The Congress party has officially dissociated itself from MP Shashi Tharoor’s praise for BJP veteran LK Advani. Tharoor’s birthday wishes for Advani sparked a debate, with the MP defending his comments against criticism on social media.
Congress Distances Itself from Tharoor’s Remarks
Congress on Sunday dissociated itself from MP Shashi Tharoor’s recent comments lauding veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani, with party leader Pawan Khera saying that Tharoor’s views are personal and not representative of the party.
In a post shared on X, Congress leader 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.” https://x.com/Pawankhera/status/1987485542398013525
Tharoor’s Praise for Advani
The Congress leader Khera’s statement comes as Tharoor wished the former Deputy PM on his 98th birth anniversary, on November 8, where he praised his “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.
Backlash Over Advani Praise
However, Tharoor’s wishes received some objections, with people saying that the Congress MP was whitewashing the true history of the BJP leader. A Supreme Court Advocate, Sanjay Hedge, criticised Tharoor, saying that Advani “unleashing the dragon seeds of hatred” could not be called as “public service”, referencing the Ram Rath Yatra carried out in 1990.
“Sorry Mr Tharoor, unleashing the “dragon seeds of hatred” (to quote Kushwant Singh) in this country is NOT public service,” his post read.
Tharoor Defends His Stance
This led to a discussion between the Congress MP and the advocate Hegde, with Tharoor defending the legacy of one of the BJP founders, and comparing the legacies of former PMs 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. (ANI)
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