Tharoor astonished but critics angry

New Delhi: Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP, said he was astonished by charges that he is pro-BJP. 

“Being receptive to specific statements or actions of BJP leaders does not remotely imply acceptance of the party’s core Hindutva agenda,” tweeted Tharoor, who was the only politician in a list of nine people tagged by Prime Minister Modi last week to promote his clean India campaign.

“The PM pitched his appeal as a non-political one and I received it in that spirit. I am a proud Congressman and a proud Indian. In short: not pro-BJP, just pro-India!” the 58-year-old Tharoor said.

Tharoor’s rejoinder came as the Congress’ Kerala leader M M Hassan talked about action against him. “Tharoor should stop the constant adulation of Narendra Modi. He doesn’t deserve or require this,” Hassan told reporters, adding that the party in the state would discuss this.

After Modi announced his name on Thursday, the two-time MP wrote in his article on NDTV that he anticipated a controversy: “I was the only politician, and worse, the only Congressman, on his list. What did this portend? Was I defecting to the BJP? Would my party be furious if I accepted?” he wrote.

Tharoor also wrote that his party had reacted “maturely” to the announcement. But sections within the party have been less than sporting. Congress veteran Mani Shankar Aiyar was quoted as saying in news reports: “Though Shashi Tharoor felt honoured to be invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I am honoured not to be invited.”

Tharoor, a former union minister, has upset his party before with words of praise for Modi, who took charge as prime minister in May after leading his BJP to a massive victory. Congress had earlier distanced itself from Tharoor’s comments describing the 58-year-old as “Modi 2.0”.