The Bharatiya Janata Party launched a scathing attack on the Congress party on Wednesday after Congress MP Shashi Tharoor praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent address at the Ramnath Goenka Lecture. The political confrontation escalated when BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla suggested the Congress should be renamed "Indira Nazi Congress" for its treatment of internal dissent.
BJP's Strong Condemnation of Congress
Shehzad Poonawalla expressed strong criticism against the Congress party's reaction to Tharoor's appreciation of PM Modi's speech. "If somebody praises the Prime Minister's speech, which is about larger issues, then a 'fatwa' is issued against that person by the Congress," Poonawalla told ANI during his media interaction.
The BJP spokesperson highlighted what he described as the Congress party's contradictory approach to democracy. "They talk about democracy in the entire country, but there is no democracy within their party," Poonawalla asserted. He further claimed that the Congress demonstrates an "emergency mindset" reminiscent of historical authoritarian regimes.
Tharoor's Praise for PM Modi's Address
The controversy began when Shashi Tharoor, who attended the Ramnath Goenka Lecture on the invitation of the Indian Express, posted a detailed appreciation of Prime Minister Modi's speech on social media platform X. Tharoor highlighted several key aspects of the Prime Minister's address that impressed him.
In his social media post, Tharoor wrote about PM Modi's concept of "constructive impatience" for development and his strong advocacy for a post-colonial mindset. The Congress MP noted that the Prime Minister emphasized India's transformation from an "emerging market" to an "emerging model" for the world, highlighting the country's economic resilience.
Tharoor also appreciated the significant portion of the speech dedicated to overturning what PM Modi called "Macaulay's 200-year legacy of slave mentality." The Prime Minister had appealed for a 10-year national mission to restore pride in India's heritage, languages, and knowledge systems.
Congress's Critical Response
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate presented a contrasting view, expressing her disagreement with Tharoor's positive assessment of PM Modi's speech. "I didn't find anything in the speech worth appreciating," Shrinate stated during her media appearance.
Shrinate questioned the Prime Minister's stance on journalism, suggesting he should explain "what his problem is with fair journalism" and why he appears unhappy with "those who show and speak truth." She described the speech as "petty" and criticized the Prime Minister for repeatedly targeting the Congress party in his address.
The Congress leader expressed surprise at Tharoor's positive reaction, stating "I don't know how he found one... I found it to be a petty speech" while noting the Prime Minister's persistent focus on the Congress party.
The political confrontation highlights the ongoing tensions between India's major political parties and demonstrates how internal party disagreements can quickly escalate into public political battles, especially when involving praise across party lines.
