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Shashi Tharoor implied that his recent statements, including occasional praise of PM Modi, had been an act of civility and not alignment.
Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. (Image: PTI)
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday took a cryptic dig at his party, implying that his recent statements and actions that irked the top leadership had been an act of civility and not alignment.
Tharoor, a senior Congress leader, had been criticised by party leaders over his occasional praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, beginning when he was included in the Centre’s global outreach initiative after Operation Sindoor. Since then, Tharoor has made several statements that had been seen as against the party line.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP’s latest remarks came after poet and filmmaker Mehul Devkala defended Tharoor from a recent wave of trolling for wishing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other simple courtesies, saying that “it’s worth remembering that secularism, inclusivity and humanism have long defined his public life.”
“A birthday greeting is an act of civility, not alignment. It’s unfortunate that basic courtesy is so easily distorted in polarised times. His integrity continues to speak above the noise. In times of online negativity, we could all take a leaf from @ShashiTharoor’s values. A reminder that civility doesn’t mean compromise,” Devkala wrote on X.
Devkala also cited the recent meeting between US President Donald Trump and New York-elect Zohran Mamdani – two bitter political rivals – that was marked by civility and respect, describing it as a “masterclass in dialogue”.
In response, Tharoor wrote, “Thank you for this important thread, @MehulDevkala . I am touched that at least somebody has understood the spirit of my recent statements and actions.”
Tharoor has previously faced criticism from within the party for positions seen as out of sync with the Congress line, including occasional praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His recent absence from two key party meetings also fuelled speculation about widening rifts, though he clarified that he had been in Kerala attending to his elderly mother.
His recent favourable remarks on the Prime Minister’s address at the Ramnath Goenka Lecture drew sharp reactions from some Congress leaders, who questioned why he remained in the party if he found merit in BJP narratives.
Tharoor’s presence at a reception for Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi also attracted attention, as two Leaders of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, were excluded from the event. Party spokespersons obliquely questioned the conscience of a party member who accepts such an invitation when the top leadership has been sidelined.
Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Thiruvananthapuram [Trivandrum], India, India
December 11, 2025, 23:43 IST
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