At Ramnath Goenka Awards, Tharoor’s surprise Modi praise leaves Congress red-faced

In a post on X, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said he had attended a private event in Delhi where the Prime Minister spoke about India’s “constructive impatience” for development and the need to shed a “post-colonial mindset.”

Soon after the post was made, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate said she did not find anything to praise in the speech.

"I don't know what he (Tharoor) found praiseworthy in PM's speech. Rather, I think he should have answered a lot of questions, especially why he is so against unbiased journalism, as he attended a newspaper's event. He is criticising Congress even at a private event. I am surprised, he keeps thinking about Congress throughout the day," she told ANI.

According to Tharoor, the Prime Minister highlighted that India should now be seen not as an “emerging market” but as an “emerging model,” pointing to the country’s economic resilience through global crises such as the pandemic and the Ukraine conflict.

He also said the PM addressed criticism about being in “election mode,” insisting he was instead in an “emotional mode” focused on resolving the people’s problems.

A major part of the address, Tharoor said, centred on undoing the legacy of Thomas Babington Macaulay, the 19th-century British official often credited with shaping the framework of English-based education in India.

Modi reportedly called for a 10-year national mission to rebuild pride in India’s languages, heritage, and knowledge systems, arguing that Macaulay’s reforms broke the backbone of India’s traditional education and instilled a sense of inferiority.

Visuals from the event showed Tharoor seated alongside Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravi Shankar Prasad and former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Tharoor’s public admiration of the Prime Minister’s speech expectantly stirred discontent within the Congress, especially given his previous statements lauding the PM’s conduct in recent national crises.

Relations between Tharoor and the party leadership have been strained for months, particularly since he was selected as part of an opposition delegation to foreign capitals following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

His compliments for the Prime Minister’s handling of that episode, including remarks describing Modi as a “prime asset” for India, drew criticism from within the Congress and fuelled speculation of a possible switch to the BJP- speculation Tharoor has repeatedly denied.

He has maintained that acknowledging effective leadership in moments of national importance does not signal any intention to join the ruling party.

Tensions between Tharoor and his party are not new. The four-time MP was part of the ‘G-23’, a group of senior Congress leaders who sought organisational reforms and questioned the Gandhi family’s style of leadership.

He even contested the election for party president. More recently, he authored an article examining the deep-rooted influence of political dynasties across India, including within the Congress.

Despite ongoing friction, Tharoor has insisted his loyalty to the party remains intact, though his latest remarks are likely to test that relationship once again.