Tharoor Defends Advani, Citing Nehru's China Setback and Indira's Emergency, Urges Nuanced View
Image Source: Internet
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has sparked controversy with his praise for BJP veteran LK Advani on his 98th birthday. However, Tharoor has clarified his stance, drawing parallels with Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi's careers to argue that Advani's legacy cannot be defined by a single event, such as the Rath Yatra. Tharoor's comments came in response to a lawyer's criticism that Advani's actions had contributed to the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya. Tharoor countered that Nehru's China setback and Indira's Emergency should not be the sole measures of their careers. He extended the same courtesy to Advani, suggesting that the BJP leader's long years of service should not be reduced to one episode. Tharoor's original post had praised Advani's commitment to public service, modesty, and decency. However, his comments have been met with criticism from writer-journalist Khushwant Singh's quote, which described Advani as having sowed the 'dragon seeds of hatred' in the country. Tharoor's praise for Advani has been seen as unusual, given his recent criticism of the Nehru-Gandhi family's dynastic politics. In an article, Tharoor wrote that the family's influence had cemented the idea that political leadership can be a birthright. BJP leaders have praised Tharoor's article as a 'truth bomb' and called for a response from Rahul Gandhi.
