Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has sparked a fresh political debate by defending the legacy of former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani, arguing that the veteran BJP leader’s decades of public service should not be judged solely by one controversial episode in his career.
“Reducing his long years of service to one episode, however significant, is unfair. Just as Nehruji’s career cannot be defined solely by the China setback, nor Indira Gandhi’s only by the Emergency, the same fairness should be shown to Advaniji,” Tharoor wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
His comments came shortly after he extended birthday wishes to Advani, one of the founding figures of the Bharatiya Janata Party, on his 98th birthday. In his message, Tharoor praised Advani’s “unwavering commitment to public service” and described him as a “true statesman.”
“Wishing the venerable Shri L.K. Advani a very happy 98th birthday! His unwavering commitment to public service, his modesty and decency, and his role in shaping the trajectory of modern India are indelible. A true statesman whose life of service has been exemplary,” Tharoor wrote.
However, the Congress MP’s remarks drew strong criticism online, with several users accusing him of “whitewashing” Advani’s role in shaping divisive politics.
Among the critics was Supreme Court advocate Sanjay Hegde, who responded sharply, saying, “Unleashing the ‘dragon seeds of hatred’ in this country is NOT public service.”
A brief exchange followed between Hegde and Tharoor. While Tharoor maintained that Advani’s legacy should be seen in totality, Hegde countered that Advani’s Rath Yatra marked a turning point in India’s political landscape.
“The Rath Yatra was not an episode. It was a long march to reverse the foundational principles of the Indian Republic. It set the stage for 2002 and 2014 and thereafter. Like Draupadi’s dishonour set the stage for the Mahabharata that followed, the Rathyatra and its legacy of violence continue to haunt the destiny of this country. From his current bed of arrows, he has not preached any Rajdharma either,” Hegde wrote.
Advani’s Rath Yatra, launched from Somnath and halted in Bihar by then Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, is widely regarded as a precursor to the Babri Masjid demolition in December 1992, an event that fundamentally reshaped Indian politics.
Tharoor’s remarks have reignited discussion around Advani’s legacy, once again placing the Congress MP at the centre of a heated ideological debate.
