‘Speaks for himself’: Congress distances itself from Tharoor’s praise for L.K. Advani
New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday distanced itself from party MP Shashi Tharoor’s comments drawing a parallel between BJP stalwart L.K. Advani and late Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi and praising the former Deputy PM as a “true statesman”.
Congress Media and Publicity Department Chairman Pawan Khera said: “Like always, Dr Shashi Tharoor speaks for himself and the Indian National Congress outrightly dissociates itself from his most recent statement.”
“That he continues to do so as a Congress MP and CWC member reflects the essential democratic and liberal spirit unique to INC,” he said, even as some party supporters on social media demanded disciplinary action against the former diplomat-turned-politician.
Apart from the praise for Advani, several Congress leaders had frowned at Tharoor’s reference to “China setback” in Nehru’s context and the mention of “Emergency” in Indira Gandhi’s context. The China war and the Emergency are two key political sticks with which the BJP beats the Congress frequently.
Earlier, Tharoor said on X: “Wishing the venerable Shri L.K. Advani a very happy 98th birthday! His unwavering commitment to public service, his modesty & decency, and his role in shaping the trajectory of modern India are indelible. A true statesman whose life of service has been exemplary.”
He also attached his old photo with Advani, the BJP veteran who served as Deputy PM during 2002-2004.
Later, responding to a social media user’s critical comment about Advani’s Rath Yatra ahead of the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992, Tharoor said: “Reducing his long years of service to one episode, however significant, is also unfair. The totality of Nehruji’s career cannot be judged by the China setback, nor Indira Gandhi’s by the Emergency alone. I believe we should extend the same courtesy to Advaniji.”
This is not the first time that comments of the 69-year-old MP from Thiruvananthapuram have caused consternation in the Congress. On an earlier occasion, he had praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his meeting with US President Donald Trump.
He was also open to joining the global diplomatic mission launched by the government of PM Modi after Operation Sindoor, despite unease among his party colleagues over the campaign. The Congress had claimed that it did not name the MP for the mission.
The Congress has undertaken several damage-control exercises in the past to undo the perceived damage caused by Tharoor’s statements in the past.