New Delhi: Amid growing speculation around his recent remarks in praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following Operation Sindoor, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday trained his guns on the Communist Party of India (Marxist) )CPI(M))-led Kerala government in his latest statement, which is in line with the views of the BJP-led Union government.

Tharoor termed the Kerala government’s sanctioning of Rs 10 crore as assistance to Turkey after the 2023 earthquake in which at least 50,000 people had died as “misplaced generosity” but did not make any mention of the Union government’s aid provided to the earthquake ravaged country through ‘Operation Dost’.

Tharoor posted a link to a 2023 news article and said: “I hope the Govt of Kerala reflects on its misplaced generosity, after seeing Turkey's behaviour two years later! Not to mention that the people of Wayanad (just to take one Kerala example) could have used those ten crores far better…,” he wrote.

A swipe at the CPI(M)-led Kerala government, also mentions Rahul Gandhi's former Lok Sabha Seat

A string of measures by various Indian government agencies last week signalled New Delhi’s displeasure with Turkey. This after the defence ministry had said during Operation Sindoor that Pakistan had launched drones at around 36 locations in India and that a preliminary analysis of the debris indicated they were Turkish-made Asisguard Songar drones.

Tharoor’s statement comes as he left the country as the leader of one of the seven all-party delegations for a major diplomatic outreach effort by the union government following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.

His statement not only took a swipe at the CPI(M)-led Kerala government but the naming of Wayanad was also a seeming attack on leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who represented the constituency till 2024. Wayanad is now Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s Lok Sabha constituency.

Wayanad was ravaged by multiple landslides in July 2024 in which at least 224 people died with the state having pegged the material losses caused by the landslides at Rs 281 crore.

While Tharoor’s statement pointed to the aid sanctioned by the Kerala government, he did not make any mention of the aid provided by the Modi-led union government which had provided assistance to Turkey. Titled Operation Dost, the Modi government had in February 2023 provided humanitarian aid including medical supplies to the earthquake ravaged country worth over Rs 7 crore.

Modi himself had said that with Operation Dost, India "stands firmly" with the people of Turkey.

"Our teams are working day and night as a part of ‘Operation Dost.’ They will keep giving their best to ensure maximum lives and property are saved. In this critical time, India stands firmly with the people of Türkiye," Modi wrote on X on February 10, 2023.

'Tharoor's comments are symptoms of selective amnesia'

Following Tharoor’s statement, CPI(M) MP John Brittas who is also part of the seven all-party delegations that have gone abroad said that the four time Congress MP’s comments are “symptoms of selective amnesia.”

“Have great regards for Shashi Tharoor. But these comments are symptoms of selective amnesia,” he said.

“It is as amusing n puzzling why he had to belittle Kerala when he knows very well the Modi govt itself had launched Operation Dost to help Turkey. Kerala bashing is unwarranted.”

Tharoor has in recent weeks been seen to be making statements in praise of Modi and the BJP, which the Congress has said are his personal views and not that of the party. While Tharoor has been picked by the government to lead one of the seven delegations, his inclusion had also been seen as a deepening rift with his party which had given four other names to be part of the delegations.

The invitation to him came after he had applauded the government’s action following Operation Sindoor and the military conflict with Pakistan.

Earlier this month Modi took a dig at the INDIA alliance in the presence of Tharoor and Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the inauguration of the Vizhinjam International Port. Modi said that Tharoor's presence at the event would give "sleepless nights" to many.

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