Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's recent remarks acknowledging Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic handling of the Russia-Ukraine conflict have sparked both praise and criticism from various political corners.
BJP leaders applauded Tharoor’s recognition of the Modi government’s approach to the Ukraine-Russia standoff, while some Congress leaders questioned Tharoor’s own change of stance.
Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue, Tharoor admitted that he had misjudged India’s position on the matter. I am still cleaning egg off my face since I was among those that criticized India's position in February 2022. Three years later, I look as though I made a mistake. India today has a Prime Minister who can hug the President of Ukraine and the President of Russia in two weeks and still be welcome at both places."
In other words, India can provide input towards everlasting peace," Tharoor claimed.
BJP lawmaker Sambit Patra welcomed Tharoor's comments, emphasizing that India's diplomacy under Prime Minister Modi is unprecedented. "India's diplomacy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unprecedented. He has put India in a special position on the global map. Tharoor, as a former UN employee, knows this and has embraced this. Congress leaders should learn from it and not always oppose PM Modi," Patra stated.
But Congress leader Udit Raj dismissed Tharoor's comments and complained about India's influence in global matters. "Does Tharoor think he is wiser than 140 crore Indians? What significant contribution has India made to global affairs? Who even knows India? Trump taught the lesson to PM Modi, but nobody had the strength or the stature to say anything," Raj said. He also questioned the significance of Modi’s diplomatic strategy, asserting that India's position mirrors the non-alignment policy first introduced by Pandit Nehru. "If anyone should be endorsed, it should be Pandit Nehru, not PM Modi. Tharoor does not acknowledge the fact that it was a Congress leader who initiated this policy, and ultimately, PM Modi had to accept it,” he added.
Madhya Pradesh Minister Vishvas Sarang, however, received Tharoor's comment positively, referring to PM Modi as a world leader. "Whenever there is any discussion of ceasefire or peace negotiations, the world turns towards PM Modi. He is not just India's leader but a global leader," Sarang remarked.
JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar also took a dig at Congress, stating, "The question is whether there is any discipline left in their party. Rahul Gandhi criticized India abroad, and now his own MPs are contradicting him. Only he can tell if he is embarrassed or not."
BJP MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah emphasized the popularity of Modi globally, saying that world leaders from Putin to Biden and Trump, and the Prime Minister of New Zealand, have all appreciated the Indian PM. "Many nations have honored him with their highest awards, no Indian PM has received prior to this," Marwah said. BJP MLA Karnail Singh joined in, "All praise PM Modi — some in public, some behind doors. But the truth is, he is much admired."
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