Tharoor hails PM Modi’s lecture, adds subtle critique on legacy
Glad to be in the audience, says the Kerala MP who has praised the PM earlier as well
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday (November 18) once again praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that his Ramnath Goenka Lecture served as both an economic outlook and a cultural call to action, urging the nation to be restless for progress.
Tharoor, in a post on X, pointed out that PM Modi appealed for a 10-year national mission to restore pride in India's heritage, languages and knowledge systems. He said that he wishes the PM had also acknowledged how Ramnath Goenka had used English to raise a voice for Indian nationalism.
“Attended PM @narendramodi’s #RamnathGoenkaLecture at the invitation of @IndianExpress last night. He spoke of India's "constructive impatience" for development and strongly pushed for a post-colonial mindset,” stated Tharoor.
‘PM asserted India was 'emerging model'
He further stated that the Prime Minister asserted that India was no longer an “emerging market” but has become an 'emerging model' for the world.
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“The PM emphasised that India is no longer just an 'emerging market' but an 'emerging model' for the world, noting its economic resilience. PM Modi said he’d been accused of being in “election mode” all the time, but he was really in “emotional mode” to redress the problems of the people,” stated Tharoor.
‘Macaulay's legacy of "slave mentality’
The Congress MP also said that a significant part of the PM’s speech was about overturning Macaulay's 200-year legacy of "slave mentality.
“A significant part of the speech was dedicated to overturning Macaulay's 200-year legacy of ‘slave mentality.’ PM Modi appealed for a 10-year national mission to restore pride in India’s heritage, languages, and knowledge systems. I wish he had also acknowledged how Ramnath Goenka had used English to raise a voice for Indian nationalism!” he added.
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“On the whole, the PM’s address served as both an economic outlook and a cultural call to action, urging the nation to be restless for progress. Glad to have been in the audience despite battling a bad cold and cough!” stated Tharoor.
The backdrop
Tharoor's remarks on the PM's address come days after the Congress leader kicked up a row when he said that reducing veteran BJP leader L K Advani's long years of service to one episode, however significant, is unfair. He was reacting to criticism over his birthday greetings for Advani.
The Congress had distanced itself from his remarks and said Tharoor speaks for himself, and the fact that he continues to do so as a CWC member reflects the party's democratic and liberal spirit.
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Tharoor had earlier also said dynastic politics across the political spectrum poses a "grave threat" to Indian democracy and asserted that it is high time India traded "dynasty for meritocracy".
The BJP had latched on to Tharoor's remarks, calling it a "very insightful piece" on how Indian politics has become a family business.
(With agency inputs)