Congress Clarifies Stance After Tharoor's Controversial Remarks
The Indian National Congress made a significant move on Sunday by publicly distancing itself from comments made by its senior leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, who had expressed admiration for veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader Lal Krishna Advani. The party's official spokesperson, Pawan Khera, issued a clear statement emphasizing that Tharoor's views were personal and did not represent the party's official position.
Birthday Greetings Spark Political Storm
The controversy began when Tharoor took to social media platform X on November 8 to extend birthday wishes to the former Deputy Prime Minister on his 98th birth anniversary. In his message, Tharoor praised Advani's unwavering commitment to public service and acknowledged his role in shaping modern India's trajectory. He described the BJP leader as a true statesman with an exemplary life of service.
However, these complimentary words did not sit well with many political observers and critics. Supreme Court Advocate Sanjay Hegde strongly objected to Tharoor's characterization of Advani's legacy, specifically referencing the 1990 Ram Rath Yatra that many credit with unleashing communal tensions in the country.
Tharoor Defends His Position Amid Criticism
In response to the criticism, Tharoor engaged in a discussion with Hegde, defending his approach to evaluating political legacies. The Congress MP argued that reducing Advani's long political career to a single significant episode would be unfair, drawing parallels with how former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi should not be judged solely by specific controversial events in their tenures.
Tharoor maintained that political figures deserve to be assessed based on the totality of their careers rather than isolated incidents. This defense, however, failed to prevent the Congress party from taking an official position against his statements.
The timing of this controversy is particularly significant given that Advani was awarded the Bharat Ratna earlier this year, India's highest civilian honor. The BJP veteran is widely credited with building his party into a formidable national force through strategic political movements, including the seminal Ram Janmabhoomi campaign.
This incident highlights the ongoing tensions within Indian political discourse and the challenges faced by political parties in maintaining consistent messaging, especially when dealing with historical figures from opposing parties.
