NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor distances himself from Congress colleagues, saying he was elected to “speak, not create a ruckus”, as his remarks on Friday reignite internal tensions amid ongoing Parliament disruptions.
He once again found himself at odds with his own party, this time over the Opposition’s repeated disruptions in Parliament. In a candid remark that instantly stirred debate, Tharoor suggested that chaos is not the path to being heard in the House, exposing yet another rift with senior Congress colleagues.
‘People Elected Me to Speak, Not Shout’: Tharoor’s Firm Stand
Reiterating a position he says he has held from the very beginning, Tharoor stressed that his mandate comes from the people, not from theatrics on the parliamentary floor.
“My party leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, know this well. I may be the lone voice, but people elected me to represent them in Parliament, not just to shout and create a ruckus. They sent me to use my intelligence to speak for the nation and for them,” he said.
“Party leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, know this well. I may be the lone voice, but people elected me to represent them in Parliament, not just to shout and create a ruckus. They sent me to use my intelligence to speak for the nation and for them,” he said.
The ongoing Winter Session has seen persistent disruptions, sparked by issues ranging from the Opposition’s demand for a debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists to the recent aviation chaos. While the BJP blames the Opposition for paralysing proceedings, the Prime Minister had already cautioned against “drama” during his pre-session address.
Against this charged backdrop, Tharoor’s latest stand has only intensified simmering tensions within his party.
This is far from the first instance in which Tharoor’s words, or actions, have unsettled Congress circles. His past remarks praising the Prime Minister, along with his repeated absence from key party meetings, have long left leaders puzzled and occasionally frustrated. Though Tharoor later clarified that a recent absence was due to time spent in Kerala with his elderly mother, murmurs within the party continue to grow.
His recent praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Ramnath Goenka Lecture speech added further fuel to the fire, prompting some within the Congress to question why he remains with the party if he agrees more with the BJP’s strategic outlook.
A Popular Leader With a Distinct Voice
A four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor remains one of Congress’s most recognisable leaders, widely admired by young Indians for his linguistic flair and internationalist outlook. He has often represented New Delhi abroad during critical diplomatic engagements, including after the major Indian offensive that followed the murderous attack on tourists in Pahalgam.
Picture credit sanasad tv and social media
