Tharoor exposed Rahul: BJP after Congress MP lauds PM Modi
Tharoor's praise for the prime minister came at a time when the Congress has consistently been attacking the BJP-led Centre over its foreign policy, alleging that Indian diplomacy is being 'shattered' and the country stands 'isolated' globally.
Tharoor said on Monday that Modi's energy, dynamism and willingness to engage is a 'prime asset' for India on the global stage but deserves greater backing, in remarks that are likely to irk his party and widen the growing cracks in his ties with its leadership.
New Delhi, Jun 23 (PTI) The BJP took a swipe at the Congress on Monday after its leader, Shashi Tharoor, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said the Thiruvananthpuram MP has 'exposed' Rahul Gandhi.
Reacting to Tharoor's comments, Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari took potshots at the Congress. In a post on X, he said, 'Shashi Tharoor admits that PM Modi's dynamism and global outreach are a strategic advantage for India.' 'Shashi Tharoor exposes Rahul Gandhi,' Bhandari added.
In an article published in 'The Hindu', Tharoor said the diplomatic outreach following Operation Sindoor was a moment of national resolve and effective communication.
'Prime Minister Narendra Modi's energy, dynamism and willingness to engage remains a prime asset for India on the global stage but deserves greater backing.
'The diplomatic outreach following 'Operation Sindoor' was a moment of national resolve and effective communication. It affirmed that India, when united, can project its voice with clarity and conviction on international platforms,' said the Congress leader, who led a multi-party delegation to the United States and four other countries to convey India's stand following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent military operation.
Speaking in Thiruvananthapuram last week, Tharoor said he has differences of opinion with some in the party leadership, but refused to speak about those in light of the Nilambur Assembly bypoll. The veteran leader said the Congress, its values and its workers are very dear to him. PTI PK RC
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
33 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
The Emergency and politics of the body
For the average Indian, it was through the tyranny of the dreaded nasbandi (sterilisation) camps that the worst consequences of the suspension of civil and political rights under the Emergency manifested itself in their everyday lives. In September 1976, India recorded over 1.7 million sterilisations, a figure that equalled the annual average for the 10 preceding years. By 1977, Sanjay Gandhi, the younger son of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and his bulldozer gang had overseen the conduct of more than 8 million sterilizations. The predominance accorded to forced sterilisation was intertwined with Sanjay Gandhi's growing influence. He needed to consolidate his hold on power within the Congress, family planning (and his other obsession, urban gentrification) became his preferred tools. In the process, he unleashed the worst form of State violence, stripping ordinary citizens of agency over their bodies. The political and administrative zeal to comply with Sanjay Gandhi and his bulldozer gang was shaped by the nature of power he wielded over regional leaders. (HT Photo) Much has changed in India's approach to family planning since those dark Emergency years. However, 50 years on, Sanjay Gandhi's weaponisation of family planning and exertion of power over individual bodily rights afford important lessons for how we respond to demographic challenges in the contemporary moment. Above all, it serves as a critical reminder to be patient with democracy, for it is the only pathway for sustainable, socially just economic growth and development. On the surface, Sanjay Gandhi's approach to family planning was not new. Malthusian worries had shadowed India's demographic debates long before independence and India became the first country in the world to launch a national family planning programme in 1952. And as Christophe Jaffrelot and Pratinav Anil argue in India's First Dictatorship: The Emergency, 1975-77, elements of eugenics, visible in the Emergency, undergirded these debates. 'Undesirable others' – minorities and lower castes – were the targets. Coercive population control measures were introduced as necessary tools for 'modernisation' and 'development'. But it was only in the late 1960s that sterilisation acquired wide policy acceptance. On paper, India took a 'cafeteria approach' with sterilisation offered as one of many forms of family planning. In practice, however, sterilisation was prioritised. Targets were introduced and vasectomy camps, cash incentives, citizen motivators, and active coercion became acceptable methods to control India's 'population bomb'. But like most policies, implementation waxed and waned. India's sterilisation drive peaked in 1972-3 with 3.1 million sterilisations, falling to just under a million the next year. What differentiated mass sterilisation during the Emergency from the past was the scale and aggressiveness with which it was pursued. International agencies from the World Bank to the United Nations played their part, financing what they called 'crash sterilisation'. Sanjay Gandhi effectively leveraged Emergency conditions to direct political and administrative functionaries to use force and coercion with a vengeance. He bypassed the health ministry to directly hand out targets to states and used his powers to harass and intimidate regional leaders, bureaucrats and district administrators to comply. Over time, his tactics became almost necessary to feed the Emergency myth: That suspension of democracy and centralisation