The Congress party has formally disavowed comments made by its Member of Parliament, Shashi Tharoor, concerning senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani. “Like always, Dr. Shashi Tharoor speaks for himself,” declared Pawan Khera, leading the Congress’s media and publicity division, on the social media platform X. He added that the party “outrightly dissociates itself from his most recent statement.” Khera noted that Tharoor’s continued independent pronouncements as a Congress MP and a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) exemplify the party’s distinctive ‘democratic and liberal spirit.’ Tharoor had earlier praised Advani on his 98th birthday, sharing a photograph and acknowledging his significant impact on India’s contemporary history. This generated criticism from lawyer Sanjay Hegde, who highlighted Advani’s leadership of the Rath Yatra and the Babri Masjid demolition. Tharoor responded by asserting that Advani’s substantial political legacy, recognized with the Bharat Ratna this year, should not be confined to a single event, however consequential. He advocated for a comprehensive evaluation, drawing parallels with how the careers of figures like Nehru and Indira Gandhi are viewed beyond isolated incidents. This public distancing is a recurring theme, as the Congress has previously clarified its stance on Tharoor’s controversial remarks, including his critique of dynastic politics as detrimental to Indian democracy.
