<p>A week after the BJP accused Congress leader Shashi Tharoor of making defamatory remarks against his Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha election rival Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the three-term Member of Parliament has been booked by the authorities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The case was registered on April 15 on a complaint by Bharatiya Janata Party leader JR Padmakumar.</p>

<p>Thiruvananthapuram is set to vote on April 26 and the two leaders are locked in a tight contest in which Tharoor is faced with the challenge to save what is described as a Congress bastion.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What is Tharoor accused of?</strong></h2>

<p>Shashi Tharoor has been accused of falsely claiming that Chandrasekhar influenced voters in the coastal region during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Congress MP was booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 171-G and 500, and&nbsp;Section 65 of the Information Technology Act.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/battle-of-the-bastions-will-tharoors-thiruvananthapuram-become-bjps-gateway-in-kerala-711972">Battle of the Bastions: Will Tharoor's Thiruvananthapuram become BJP's gateway in Kerala?</a></strong></p>

<p>Section 171-G of the IPC pertains to making false statements in connection with elections while Section 500 deals with punishment for defamation.</p>

<p>Earlier this month, Tharoor claimed in an interview that he had received information from various sources, including "certain important community leaders and parish priests", suggesting that the BJP was trying to influence voters with cash.</p>

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<p>Following this, Chandrasekhar sent a legal notice to Tharoor and accused the Congress MP of making defamatory statements against him.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;India Election 2024: Shashi Tharoor accepts rival Rajeev Chandrasekhar's challenge, welcomes debate</strong></p>

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<p>"With his baseless allegation, he has also damaged the reputation of religious and community organisations in the [state] capital," the BJP leader said in a social media post. "Rest assured, I will ensure that this slander is countered using all legal means. It’s disgraceful to see a three-time MP stooping to third-rate politics in his desperation."</p>

<p>The BJP also complained to the Election Commission against the Congress MP.</p>

<p>On April 14, the poll body issued a "strict warning" to Tharoor for allegedly making unverified accusations against Chandrasekhar.</p>


A week after the BJP accused Congress leader Shashi Tharoor of making defamatory remarks against his Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha election rival Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the three-term Member of Parliament has been booked by the authorities.

A week after the BJP accused Congress leader Shashi Tharoor of making defamatory remarks against his Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha election rival Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the three-term Member of Parliament has been booked by the authorities. The case was registered on April 15 on a complaint by Bharatiya Janata Party leader JR Padmakumar. Thiruvananthapuram is set to vote on April 26 and the two leaders are locked in a tight contest in which Tharoor is faced with the challenge to save what is described as a Congress bastion. What is Tharoor accused of? Shashi Tharoor has been accused of falsely claiming that Chandrasekhar influenced voters in the coastal region during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The Congress MP was booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 171-G and 500, and Section 65 of the Information Technology Act. Also read | Battle of the Bastions: Will Tharoor's Thiruvananthapuram become BJP's gateway in Kerala? Section 171-G of the IPC pertains to making false statements in connection with elections while Section 500 deals with punishment for defamation. Earlier this month, Tharoor claimed in an interview that he had received information from various sources, including "certain important community leaders and parish priests", suggesting that the BJP was trying to influence voters with cash. View this post on Instagram A post shared by WION (@wionews) × Following this, Chandrasekhar sent a legal notice to Tharoor and accused the Congress MP of making defamatory statements against him. Also watch | India Election 2024: Shashi Tharoor accepts rival Rajeev Chandrasekhar's challenge, welcomes debate × "With his baseless allegation, he has also damaged the reputation of religious and community organisations in the [state] capital," the BJP leader said in a social media post. "Rest assured, I will ensure that this slander is countered using all legal means. It’s disgraceful to see a three-time MP stooping to third-rate politics in his desperation." The BJP also complained to the Election Commission against the Congress MP. On April 14, the poll body issued a "strict warning" to Tharoor for allegedly making unverified accusations against Chandrasekhar.

