Kannur/Thiruvananthapuram: As criticism mounted from the Congress over Shashi Tharoor's remarks 'praising' prime minister Narendra Modi, the lawmaker stuck to his stand, bringing to the fore internal contradictions within the opposition party.
“I've been a strong critic of the Modi government and I hope a constructive one. My staunch defence of inclusive values and constitutional principles has won me three elections. I urge my fellow Congressmen to respect my approach even when they don't agree with it,” Tharoor tweeted on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) decided to seek an explanation from Tharoor, who is facing flak over his remark that Modi should be lauded for his achievements.
KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran told reporters in Kannur several party leaders and workers have approached the leadership with complaints against Tharoor's "Modi praise."
He said he was unaware of the circumstances in which the pro-Modi remarks were made by Tharoor. The Thiruvananthapuram MP should explain what prompted him to change his earlier stand against the prime minister, he said.
"Congress workers across the country have expressed extreme displeasure over the statement made by Tharoor. Party leaders have also approached me with written complaints. Hence, KPCC has decided to seek explanation from Tharoor in this regard," Mullapally said.
Tharoor is now abroad.
Mullapally said he was trying to contact Tharoor to convey the displeasure of party leaders and cadres.
The KPCC would submit a report on the matter to AICC, which will take a final call on the issue, he said.
Tharoor had come under criticism from several senior party colleagues in the state for his comments that Modi should be praised for doing the right things but the Congress MP had remained unfazed, saying there was nothing wrong in his stand.
While K Muraleedharan, MP, had said those who wanted to praise Modi should join BJP, another party MP, Benny Behannan, said glorifying the prime minister was not the job of Congressmen.
"The Congress leadership should find out what is going on in the minds of those Congress leaders who become uncomfortable when Modi is criticised," Behannan said on Tuesday when reporters sought his reaction to the controversy.
Thrissur MP T N Prathapan had sent a letter to AICC chief Sonia Gandhi seeking her immediate intervention in the matter.
Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala also had said the "wrongdoings" of the Modi government cannot be "ignored."
Tharoor and his colleague Abhishek Singhvi had last week supported party leader Jairam Ramesh, who had said not recognising Modi's work and "demonising" him all the time was not going to help.
Tharoor had on Sunday defended the remarks made by him, Singhvi and Jairam Ramesh.
"What Jairam Ramesh and Singhvi have said is not wrong. If Modi has done something good, we should acknowledge it. Otherwise we will lose credibility among the people.
If there is need, we should severely criticise him," he told a TV channel.
Former union minister Jairam Ramesh had recently said Modi's model was not a "complete negative story" and not recognising his work and demonising him all the time was not going to help.
"It is time we recognise Modi's work and what he did between 2014 and 2019 due to which he was voted back to power by over "30 per cent of the electorate," he had said on Wednesday.
