Amid the widening rift with the Congress leadership, MP Shashi Tharoor's article on the Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government in 1975 sparked a fresh row.
In his opinion piece published by Project Syndicate, Tharoor reportedly argued that the Emergency, which was imposed by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from 25 June 1975 to 21 March 1977, should not be remembered only as a dark chapter in India's history, but that its complexities and lessons must be fully understood. While articulating the excesses during the Emergency, he reportedly highlighted how these excesses were 'downplayed' by his party colleagues.
In an indirect dig at Tharoor, Congress leader Manickam Tagore on Thursday questioned whether the Thiruvananthapuram MP was echoing the BJP's narrative on the Emergency.
In his cryptic message on X, Tagore wrote, "When a colleague starts repeating BJP lines word for word, you begin to wonder — is the Bird becoming a parrot? Mimicry is cute in birds, not in politics".
What Did Tharoor Write In His Article?
In the op-ed in question, Tharoor reportedly highlighted that measures intended to introduce discipline often descended into brutality.
"Sanjay Gandhi, the son of Indira Gandhi, led forced sterilisation campaigns, which became a notorious example of this. In poor rural areas, violence and coercion were used to meet arbitrary targets. In cities like New Delhi, slums were mercilessly demolished and cleared. Thousands of people were rendered homeless. Their welfare was not taken into consideration," Tharoor wrote.
Moreover, the senior Congress leader also warned that the urge to concentrate power, suppress dissent, and sidestep constitutional checks could resurface in different ways.
"Often, such tendencies may be justified in the name of national interest or stability. In this sense, the Emergency stands as a strong warning. The guardians of democracy must always remain vigilant," he added.
Congress-Tharoor Feud
The development came amid a growing discomfort between Tharoor and Congress. Recently, Tharoor's remarks on the India-Pakistan conflict and the Centre's diplomatic approach did not align with Congress.
Tharoor's extreme praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has drawn everyone's attention lately. He also led the Centre's 'Operation Sindoor' delegation to globally spread the message on the Modi-led government's anti-terrorism policy.
In a cryptic post on X last month, the Thiruvananthapuram MP shared a picture of a bird and wrote: "Don't ask permission to fly. The wings are yours. And the sky belongs to no one".
The meaning of the post was perceived as Tharoor's subtle but firm response to silence the critics within the Congress.