Shashi Tharoor booked under IT Act for alleged defamatory remarks against BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar

<p>In 2009, the UN diplomat-turned-Congress leader Shashi Tharoor successfully shed his outsider tag in Thiruvananthapuram, the Lok Sabha constituency that encompasses the major part of Thiruvananthapuram city, the capital of Kerala.</p>

<p>Fifteen years later, the former UN Under Secretary General, now a three-term elected member of parliament, is at the centre of the most sought after poll contest in the southern state of Kerala. The electorate in Kerala's all 20 parliamentary constituencies will vote on April 26 during the second phase of polling for the elections of 18th Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian parliament directly elected by the people.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has never won a Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, the southern state almost alternately governed by the Congress and Left parties in recent decades.</p>

<p>But with Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar as its Lok Sabha candidate against Tharoor, the BJP is hoping that Thiruvananthapuram would emerge as its gateway to Kerala this time.</p>

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<p>The ruling party with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at its helm came close to winning Thiruvananthapuram in 2014, when O. Rajagopal lost out to Shashi Tharoor by a wafer thin margin of over 15,000 votes in a contest that turned trilateral between the Congress, BJP and Communist Party of India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Shashi Tharoor extended his margin of victory to nearly 100,000 votes in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP is expecting a repeat of electoral circumstances similar to 2014 to push Chandrasekhar to the edge of victory.&nbsp;<br />
<img alt="Battle of the Bastions" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="305441c0-56e2-412d-a7ef-841795cc840b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/BattleOfTheBastions%20%282%29.png" /></p>

<p><em>Battle of the Bastions: Shashi Tharoor's performance in Thiruvananthapuram during last three General Elections</em></p>

<p>The BJP led in four of Thiruvananthapuram's seven assembly segments in 2014.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But Tharoor's victory margin in three state assembly segments of Parassala, Kovalam and Nettattinkara was enough to pave his path to Lok Sabha in New Delhi.&nbsp;<img alt="Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0a34d5ae-b48a-43f8-9a10-a163b7d098f0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/BattleOfTheBastions%20%283%29.png" /></p>

<p><em>Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency: Distribution of state assembly segments</em></p>

<p>But despite Chandrasekhar as its candidate against Tharoor, it is not going to be an "easy outing for the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram", said psephologist and political strategist JVC Sreeram.</p>

<p>"What Chandrasekhar's candidature tells is the fact that BJP is serious about making a dent in Kerala. Having come second in 2014 and in 2019, it sees a serious chance in Thiruvananthapuram. By fielding Rajeev Chandrasekar they have turned this into a battle of intellectuals. Both of them could appeal to the elite of the constituency," Sreeram added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Thiruvananthapuram is scheduled to vote on April 26. The counting of votes will be held on June 4, 2024.</p>


In 2009, the UN diplomat-turned-Congress leader Shashi Tharoor successfully shed his outsider tag in Thiruvananthapuram, the Lok Sabha constituency that encompasses the major part of Thiruvananthapuram city, the capital of Kerala.

In 2009, the UN diplomat-turned-Congress leader Shashi Tharoor successfully shed his outsider tag in Thiruvananthapuram, the Lok Sabha constituency that encompasses the major part of Thiruvananthapuram city, the capital of Kerala. Fifteen years later, the former UN Under Secretary General, now a three-term elected member of parliament, is at the centre of the most sought after poll contest in the southern state of Kerala. The electorate in Kerala's all 20 parliamentary constituencies will vote on April 26 during the second phase of polling for the elections of 18th Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian parliament directly elected by the people. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has never won a Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, the southern state almost alternately governed by the Congress and Left parties in recent decades. But with Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar as its Lok Sabha candidate against Tharoor, the BJP is hoping that Thiruvananthapuram would emerge as its gateway to Kerala this time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by WION (@wionews) × The ruling party with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at its helm came close to winning Thiruvananthapuram in 2014, when O. Rajagopal lost out to Shashi Tharoor by a wafer thin margin of over 15,000 votes in a contest that turned trilateral between the Congress, BJP and Communist Party of India. While Shashi Tharoor extended his margin of victory to nearly 100,000 votes in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP is expecting a repeat of electoral circumstances similar to 2014 to push Chandrasekhar to the edge of victory. Battle of the Bastions: Shashi Tharoor's performance in Thiruvananthapuram during last three General Elections The BJP led in four of Thiruvananthapuram's seven assembly segments in 2014. But Tharoor's victory margin in three state assembly segments of Parassala, Kovalam and Nettattinkara was enough to pave his path to Lok Sabha in New Delhi. Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency: Distribution of state assembly segments But despite Chandrasekhar as its candidate against Tharoor, it is not going to be an "easy outing for the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram", said psephologist and political strategist JVC Sreeram. "What Chandrasekhar's candidature tells is the fact that BJP is serious about making a dent in Kerala. Having come second in 2014 and in 2019, it sees a serious chance in Thiruvananthapuram. By fielding Rajeev Chandrasekar they have turned this into a battle of intellectuals. Both of them could appeal to the elite of the constituency," Sreeram added. Thiruvananthapuram is scheduled to vote on April 26. The counting of votes will be held on June 4, 2024.

