Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Nov 20: A fresh political storm brewed within the Congress after senior leader Shashi Tharoor’s recent praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi triggered sharp reactions from his own party colleagues. Several leaders questioned the need for appreciating the PM, especially when his remarks had targeted the Congress.
In a strongly worded criticism, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit demanded that Tharoor explain his comments, even questioning his place in the party.
“Shashi Tharoor’s problem is that he doesn’t seem to understand the country. If someone is acting against Congress policies and you still praise him, then why are you in Congress? Is it only because you are an MP?” Dikshit said.
He further added, “If you feel the BJP or PM Modi’s strategies are better than your own party’s, then you must explain why. Otherwise, it is hypocrisy.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said she “found nothing worth appreciating” in the PM’s address.
“I didn’t find anything in the speech to applaud. The PM must answer many things. He was speaking at a newspaper event—he should have clarified why he has issues with fair journalism and truth-telling. I don’t know what Shashi Tharoor found in that speech to praise,” she said, calling the address “petty” and accusing the PM of being “obsessed with Congress”.
Earlier this week, Tharoor attended a lecture by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and later shared his reflections on X. While offering a critical analysis, the Congress MP also appreciated parts of the PM’s speech.
He noted that the address “served as both an economic outlook and a cultural call to action,” highlighting the PM’s emphasis on India as an “emerging model” rather than merely an “emerging market”.
Tharoor also referred to Modi’s assertion that he is always in “emotional mode,” striving to address people’s problems rather than being in “election mode”.
A substantial portion of the speech, Tharoor said, focused on undoing Macaulay’s 200-year legacy of “slave mentality”, with the PM urging a decade-long national mission to revive pride in India’s heritage, languages, and knowledge systems.
He concluded with a subtle critique, remarking that he wished the PM had also acknowledged how Ramnath Goenka, through the English language, “raised a voice for Indian nationalism”.