Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 10 (PTI) Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Monday alleged the Congress does not like its leaders to laud anyone outside the Nehru-Gandhi family and extended support to Shashi Tharoor, who was criticised for praising veteran leader L K Advani on his birthday.
The Saffron party has no hesitation in respecting, recognising, or felicitating any political leader who has served the country, irrespective of their political affiliation, he said.
Chandrasekhar was responding to reporters’ questions about Congress leader Tharoor, who recently came under fire for praising Advani, who turned 98 on November 8.
The Kerala BJP chief said the Congress’s reaction to Tharoor’s remarks was “on expected lines.” “If Tharoor keeps praising Priyanka Gandhi, her son or daughter, or the Italian relatives of Sonia Gandhi, the Congress will be showering praises on him,” the BJP state president told PTI Videos.
Extending support to Tharoor, Chandrasekhar said the Thiruvananthapuram MP had chosen to praise “one of the tallest leaders in India’s political history.” “Advani is a man worthy of being recognised, saluted, and respected by every Indian,” he said.
He further alleged that Congress does not like to respect or recognise leaders from other political parties.
“On the other hand, the BJP has no hesitation in recognising, felicitating, and respecting all political leaders who served the country, like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Subhas Chandra Bose. They are not BJP leaders,” Chandrasekhar added.
On Sunday, the Congress distanced itself from Tharoor’s remarks praising Advani, saying he “speaks for himself”, and that the fact he continues to do so as a Congress Working Committee (CWC) member reflects the party’s “democratic and liberal spirit.” Tharoor, reacting to criticism over his birthday greetings for Advani, said it was unfair to reduce the veteran BJP leader’s long years of service to one episode, however significant.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP added that just as the totality of Jawaharlal Nehru’s career cannot be judged by the China setback, or Indira Gandhi’s by the Emergency alone, “we should extend the same courtesy to Advaniji.” PTI LGK SSK KH
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