Battle of the Bastions: Will Tharoor's Thiruvananthapuram become BJP's gateway in Kerala?

<p>Union Minister of State for Information Technology and Electronics, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has initiated legal action against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, over alleged defamation. The action comes days after both leaders expressed readiness to engage in a debate on the topic of regional development in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram.&nbsp;Both the leaders are contesting in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The defamation case by&nbsp;Chandrasekhar against Tharoor comes at a juncture when a complaint was lodged by the Congress, to authenticate the affidavit submitted by Chandrasekhar as he had reported a taxable income of INR 680 for the fiscal year 2021-2022.</p>

<p>The latest defamation row stemmed from comments made by Tharoor during a recent television appearance. Chandrasekhar has accused Tharoor of spreading falsehoods about bribery in the BJP leader's campaign.</p>

<h2><strong>Chandrasekhar's legal notice</strong></h2>

<p>Chandrasekhar's legal notice contended that Tharoor's statements were intended to tarnish his reputation and image and were aimed at disrespecting the Christian community of Thiruvananthapuram by suggesting they are involved in alleged cash-for-votes schemes.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-warns-patanjali-in-ads-case-says-will-rip-you-apart-709803">Supreme Court warns Patanjali in ads case says ‘will rip you apart’</a></p>

<p>Moreover, the notice also alleged that Tharoor's remarks violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). It said that the comments were made to undermine Chandrasekhar's electoral efforts and turn it to Tharoor's advantage in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/candidates-dont-need-to-give-threadbare-account-of-their-lives-to-voters-supreme-court-709793">Candidates don't need to give 'threadbare' account of their lives to voters: Supreme Court</a></p>

<p>The notice also demanded that Tharoor retract the allegations immediately. It also sought for an unconditional public apology through print and electronic media.&nbsp;</p>

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<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-did-not-interfere-in-polls-won-by-trudeau-officials-probe-709797">India did not interfere in polls won by Trudeau: Officials Probe</a></strong></p>

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<p>The notice said that failure to comply within 24 hours would result in Chandrasekhar pursuing appropriate legal action.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, Tharoor while welcoming a debate said, "But the people of Thiruvananthapuram are aware of who has been evading a debate till now. Let us debate politics and development."</p>

<p>"Let us debate price hike, unemployment, corruption, communalism, and the BJP's 10 years of propagating politics of hatred. Let us also discuss about the development of Thiruvananthapuram and the visible progress we have made in last 15 years," he had added.</p>
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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Union Minister of State for Information Technology and Electronics, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has initiated legal action against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, over alleged defamation.

Union Minister of State for Information Technology and Electronics, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has initiated legal action against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, over alleged defamation. The action comes days after both leaders expressed readiness to engage in a debate on the topic of regional development in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram. Both the leaders are contesting in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency. The defamation case by Chandrasekhar against Tharoor comes at a juncture when a complaint was lodged by the Congress, to authenticate the affidavit submitted by Chandrasekhar as he had reported a taxable income of INR 680 for the fiscal year 2021-2022. The latest defamation row stemmed from comments made by Tharoor during a recent television appearance. Chandrasekhar has accused Tharoor of spreading falsehoods about bribery in the BJP leader's campaign. Chandrasekhar's legal notice Chandrasekhar's legal notice contended that Tharoor's statements were intended to tarnish his reputation and image and were aimed at disrespecting the Christian community of Thiruvananthapuram by suggesting they are involved in alleged cash-for-votes schemes. Also Read | Supreme Court warns Patanjali in ads case says ‘will rip you apart’ Moreover, the notice also alleged that Tharoor's remarks violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). It said that the comments were made to undermine Chandrasekhar's electoral efforts and turn it to Tharoor's advantage in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Also Read | Candidates don't need to give 'threadbare' account of their lives to voters: Supreme Court The notice also demanded that Tharoor retract the allegations immediately. It also sought for an unconditional public apology through print and electronic media. Watch | India did not interfere in polls won by Trudeau: Officials Probe × The notice said that failure to comply within 24 hours would result in Chandrasekhar pursuing appropriate legal action. Earlier, Tharoor while welcoming a debate said, "But the people of Thiruvananthapuram are aware of who has been evading a debate till now. Let us debate politics and development." "Let us debate price hike, unemployment, corruption, communalism, and the BJP's 10 years of propagating politics of hatred. Let us also discuss about the development of Thiruvananthapuram and the visible progress we have made in last 15 years," he had added. (With inputs from agencies)

