'Glad to have been in...audience': Shashi Tharoor praises Modi again
What's the story
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has once again invited the ire of his party by praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a post on X, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said he was invited to a private event in Delhi where PM Modi spoke about "India's constructive impatience for development and pushed strongly for (the growth) of a post-colonial mindset." In his speech, Tharoor said PM Modi emphasized that India is no longer an "emerging market" but an "emerging model" for the world.
Speech details
PM Modi's speech highlights India's transformation
"PM Modi said he'd been accused of being in 'election mode' all the time, but he was really in 'emotional mode' to redress the problems of the people," he wrote. Tharoor also said that a significant part of the speech was dedicated to "overturning Macaulay's 200-year legacy of 'slave mentality.'" PM Modi was referring to Thomas Babington Macaulay, a 19th-century British MP who arrived in India in 1834 and is credited with introducing the Western educational system in India.
Twitter Post
Read the full tweet here
Attended PM @narendramodi’s #RamnathGoenkaLecture at the invitation of @IndianExpress last night. He spoke of India's "constructive impatience" for development and strongly pushed for a post-colonial mindset.
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 18, 2025
The PM emphasized that India is no longer just an 'emerging market'… pic.twitter.com/97HwGgQ67N
Party tensions
Tharoor's relationship with Congress grows strained
"On the whole, the PM's address served as both an economic outlook and a cultural call to action...Glad to have been in the audience," he concluded. Tharoor was seated next to BJP leader and former Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad at the event. Tharoor's praise for PM Modi is likely to not go down well with other Congress leaders.
Party loyalty
Tharoor's loyalty to Congress despite disagreements
Tharoor's relationship with the Congress has been strained over the past few months, especially after he was chosen as one of the opposition faces in government delegations that were sent to friendly nations following the Pahalgam terror attack. He said he accepted the government's invitation without hesitation, saying it was about national interest, not politics. Sections of the Congress had called him a "super spokesperson" for the BJP over this move.
Tharoor
Tharoor maintains loyalty to Congress
He was also part of the 'G-23' group that demanded change in leadership style within the Gandhi family. Earlier this month, he wrote an article critiquing dynasticism in Indian politics, which included a critique of his own party's practices. In the article, he argued that "the influence of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty has cemented the idea that political leadership can be a birthright." However, Tharoor has maintained his loyalty to the party and its ideology despite his disagreements with the Congress.