'Why in Congress': Tharoor faces party's wrath over Modi praise
What's the story
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's recent praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ruffled feathers in his party. In a recent post on X, Tharoor said Modi's Ramnath Goenka Lecture served as both an economic outlook and a cultural call to action, urging the nation to be restless for progress. He said he was "glad to have been in the audience despite battling a bad cold and cough."
Loyalty questioned
Congress leaders question Tharoor's loyalty
Reacting to the remarks, Senior Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit questioned if Tharoor was in the wrong party. "If, according to you, someone is doing good for the country by going against the Congress's policies, then you should follow those policies...Why are you in Congress? Is it only because you are an MP?...If you really feel that the BJP or PM Modi's strategies are working better than the party you are in, then you should give an explanation," Dikshit said.
Criticism voiced
Shrinate criticizes Tharoor's praise for Modi's speech
Another Congress leader, Supriya Shrinate, also slammed Tharoor. She said she didn't find anything "worth appreciating" in the prime minister's speech and characterized it as a "petty speech" that criticized the Congress. "He was attending an event organized by a newspaper. He should tell us what his problem is with fair journalism. He should have told us why he is not happy with those who show and speak truth...So, I didn't see any reason to appreciate him," she said.
Recent controversy
Tharoor's strained relationship with party
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 sent to friendly nations following the Pahalgam attack. He said he accepted the government's invitation without hesitation. Earlier, he wrote an article critiquing dynasticism in Indian politics, which included a critique of his own party's practices. He argued that "the influence of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty has cemented the idea that political leadership can be a birthright.