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar initiates defamation action against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor

<p><strong>Lok Sabha Elections 2024</strong>: Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram is gearing up for an unprecedented electoral contest between the serving Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor of the Indian National Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's Rajeev Chandrasekhar, also a minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chandrasekhar recently said that he is ready to debate with Tharoor over development in Thiruvananthapuram, a Lok Sabha constituency which territorially covers most of the Kerala capital.</p>

<p>Tharoor promptly accepted the challenge and added that voters in the constituency know who has been evading a debate.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-2024-bjps-first-list-puts-focus-on-continuity-winnability-top-points-696077">Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BJP`s first list puts focus on continuity, winnability | Top points</a></strong></p>

<p>"Yes, I welcome a debate. But the people of Thiruvananthapuram are aware of who has been evading a debate till now. Let us debate politics and development," Shashi Tharoor, a three-term MP from Thiruvananthapuram wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).</p>

<p>"Let us debate price hike, unemployment, corruption, communalism, and the BJP's 10 years of propagating politics of hatred. Let us also discuss about the development of Thiruvananthapuram and the visible progress we have made in last 15 years," he added.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Yes, I welcome a debate. But the people of Thiruvananthapuram are aware of who has been evading a debate till now.<br />
<br />
Let us debate politics and development.<br />
<br />
Let us debate price hike, unemployment, corruption, communalism and the BJP's 10 years of propagating politics of hatred.… <a href="https://t.co/cJTHX5DC7G">pic.twitter.com/cJTHX5DC7G</a></p>
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1776974278631805004?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency is in the middle of a high-voltage poll campaign. Chandrasekhar is in the fray for a Lok Sabha seat for the first time&nbsp;and has been assigned the task of replacing Tharoor.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tharoor himself has been significantly popular in and beyond his Thiruvananthapuram constituency. He defeated BJP's Kummanam Rajasekharan in the 2019 Lok Sabha Polls by over 100,000 votes, garnering over 41 per cent of the total votes polled. But in 2014, the former diplomat faced a scare after BJP's O. Rajagopal came close to winning from Thiruvananthapuram before beginning to trail in the last rounds of vote counting. Tharoor finally managed to win in 2014 by just over 15,000 votes.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Rajeev Chandrasekhar exclusive: Decoding India's 'Techade'</strong></p>

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<p>The 2014 election results show that Tharoor is not exactly undefeatable in Thiruvananthapuram despite it being described as a Congress bastion. It is this exact attribute of the constituency that Chandrasekhar is currently riding on in his bid to get elected from Thiruvananthapuram.</p>

<p>Kerala is set to vote to elect its 20 Lok Sabha MPs on April 26. Results will be declared on June 4.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram is gearing up for an unprecedented electoral contest between the serving Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor of the Indian National Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's Rajeev Chandrasekhar, also a minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram is gearing up for an unprecedented electoral contest between the serving Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor of the Indian National Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's Rajeev Chandrasekhar, also a minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet. Chandrasekhar recently said that he is ready to debate with Tharoor over development in Thiruvananthapuram, a Lok Sabha constituency which territorially covers most of the Kerala capital. Tharoor promptly accepted the challenge and added that voters in the constituency know who has been evading a debate. Also read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BJP`s first list puts focus on continuity, winnability | Top points "Yes, I welcome a debate. But the people of Thiruvananthapuram are aware of who has been evading a debate till now. Let us debate politics and development," Shashi Tharoor, a three-term MP from Thiruvananthapuram wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). "Let us debate price hike, unemployment, corruption, communalism, and the BJP's 10 years of propagating politics of hatred. Let us also discuss about the development of Thiruvananthapuram and the visible progress we have made in last 15 years," he added. Yes, I welcome a debate. But the people of Thiruvananthapuram are aware of who has been evading a debate till now. Let us debate politics and development. Let us debate price hike, unemployment, corruption, communalism and the BJP's 10 years of propagating politics of hatred.… pic.twitter.com/cJTHX5DC7G — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 7, 2024 × The Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency is in the middle of a high-voltage poll campaign. Chandrasekhar is in the fray for a Lok Sabha seat for the first time and has been assigned the task of replacing Tharoor. Tharoor himself has been significantly popular in and beyond his Thiruvananthapuram constituency. He defeated BJP's Kummanam Rajasekharan in the 2019 Lok Sabha Polls by over 100,000 votes, garnering over 41 per cent of the total votes polled. But in 2014, the former diplomat faced a scare after BJP's O. Rajagopal came close to winning from Thiruvananthapuram before beginning to trail in the last rounds of vote counting. Tharoor finally managed to win in 2014 by just over 15,000 votes. Also watch | Rajeev Chandrasekhar exclusive: Decoding India's 'Techade' × The 2014 election results show that Tharoor is not exactly undefeatable in Thiruvananthapuram despite it being described as a Congress bastion. It is this exact attribute of the constituency that Chandrasekhar is currently riding on in his bid to get elected from Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala is set to vote to elect its 20 Lok Sabha MPs on April 26. Results will be declared on June 4. (With inputs from agencies)

