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The Congress party on Sunday distanced itself from Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor’s recent comments in which he praised veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani. Congress party spokesperson Pawan Khera said Tharoor’s views were personal and did not represent the official stand of the party.
In a social media post on Twitter, Pawan Kheda wrote: “As always, Dr. Shashi Tharoor speaks for himself and the Indian National Congress disassociates itself from his most recent statement. His continuing to do so as a Congress MP and CWC member reflects the essential democratic and liberal spirit unique to the Congress.”
Khera’s statement came after Tharoor wished the former Deputy Prime Minister a happy birthday on his 98th birth anniversary. In his message, Tharoor lauded Advani’s “unwavering commitment to public service, humility and his role in shaping the trajectory of modern India.
Tharoor wrote on X, “Happy 98th Birthday to Respected Shri LK Advani! His unwavering commitment to public service, his humility and decency and his role in shaping the path of modern India are indelible. A true statesman whose life of service has been exemplary.”
However, Tharoor’s message was met with objection from some quarters, with critics suggesting that the Congress MP was attempting to conceal the BJP leader’s real history.
Supreme Court lawyer Sanjay Hayes criticized Tharoor, arguing that Advani’s actions in “unleashing the dragon seeds of hatred” could not be described as “public service”, in an apparent reference to the 1990 Ram Rath Yatra.
Hayes’ post said, “Sorry Mr. Tharoor, spreading “dragon seeds of hate” (quoting Kushwant Singh) in this country is not a public service.”
This triggered a discussion between the Congress MP and lawyer Hegde, with Tharoor defending the legacy of one of the founders of the BJP and comparing it with the legacy of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.
Tharoor wrote on
Advani, who is credited with scripting the rise of the BJP as a strong force in national politics, was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, this year. He led the Ram Janmabhoomi campaign by starting a seminal Rath Yatra in 1990.
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