Tharoor's 'admiration' for Modi 'transcended physical world': Congress
What's the story
The Indian National Congress has taken a jibe at its senior leader Shashi Tharoor for his "admiration" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The party said Tharoor's admiration seems to have "transcended the limitations of the physical world. He now seems capable of hearing what Modi doesn't even say." The controversy started after Tharoor's comments on PM Modi's discussions about the safety of civilian sailors during meetings with US President Donald Trump.
Statement defense
Tharoor defends remarks, says 'not a political issue'
Tharoor defended his remarks, saying, "Three Indians lost their lives. My remarks were about the safety of our citizens and the principle that civilian seafarers should never be targets of military action." The Congress party had earlier criticized Tharoor for his comments, with Pawan Khera saying, "My senior colleague Dr Shashi Tharoor's admiration for PM Modi appears to have transcended the limitations of the physical world. He now seems capable of hearing what Modi doesn't even say."
Interpretation questioned
Khera questions Tharoor's interpretation of PM Modi's statements
Khera had also questioned Tharoor's interpretation of PM Modi's statements, citing the official Ministry of External Affairs readout from the Modi-Trump meeting. He asked why there was no mention of India's concerns over the Gulf of Oman incident or India's strategic neighborhood in the official record. In response to Khera's criticism, Tharoor clarified that he was referring to widely published media reports and not attributing any unreported words to PM Modi.
Media defense
Tharoor defends his position by sharing media reports
Tharoor defended his remarks by sharing a YouTube link to a media report and a summary generated by Google Gemini. The summary stated that PM Modi had raised concerns over civilian seafarers' safety at the G7 Outreach Session in Evian, France. It also mentioned the recent maritime crisis where three Indian sailors were killed in the Gulf of Oman due to US military action.
Interpretation defense
BJP spokesperson slams Congress leader Rahul Gandhi
Tharoor also defended his interpretation of the reports, saying he has never been accused of misrepresenting facts. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla pointed out that Tharoor's remarks contradicted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's position on the issue. Poonawalla said it was embarrassing as Tharoor contradicted Gandhi's stand while speaking about PM Modi's handling of seafarers' safety concerns during his meeting with President Trump.