Stage set for India's first election 'Open Debate'? Shashi Tharoor accepts Rajeev Chandrasekhar's challenge

Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor on Monday said he is ready to hold a debate with Union minister and BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who is contesting against him from the Kerala constituency.

India Election 2024: Shashi Tharoor agrees to an open debate offer by Rajeev Chandrashekhar

India Election 2024: Shashi Tharoor accepts rival Rajeev Chandrasekhar's challenge, welcomes debate

<p>Senior Indian National Congress (INC) leader Shashi Tharoor hit out at the Communist Party of India (CPI) on Tuesday (Mar 19), accusing it of diving votes in Thiruvananthapuram, a city in the Indian state of Kerala state he represents in the Lok Sabha. Both Congress and CPI are part of&nbsp;of the INDIA alliance.</p>

<p>Tharoor has been representing Thiruvananthapuram for the past 15 years in the Lok Sabha and he is eyeing a record fourth term.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said that it is ironic that the Left party which complains about Rahul Gandhi's candidature in Wayanad is "playing the BJP's game" in Thiruvananthapuram.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-top-court-seeks-centres-response-to-pleas-calling-for-stay-on-caa-rules-701932">India's top court seeks centre's response to pleas calling for stay on CAA rules</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The Congress candidate from Thiruvananthapuram said the only effect of the CPI's campaign against him in the constituency is to divide the anti-BJP vote, "and they preach alliance dharma in Wayanad".&nbsp;</p>

<p>He asked CPI why are they undercutting his vote by running a candidate whose campaigning has been entirely against Tharoor. &nbsp;</p>

<p>He said, "Last two elections the BJP came second, if they're really so concerned about opposition unity. I have not heard the Left speaking against the BJP, they're speaking against me all the time and trying to take away for example minority votes."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-2024-nda-dumps-union-minister-pashupati-paras-in-bihar-embraces-nephew-paswan-701702">Lok Sabha Elections 2024: NDA dumps union minister Pashupati Paras in Bihar, embraces nephew Paswan</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The Congress leader alleged that this is a tactic which can only help the third party namely the BJP. He again asked, "I'm asking the CPI what are you talking about? Why are you doing this here? And then demanding alliance between Dharma and Wayanad be consistent that's my message."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch his video:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, "...Last two elections the BJP came second, if they're really so concerned about opposition unity why are they undercutting my vote by running a candidate whose campaigning has been entirely against me? I have not heard the left speaking… <a href="https://t.co/57hKI0qYuB">pic.twitter.com/57hKI0qYuB</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1769987477148668133?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Thiruvananthapuram constituency is all set for a high-profile fight in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Tharoor is facing Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar of the BJP while Pannyan Raveendran is in the fray representing the Left.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Exuding confidence, Tharoor recently said, "I've served the people of Thiruvananthapuram for 15 years. They know me and have seen my service. It's not as if I've got anything to be ashamed of in my track record. I've been consistently available and attended to all the major issues."&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


Senior Indian National Congress (INC) leader Shashi Tharoor hit out at the Communist Party of India (CPI) on Tuesday (Mar 19), accusing it of diving votes in Thiruvananthapuram, a city in the Indian state of Kerala state he represents in the Lok Sabha.

