New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted Shashi Tharoor’s recent speech at the Oxford Union, in which he demanded reparation payments from Britain the UK to India for 200 years of colonial rule, had gone viral on YouTube. Mr Tharoor, seated in the front row, acknowledged the PM’s remarks with a smile.
Mr Modi said Shashi Tharoor’s speech gelled with the feelings of patriotic Indians on the issue and also showed what impression one can leave with effective arguments by “saying the right things at the right place”.
To add to the Congress’ discomfort, praise for the Kerala MP also came from Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, who said his speech at Oxford University was appreciated by all. “You (Tharoor) had spoken from your heart,” she said at the function.
Later, reacting to the PM’s praise, the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram said: “I am very touched and grateful. Isse zyada kya boloon... (What more can I say?) He was kind enough to say this, bade dil se baat ki (he spoke from his heart)."
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad tried to play down any political twist to the whole episode. “How does that matter? The PM praised us too in J&K,” he said. Mr Tharoor had been pulled up by Mrs Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday for leaking his remarks against the Congress’ stalling tactics in Parliament on the issue of scams.
Mr Tharoor had found himself in problem over his praise of Mr Modi on a few occasions ever since the NDA came to power last year, and attracted criticism within the party.