of power was necessary to ensure the 'trains run on time'. Eugenics, Jaffrelot and Anil, note were implicit in this framing in the targeting of Muslims and the poor. The horror that unfolded has been widely chronicled. The political and administrative zeal to comply with Sanjay Gandhi and his bulldozer gang was shaped by the nature of power he wielded over regional leaders. Inevitably, Delhi and the Hindi heartland became Sanjay Gandhi's playground, with party leaders and willing bureaucrats jostling to curry favour. Family planning policy was now no longer about broader societal goals but a weapon for political power and control. In the process, individual citizens were effectively stripped of any agency over their bodies. From nudging railway commuters to getting vasectomies if caught ticketless by waiving paying fines, to threatening slum dwellers with eviction notices, denying government benefits and when needed enabling violent use of force, Gandhi's bulldozer gang zealously did all that was demanded of them to coerce the poorest and most vulnerable citizens into sterlisation camps thereby fulfilling the political myth of the Emergency. Those who sought to protect their dignity and individual agency by escaping the sterilisation net, lived in terror. As ethnographer Emma Tarlo notes in her account of the nasbandi tyranny in Delhi, for anyone who escaped, public spaces and civic institutions like hospitals, schools and government offices, were places to avoid. Unsurprisingly, in many parts of the country, fear led to violence. Nasbandi was widely attributed to have contributed to Indira Gandhi's resounding electoral defeat. In a direct and tactile way, the ordinary Indian experienced the terror of the powers of the State over their bodies and they used democracy to reclaim control. Since that dark period, India's family planning policy, in tune with global trends, has evolved adopting a much more central focus on reproductive rights. Sterilisation, and associated policies like incentives and camps, continue to be part of the repertoire, indeed they often make headlines for medical negligence and death, but it no longer carries the zeal of the Emergency. The burden has now shifted to female sterilisation. The Emergency was an illustration of how the body is used as a site for exerting State power. In the contemporary moment, loose remarks by politicians in South India telling women to 'have more children' as they navigate delimitation politics is a warning signal that population policy may once again be weaponised. Ironically, these very states offered India an alternative to the tyranny of nasbandi: A model embedded in economic growth, choice and reproductive rights. Democracy afforded the path to achieve population goals. Today's politicians would do well to heed to the message that Indians gave to Indira and Sanjay Gandhi in 1977. Yamini Aiyar is senior visiting fellow, Brown University. The views expressed are personal.
United News of India
39 minutes ago
- United News of India
President Murmu best example of women-led development in India: Rajnath Singh
New Delhi, June 23 (UNI) Describing President Droupadi Murmu as the best example of women-led development in India, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday that under her leadership as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the historic Operation Sindoor was carried out, instilling fear in the minds of terrorists. He commended her for constantly encouraging the Armed Forces personnel, while also working relentlessly for the empowerment of the deprived sections of society, a Defence Ministry statement said. 'Through her own life, President Murmu has set an inspiring example for everyone to have access to education and equal rights and opportunities. The ideals of courage, hard work, public service and spirituality are visible in her life and these can be read in her speeches as well,' he added. Rajnath Singh released a book 'Wings to Our Hopes (Volume-II)', a curated collection of 51 speeches of the President in Hindi and English along with the e-version. In his address, Rajnath described the compilation of speeches - ranging from address to the nation as well as at universities, on innovation, contribution of women in the development of the country, equality and the cultural heritage - as the essence of the Government's vision of making India a developed nation by 2047. 'The book will become a guiding light to build Viksit Bharat with progressive thoughts while preserving our glorious heritage. President Droupadi Murmu knows the importance of diversity in our country and recognises the pain of the deprived. This book proclaims the spirit of equality,' he said. He added that the book is an amalgamation of the knowledge and ideas of President Droupadi Murmu on diverse fields - from civilisation to culture, religion to science, art to literature, education to health and past to future. He termed this inclusiveness as a reflection of the character of India, which can prove to be beneficial for future generations. The Defence Minister made special mention of some of the President's thoughts, dubbing them as national priorities of the Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking on the occasion, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw described the 'Wings to Our Hopes (Volume-II)' as a medium to understand contemporary issues from the point of view of the 'First Citizen' of the country and hoped that it will introduce public welfare ideas of the President to the future generations. Compiled by the Rashtrapati Bhavan and published by Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, this second volume follows its predecessor in chronicling the evolving discourse on governance, inclusivity, and national aspirations.