Senior Indian National Congress (INC) leader Shashi Tharoor hit out at the Communist Party of India (CPI) on Tuesday (Mar 19), accusing it of diving votes in Thiruvananthapuram, a city in the Indian state of Kerala state he represents in the Lok Sabha. Both Congress and CPI are part of of the INDIA alliance. Tharoor has been representing Thiruvananthapuram for the past 15 years in the Lok Sabha and he is eyeing a record fourth term. He said that it is ironic that the Left party which complains about Rahul Gandhi's candidature in Wayanad is "playing the BJP's game" in Thiruvananthapuram. Also read: India's top court seeks centre's response to pleas calling for stay on CAA rules The Congress candidate from Thiruvananthapuram said the only effect of the CPI's campaign against him in the constituency is to divide the anti-BJP vote, "and they preach alliance dharma in Wayanad". He asked CPI why are they undercutting his vote by running a candidate whose campaigning has been entirely against Tharoor. He said, "Last two elections the BJP came second, if they're really so concerned about opposition unity. I have not heard the Left speaking against the BJP, they're speaking against me all the time and trying to take away for example minority votes." Also read: Lok Sabha Elections 2024: NDA dumps union minister Pashupati Paras in Bihar, embraces nephew Paswan The Congress leader alleged that this is a tactic which can only help the third party namely the BJP. He again asked, "I'm asking the CPI what are you talking about? Why are you doing this here? And then demanding alliance between Dharma and Wayanad be consistent that's my message." Watch his video: #WATCH | Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, "...Last two elections the BJP came second, if they're really so concerned about opposition unity why are they undercutting my vote by running a candidate whose campaigning has been entirely against me? I have not heard the left speaking… pic.twitter.com/57hKI0qYuB — ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2024 × Thiruvananthapuram constituency is all set for a high-profile fight in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Tharoor is facing Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar of the BJP while Pannyan Raveendran is in the fray representing the Left. Exuding confidence, Tharoor recently said, "I've served the people of Thiruvananthapuram for 15 years. They know me and have seen my service. It's not as if I've got anything to be ashamed of in my track record. I've been consistently available and attended to all the major issues." (With inputs from agencies)

Alliance dharma: Congress' Shashi Tharoor accuses INDIA ally CPI of playing BJP’s game in Thiruvananthapuram

Indian nation is heading to general elections, the principal Opposition party- the Indian National Congress has released its first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024.

India General Elections 2024: Congress releases 1st list, Tharoor to contest from Thiruvananthapuram

<p>Congress MP Shashi Tharoor revealed that he wasn't invited to the Ram Temple idol-installation event on January 22 in Ayodhya. In a subtle critique of the BJP, he stressed on viewing religion as a personal attribute, not for political exploitation.</p>

<p>"Was interrogated by the waiting press, wanting to know if I would be going to Ayodhya on January 22. I told them I hadn’t been invited but I saw religion as a personal attribute and not one for political (mis)use," he wrote on X.</p>

<p>Tharoor expressed his perspective on religion during media interactions, asserting that it should remain a personal choice and not be manipulated for political gains.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ram-temple-landscape-map-released-features-include-14-ft-wide-percota-green-spaces-673959">Also read |&nbsp;India: Ram temple landscape map released, features include 14-ft wide percota, green spaces</a></p>

<h2><strong>Media's role in shaping narrative</strong></h2>

<p>Without explicitly naming the BJP, Tharoor accused the media of diverting attention from critical governance issues. He highlighted that focusing excessively on the temple event allowed political entities to sidestep discussions on unemployment, inflation, public welfare, and national security.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Was interrogated by the waiting press, wanting to know if I would be going to Ayodhya on January 22. I told them I hadn’t been invited but I saw religion as a personal attribute and not one for political (mis)use.<br />
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I also pointed out that by making such a major news story of the… <a href="https://t.co/LQpybKbT3t">pic.twitter.com/LQpybKbT3t</a></p>
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<p>Tharoor underscored his alignment with Sam Pitroda's stance that temples are not within the government's domain.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Temples are not the government’s business; unemployment, inflation, public welfare and national security are. But the media allows the temple to turn the focus away from those issues," Tharoor added.</p>

