Tharoor criticises Indian Express over misrepresentation of remarks
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Congress leader Shashi Tharoor criticised The Indian Express for misrepresenting his remarks from a Malayalam podcast, accusing the newspaper of misleadingly translating his statements and triggering a media storm that led to political speculation and controversy.
Tharoor, who was already facing internal criticism within his party for an article he wrote in The New Indian Express praising Kerala’s industrial growth, found himself at the centre of fresh debates after The Indian Express reported in English that he had spoken about having "other options" if the Congress no longer needed him.
Tharoor, however, clarified that his comments were not about political alternatives but about his professional engagements beyond politics, including writing, speaking engagements, and global conferences, yet several media houses focused on the angle that he was exploring other political opportunities.
The narrative gained further traction when BJP leader Amit Malviya and other political figures weighed in, intensifying speculation about Tharoor’s future within Congress.
The Congress MP took to social media to call out The Indian Express, stating that the newspaper had exaggerated an innocuous statement to create a misleading headline, which left him dealing with unwarranted backlash.
He also accused the publication of fabricating a claim that he had criticised the Kerala Congress for lacking leadership, asserting that multiple media outlets repeated the claim based on a flawed translation rather than verifying his actual Malayalam remarks.
When he challenged the assertion, he was initially given an English translation instead of the original video clip, prompting further frustration over what he saw as irresponsible journalism.
Following his criticism, The Indian Express issued a correction acknowledging the translation error regarding Tharoor’s remarks on leadership in the Kerala Congress, yet the damage had already been done as he had faced days of political attacks and misrepresentation.
He lamented that while the newspaper had benefited from the controversy in terms of attention, he was left to endure personal abuse and political scrutiny over words he had not actually spoken.