India.com
39 minutes ago
- India.com
India-US Trade Deal To Increase US Exports To India: Crisil
New Delhi: Given that India has much higher tariffs than those imposed by the US, the impending Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) — which would reduce tariffs — is set to increase US exports to India more than vice versa, according to an analysis by Crisil. India would be able to import more energy products, certain agricultural products, and defence equipment, among others, from the US, Crisil said in a 'Quickonomics' report. India, according to Crisil, should be prepared to see more imports from the US under the BTA. A lowering of tariffs under the agreement would make US goods more competitive in India, it argued. "This is because India's tariffs are much higher than those of the US, and bringing these down would be advantageous to exporters in the US," Crisil said. India's exports, however, are unlikely to see a major spike because the focus of President Donald Trump's administration is to reduce its trade deficit with India, and most of India's top exports to the US are already duty-free (excluding the baseline 10 percent tariff applicable since April 10). Besides, the export potential would also depend on the level of tariffs India faces compared to other competing nations, Crisil noted. The US has categorically stated that it wants to reduce its trade deficit with India (among other nations) and has complained that India's high tariffs and non-tariff barriers have hindered American companies from increasing their exports. Even though India has shown its discomfort with allowing US agricultural products into the country, imports of certain items such as walnuts, pistachios, and cranberries could rise, as India's share in US exports of these items was relatively low — at 19.4 percent, 5.0 percent, and 3.1 percent, respectively — in 2024. This contrasts with almonds, where India's share was a hefty 70.5 percent in 2024 — making it one of the US's top agricultural export items to India. Further, with India's aviation sector growing, there is scope to increase imports of civilian aircraft, engines, and parts. According to Crisil, there also seems to be strong complementarity in the energy sector, as the US is a large exporter and India a large importer of energy commodities. Even though India has a significant opportunity to import crude oil from the US, Crisil said the prospects of increasing such imports would have to be weighed against challenging factors — such as the higher cost of transportation and longer transit times. "The US is a large exporter and India a large importer of LNG, providing a mutually beneficial ground. Here, the synergy seems to be much better than that in crude petroleum, as the US is already among the top three suppliers of LNG to India," Crisil said. "With favourable factors such as US natural gas prices being more stable than those in the Middle East (India's largest LNG import partner) and long-term contracts being signed between Indian entities and US suppliers, there has been an increase in the import of this commodity from the US," it added. Defence imports into India could also rise under the BTA. "Even as India is trying to increase its defence production and export capabilities, it remains one of the largest arms importers. At the same time, the US is the world's largest arms exporter. While Russia has traditionally been India's largest arms supplier, its share in India's arms imports has declined in recent years. This has created space for Western suppliers, led by the US, to step up their sales," the report said. In fact, in 2023, the US and India launched a bilateral Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (called INDUS-X) to facilitate defence collaboration between the two countries. Combining all these opportunities, India's trade surplus with the US is expected to come down — a major demand from the US, which has implemented reciprocal tariffs on countries in proportion to their trade surplus with it. On the other hand, India may see some gains in exports of smartphones, certain pharmaceuticals, and labour-intensive sectors such as textiles and gems and jewellery. The US announced reciprocal tariffs on India and a host of other nations on April 2, and then paused the increase for 90 days from April 10 to negotiate trade deals with these countries. (For India, the reciprocal tariff was 26 percent — lower than the tariff on many other Asian peers.) During the pause period, a 10 percent base tariff remains applicable (over and above the existing tariffs) on all countries, including India. India is currently negotiating a trade deal with the US, known as the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) — the first tranche of which is targeted to be completed by the fall of 2025.