<p>Tharoor criticised the media for sensationalising the temple event, suggesting it detracted attention from substantive governance issues. He implied that such diversions benefited those aiming to capitalize on the religious event while steering clear of addressing governance failures.</p>

<p>While thousands, including political figures and Bollywood celebrities, received invitations for the ceremony, Tharoor's party colleagues Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury were invited. However, the Congress party hasn't confirmed their attendance.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Ayodhya's Ram Mandir (Temple) set to open for public from January 2024</strong></p>

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<p>CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury accused the government of intertwining religion with politics, and rejected the VHP's invitation. Congress leader Sam Pitroda echoed Tharoor's sentiments, advocating for a separation between religion and politics.</p>

<p>Pitroda argued against making religious issues a primary political platform and emphasised addressing critical matters like employment and inflation. The BJP, in response, accused Pitroda of practicing appeasement politics.</p>

<p>The Supreme Court's 2019 ruling ended the decades-long dispute by permitting the construction of the Ram Temple on the disputed site. It also directed authorities to allocate an alternative land parcel for the construction of a mosque.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Congress MP Shashi Tharoor revealed that he wasn't invited to the Ram Temple idol-installation event on January 22 in Ayodhya. In a subtle critique of the BJP, he stressed on viewing religion as a personal attribute, not for political exploitation.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor revealed that he wasn't invited to the Ram Temple idol-installation event on January 22 in Ayodhya. In a subtle critique of the BJP, he stressed on viewing religion as a personal attribute, not for political exploitation. "Was interrogated by the waiting press, wanting to know if I would be going to Ayodhya on January 22. I told them I hadn’t been invited but I saw religion as a personal attribute and not one for political (mis)use," he wrote on X. Tharoor expressed his perspective on religion during media interactions, asserting that it should remain a personal choice and not be manipulated for political gains. Also read | India: Ram temple landscape map released, features include 14-ft wide percota, green spaces Media's role in shaping narrative Without explicitly naming the BJP, Tharoor accused the media of diverting attention from critical governance issues. He highlighted that focusing excessively on the temple event allowed political entities to sidestep discussions on unemployment, inflation, public welfare, and national security. Was interrogated by the waiting press, wanting to know if I would be going to Ayodhya on January 22. I told them I hadn’t been invited but I saw religion as a personal attribute and not one for political (mis)use. I also pointed out that by making such a major news story of the… pic.twitter.com/LQpybKbT3t — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 27, 2023 × Tharoor underscored his alignment with Sam Pitroda's stance that temples are not within the government's domain. "Temples are not the government’s business; unemployment, inflation, public welfare and national security are. But the media allows the temple to turn the focus away from those issues," Tharoor added. Tharoor criticised the media for sensationalising the temple event, suggesting it detracted attention from substantive governance issues. He implied that such diversions benefited those aiming to capitalize on the religious event while steering clear of addressing governance failures. While thousands, including political figures and Bollywood celebrities, received invitations for the ceremony, Tharoor's party colleagues Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury were invited. However, the Congress party hasn't confirmed their attendance. Also watch | Ayodhya's Ram Mandir (Temple) set to open for public from January 2024 CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury accused the government of intertwining religion with politics, and rejected the VHP's invitation. Congress leader Sam Pitroda echoed Tharoor's sentiments, advocating for a separation between religion and politics. Pitroda argued against making religious issues a primary political platform and emphasised addressing critical matters like employment and inflation. The BJP, in response, accused Pitroda of practicing appeasement politics. The Supreme Court's 2019 ruling ended the decades-long dispute by permitting the construction of the Ram Temple on the disputed site. It also directed authorities to allocate an alternative land parcel for the construction of a mosque. (With inputs from agencies)

Ram temple consecration ceremony: Shashi Tharoor slams BJP over politicisation of religious event

<p>The G20 Summit in New Delhi witnessed a remarkable achievement as consensus was reached on language used in the declaration regarding the Ukraine conflict, culminating in the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration. This monumental success followed grueling negotiations, extensive bilateral meetings, and multiple draft revisions. G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, who led the charge, commended the tireless efforts of two members of his team, Nag Naidu and Eenam Gambhir.</p>

<p>The most challenging aspect of the entire G20 Summit revolved around establishing consensus on the geopolitical quagmire of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This Herculean task required an astonishing 200 hours of non-stop negotiations, involving 300 bilateral meetings and the refinement of 15 draft documents.</p>

