New Delhi: Congress Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday responded to criticism over his remarks lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the United States, clarifying that his stance in politics has always been fair and balanced.
Speaking to ANI, Tharoor stated, “For 16 years, I have been in politics. My attitude has been that when somebody in the government, whether it’s our government or some other party’s government, does the right thing or does something well, one should acknowledge and praise it, and when they do something badly, one should criticise it.”
His comments came after sections within his own party and political circles questioned his positive remarks about Modi’s diplomatic engagement in Washington. Addressing the criticism, Tharoor defended his approach, emphasizing that extreme positions—either constant criticism or unwavering praise—would diminish credibility.
“If I were to praise all the time, no one would take me seriously. If I were to criticise all the time, no one would take me seriously either… There’s got to be some give and take in democracy,” he asserted.
At the same time, Tharoor highlighted certain unresolved concerns regarding the visit. “Why did the question of the way in which those illegal immigrants were returned to India not get addressed?… Did PM Modi raise it behind closed doors?” he asked, pointing out gaps in the discussions between India and the US.
However, he acknowledged some positive developments, particularly in trade negotiations. “I welcome the fact that there is now an agreement to have a negotiation for the next nine months on trade and tariffs. It’s far better than Washington hastily and unilaterally imposing some tariffs on us, which could have damaged and hurt our exports,” Tharoor noted.
In a remark that further clarified his stance, he added, “It seems to me that something good has been achieved, and I applaud that as an Indian. We can’t always speak only in terms of party interests.”
