Shashi Tharoor, Senior Congress leader and Parliamentarian from Thiruvananthapuram since 2009, Monday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his outreach to the Islamic world and especially with the Arab world, describing it as “exemplary”. The Senior Congress leader also admired the Modi government’s success in making G20 a “buzzword”, but expressed concerns over India’s China policy beyond the ban on Chinese apps.
Speaking at a conclave of CNN-News18, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said, “In foreign policy, by and large, I used to be a critique at the beginning of the Modi administration. But I think they have touched all the bases reasonably well.”
“I remember, in the first year of Modi’s prime ministership, he travelled to 27 countries and not one of those was an Islamic country. I made a fuss about that as a Congress MP. But I am delighted to say what he has done subsequently to outreach to the Islamic world has been exemplary. In fact, it couldn’t have been better. Our relations with the major Muslim countries have never been better. I am happy to take back my early criticism,” Tharoor said.
“Shashi Tharoor, perhaps in a moment of weakness, finally spoke the truth,” the BJP IT-cell head Amit Malviya reacted to Tharoor’s statement at CNN-News18 conclave.
The Congress leader said “India did brilliantly; full credit for seizing the (G20) opportunity and highlighting India. The globe can’t ignore India anymore. PM Modi’s foreign policy has evolved”.
However, Tharoor was critical to PM Modi China policy. The Congress leader alleged that the government has given China “a free pass” for transgressions against India. ‘Gave China a free pass for transgressions against India’ Tharoor said.
“Ties with China are at a crossroads. There is no clarity from the government on China policy. There is no discussion on China in Parliament. The ban on Chinese apps was just tokenism,” Tharoor added.
Speaking over the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Tharoor said the united Opposition must come out with a common minimum programme if it has to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
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Updated: 18 Jul 2023, 05:39 PM IST