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Tharoor stressed that acknowledging Nehru’s mistakes is necessary, but blaming him for all of India’s problems is unjustified.
A file photo of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor (PTI)
Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, on Thursday stated that while he recognises India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru as the founder of Indian democracy, his praise for him is not devoid of criticism.
Tharoor stressed that acknowledging Nehru’s mistakes is necessary, but blaming him for all of India’s problems is unjustified.
“I am a fan of Jawaharlal Nehru, but not an uncritical fan. I greatly admire his mind and outlook, and I have deep respect for him, though I cannot support all his beliefs and policies 100%. Many of the things he did deserve the highest appreciation. Most importantly, it was Nehru who firmly established democracy in India… I would not say that they (the Modi government) are anti-democratic, but they are certainly anti-Nehru. Nehru has been turned into a convenient scapegoat,” he said, as quoted by news agency ANI.
Recalling the 1962 Indo-China war, Tharoor underlined that the current government’s criticism of Nehru may have a basis. “For instance, the 1962 defeat against China can partly be attributed to some of Nehru’s decisions.”
“But what they do now is blame Nehru for everything, regardless of the issue”, he added.
A trip down the memory lane
Taking a trip down the memory lane, Shashi Tharoor revealed that his proclivity for reading began in early childhood, when there was no television or mobile phones. The Congress MP recalled that first novel was also written at a very young age – though later lost due to ink spillage.
Tharoor highlighted that reading habits are declining in many parts of the world. However, Kerala continues to remain ahead in reading culture, he observed.
The Congress leader also reminisced about his college days at Delhi’s renowned St. Stephen’s College, recalling that he once acted as Antony and noting filmmaker Mira Nair played Cleopatra in a stage production.
Thiruvananthapuram, India, India
January 09, 2026, 09:29 IST
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