Shashi Tharoor’s Backing Of LK Advani Sparks Row; Congress Distances Itself, Draws BJP Barbs – Delhi News Daily

Last Updated:November 09, 2025, 19:12 IST

Tharoor received backlash after he defended LK Advani’s political legacy, saying the veteran BJP leader “cannot be judged through one episode.”

Tharoor’s birthday wish for LK Advani triggered a political row. (X/@ShashiTharoor)

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s birthday wish for former Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani has sparked a fresh political storm as the Congress distanced itself from his remarks, saying he speaks for himself.

Tharoor on Sunday defended Advani’s political legacy at the latter’s 98th birth anniversary, saying the veteran BJP leader “cannot be judged through one episode.” Tharoor praised his “unwavering commitment to public service, modesty, and his role in shaping the trajectory of modern India.”

Tharoor’s wishes received accusations of whitewashing the true history of the BJP leader. A Supreme Court Advocate, Sanjay Hedge, criticised Tharoor, saying that Advani “unleashing the dragon seeds of hatred” could not be called “public service”, referencing the Ram Rath Yatra carried out in 1990.

In response, Tharoor wrote, “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.”

Congress’ Reaction To Tharoor’s Remarks

Later, the Congress distanced itself from Tharoor’s remarks, saying he speaks for himself and the fact that he continues to do so as a CWC member reflects the party’s democratic and liberal spirit.

“Like always, Dr. Shashi Tharoor speaks for himself and the Indian National Congress outrightly dissociates itself from his most recent statement,” said Pawan Khera, the head of Congress’s media and publicity department. “That he continues to do so as a Congress MP and CWC member reflects the essential democratic and liberal spirit unique to INC,” he added.

Advani, who formented the BJP’s rise in national politics, was awarded the Bharat Ratna this year. He organised the “Ram Rath Yatra” from Gujarat’s Somnath on September 25, 1990, to call for the construction of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple. The event was stopped in Bihar and led to Advani’s arrest on the orders of then-Prime Minister VP Singh.

On December 6, 1992, two years after the yatra, Ayodhya’s Babri Masjid was demolished. On January 22, 2024, the Ram Mandir was officially opened to the public, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi performing the ‘pran pratishtha‘ ceremony.

BJP Slams Congress

The BJP launched a scathing attack on Congress for distancing itself from Tharoor’s remarks, saying the Thiruvananthapuram MP had become the victim of the “latest fatwa of intolerance of Congress.”

“Congress says Tharoor speaks only for himself — not for the party. Fair enough. Because in Congress, only one family is allowed to speak for everyone! Tharoor just said politics has become a family business… and his own party instantly gave a live demo of it,” said BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari.

BJP’s Shehzad Poonawalla said, “Congress should rename itself as not the Indian National Congress, but Indira Nazi Congress, because they are showing the sense of Emergency under Indira and Nazi dictatorial behaviour. Shashi Tharoor’s only crime was that he, out of political courtesy, wished LK Advani – a Bharat Ratna awardee – a happy birthday. Now it has drawn the ire of the top bosses of Congress.”

He claimed the Congress has now issued a “fatwa” against Tharoor, and that the party treats its political rivals as “sworn mortal enemies”. He also recalled when several opposition MPs were sent to different countries as part of the government’s outreach programme post-Operation Sindoor.

“They (Congress) are so dictatorial that their own MP and senior leader stands with India during Operation Sindoor, he is castigated and sidelined. When he rightly identifies that the first family of Congress is responsible for making the politics of dynasty legitimate in this country, then he is branded as an outsider and a traitor,” he added.

Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More

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