'Like always': Congress 'outrightly' distances itself from Shashi Tharoor's praise for Advani; cites 'liberal spirit'

NEW DELHI: Congress on Sunday "outrightly" distanced itself from Shashi Tharoor's remarks displaying a soft corner for the ruling party, praising veteran BJP leader L K Advani, saying "like always" the Thiruvananthapuram MP speaks for himself and the fact that he continues to do so reflects the party's "democratic and liberal spirit."Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera took to X stating, "Like always, Dr Shashi Tharoor speaks for himself and the Indian National Congress outrightly dissociates itself from his most recent statement."He added that Tharoor’s continued freedom to voice his opinions "reflects the essential democratic and liberal spirit unique to INC."These remarks came after Tharoor, reacting to criticism over his birthday greetings for Advani, defended the BJP leader’s decades of public service, saying it would be "unfair" to reduce his long career to one episode, "however significant.""Wishing the venerable Shri L.K. Advani a very happy 98th birthday! His unwavering commitment to public service, his modesty & decency, and his role in shaping the trajectory of modern India are indelible," the Congress leader said in a post on X.He went on to describe Advani as a "true statesman whose life of service has been exemplary."However the Tharoor's post triggered backlash online, with several users accusing Tharoor of "whitewashing" Advani’s role.

"Sorry Mr Tharoor, unleashing the 'dragon seeds of hatred' (to quote Khushwant Singh) in this country is NOT public service," a lawyer posted on X in response to Tharoor's post, alluding to Advani's role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.Replying to the post, Tharoor said, "Agreed, @sanjayuvacha, but reducing his long years of service to one episode, however significant, is also unfair." Further drawing a parallel with Congress icons, Tharoor added, "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.”This is not the first time Tharoor has praised leaders across party lines, occasionally putting him at odds with the Congress leadership. In June, he drew attention for lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s global diplomatic outreach following "Operation Sindoor.”Advani, who played a pivotal role in transforming the BJP into a national force, was awarded the Bharat Ratna earlier this year. He is widely credited with spearheading the Ram Janmabhoomi movement through his 1990 Rath Yatra — a defining moment in Indian politics.