Didn’t praise Modi; gesture toward Advani courtesy: Shashi Tharoor
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Sulthan Bathery: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who is having some serious rubs with party leadership, said that he did not make statements praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and controversies stem from misleading media headlines, which were not the actual content of his remarks. He reiterated that his words were misinterpreted and taken out of context, Mathrubhumi reported.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP said that he never acted out of party line.
Tharoor said that his gesture toward LK Advani was merely a small courtesy shown on the birthday of a 98-year-old man. He added that Rahul Gandhi had done the same, and therefore, there was no need to project his action as something extraordinary. He explained that respecting elders and showing courtesy to them is part of their culture.
Referring to the controversy, Tharoor said that he was present on the stage when Prime Minister Modi delivered his speech, which he heard and watched, and that he had written only a few words about it. He questioned where he had praised the Prime Minister, adding that anyone could understand this by simply reading the social media post he had shared. He clarified that he had not praised Modi.
He further said that people were forming opinions based solely on news headlines without reading his post, which he described as an incorrect approach. He added that if his remarks were understood in their proper context, such controversies could be avoided.
Tharoor said that he had been serving the party for 17 years and that there was no need for any misunderstandings. He stressed that the Congress is a democratic party and recalled that he had contested for the national leadership and lost, adding that the matter had ended there and should not be seen as a major issue. He noted that many elections had taken place in the party’s history, with some leaders winning and others losing, and said his own defeat was simply part of that process.