LK Advani and Shashi Tharoor (File photo)
NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor has once again appeared to display a soft corner for the ruling BJP, this time praising its veteran leader and former deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani. Tharoor not only lauded Advani’s decades of public service but also defended his political legacy, drawing a parallel between him and former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. He said that just as Nehru should not be judged solely by the “China setback” and Indira Gandhi not only by the Emergency, the same fairness should be extended to one of the BJP’s founding members.”Reducing his long years of service to one episode, however significant, is also unfair. 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,” Tharoor wrote on X. His remarks came as he wished Advani on his 98th birthday on November 8, praising his “unwavering commitment to public service, modesty and decency,” and calling him “a true statesman.” “Wishing the venerable Shri LK 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. A true statesman whose life of service has been exemplary,” Tharoor wrote. However, Tharoor’s tribute sparked criticism online, with several users accusing him of “whitewashing” Advani’s political legacy. Supreme Court advocate Sanjay Hegde hit out at Tharoor, saying, “Sorry Mr Tharoor, unleashing the ‘dragon seeds of hatred’ (to quote Khushwant Singh) in this country is NOT public service,” in reference to Advani’s 1990 Ram Rath Yatra.Responding to the criticism, Tharoor reiterated his stance, arguing for a broader view of Advani’s career. Hegde, however, countered that the Rath Yatra “was not an episode” but “a long march to reverse the foundational principles of the Indian Republic,” adding, “It set the stage for 2002 and 2014 and thereafter. Like Draupadi’s dishonour set the stage for the Mahabharata that followed, the Rathyatra and its legacy of violence continue to haunt the destiny of this country.”Earlier the same day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bharat Ratna Advani at his residence in New Delhi to convey birthday greetings. Describing him as “a statesman blessed with towering vision and intellect,” PM Modi wrote on X, “Advani Ji’s life has been dedicated to strengthening India’s progress. He has always embodied the spirit of selfless duty and steadfast principles. His contributions have left an indelible mark on India’s democratic and cultural landscape. May he be blessed with good health and a long life.” Advani’s Ram Rath Yatra, launched from Somnath in Gujarat on September 25, 1990, and halted in Bihar by then chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, was one of the most defining and divisive events in Indian politics. The campaign, which called for the construction of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya, led to Advani’s arrest on the orders of then Prime Minister VP Singh.Two years later, on December 6, 1992, the Babri Masjid was demolished, an event that reshaped the political and communal landscape of India. More than three decades later, on January 22, 2024, the Ram Mandir was inaugurated, with Prime Minister Modi performing the pran pratishtha ceremony, marking the culmination of the movement Advani had once led. Go to Source