Author
