Have no doubts about MT's criticism; one person's in TVM, other's in Delhi: Tharoor

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said that he had no doubts as to who MT Vasudevan Nair's criticism was aimed at. Veteran novelist and filmmaker MT Vasudevan Nair's remarks on totalitarianism, personality cults and the corruption of power politics during a book fest inauguration has sparked widespread debate in Kerala.

"I have no doubts on who the criticism was aimed at. While one person is sitting in Thiruvananthapuram, the other is in Delhi. BR Ambedkar had warned us that hero-worship is dangerous in politics. MT Vasudevan Nair merely repeated what Ambedkar said," the Thiruvananthapuram MP said.

"It is meaningless when people worship a political leader like God. Writers have the right to speak on every topic. They write about the things we observe in our society. If you have an opinion, you may pen it down. If you feel like repeating something from the past, it could be due to its continuing relevance today," Tharoor added.

Delivering the keynote address at a literary festival in Kozhikode on Thursday, MT had taken a dig at politicians, in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, stating that power gives way to dominance or authoritarianism at times. He recalled the legacy of Kerala's well respected legendary Marxist and first chief minister, EMS Namboothiripad, when he made the remarks.

In the prepared speech read out during the function, MT had also said politics is stooping to new lows every day and that political activities have become an approved way of attaining power. "Power, at times, gives way to dominance or even authoritarianism. A position in the assembly, cabinet or parliament has now become an opportunity to dominate over others. The theory of identifying power as a better opportunity to serve people has been buried," MT had said.