<p>Amitabh Kant, sharing his perspective on X (formerly Twitter), acknowledged the immense complexity of this task.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The most complex part of the entire <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/G20?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#G20</a> was to bring consensus on the geopolitical paras (Russia-Ukraine). This was done over 200 hours of non -stop negotiations, 300 bilateral meetings, 15 drafts. In this, I was greatly assisted by two brilliant officers - <a href="https://twitter.com/NagNaidu08?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NagNaidu08</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/eenamg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@eenamg</a> <a href="https://t.co/l8bOEFPP37">pic.twitter.com/l8bOEFPP37</a></p>
— Amitabh Kant (@amitabhk87) <a href="https://twitter.com/amitabhk87/status/1700692724910080350?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>India's victory&nbsp;in the face of adversity</strong></h2>

<p>The G20's adoption of the New Delhi Declaration stands as a monumental victory for India. This achievement was especially noteworthy considering the backdrop of formidable challenges stemming from the Ukraine conflict and discord over addressing climate change.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/g20-summit-new-delhi-declaration-adopted-read-the-full-text-here-634331">G20 Summit: New Delhi Declaration adopted, read the full text here</a></p>

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement following the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration reflected the significance of this accomplishment. He lauded the unwavering dedication of the team that facilitated the consensus, emphasising the inclusive, decisive, and action-oriented nature of India's presidency.</p>

<h2>The New Delhi declaration</h2>

<p>Amitabh Kant, in a press briefing, highlighted the essence of India's presidency and the New Delhi Declaration. With a total of 83 clauses, all 83 achieved unanimous consensus among participating nations.</p>

<p>Notably, there were eight clauses addressing geopolitical issues under the theme of "Planet, People, Peace, and Prosperity," and each of these received unanimous support.</p>

<p>A remarkable aspect of the New Delhi Declaration was its unanimous endorsement by all participating countries. This consensus was achieved without a single footnote or Chair's Summary, making it a comprehensive and unequivocal statement supported by 100 per cent unanimity.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Inside Visuals of UK PM Rishi Sunak visiting Akshardham Temple</strong></p>

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<p>Amitabh Kant and his team received widespread praise for their exceptional work in building consensus on contentious issues like the Ukraine conflict. One notable voice of commendation came from senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament, Shashi Tharoor. He acknowledged Kant's diplomatic prowess and celebrated India's proud moment at the G20.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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The G20 Summit in New Delhi witnessed a remarkable achievement as consensus was reached on language used in the declaration regarding the Ukraine conflict, culminating in the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration.

The G20 Summit in New Delhi witnessed a remarkable achievement as consensus was reached on language used in the declaration regarding the Ukraine conflict, culminating in the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration. This monumental success followed grueling negotiations, extensive bilateral meetings, and multiple draft revisions. G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, who led the charge, commended the tireless efforts of two members of his team, Nag Naidu and Eenam Gambhir. The most challenging aspect of the entire G20 Summit revolved around establishing consensus on the geopolitical quagmire of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This Herculean task required an astonishing 200 hours of non-stop negotiations, involving 300 bilateral meetings and the refinement of 15 draft documents. Amitabh Kant, sharing his perspective on X (formerly Twitter), acknowledged the immense complexity of this task. The most complex part of the entire #G20 was to bring consensus on the geopolitical paras (Russia-Ukraine). This was done over 200 hours of non -stop negotiations, 300 bilateral meetings, 15 drafts. In this, I was greatly assisted by two brilliant officers - @NagNaidu08 & @eenamg pic.twitter.com/l8bOEFPP37 — Amitabh Kant (@amitabhk87) September 10, 2023 × India's victory in the face of adversity The G20's adoption of the New Delhi Declaration stands as a monumental victory for India. This achievement was especially noteworthy considering the backdrop of formidable challenges stemming from the Ukraine conflict and discord over addressing climate change. Also read | G20 Summit: New Delhi Declaration adopted, read the full text here Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement following the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration reflected the significance of this accomplishment. He lauded the unwavering dedication of the team that facilitated the consensus, emphasising the inclusive, decisive, and action-oriented nature of India's presidency. The New Delhi declaration Amitabh Kant, in a press briefing, highlighted the essence of India's presidency and the New Delhi Declaration. With a total of 83 clauses, all 83 achieved unanimous consensus among participating nations. Notably, there were eight clauses addressing geopolitical issues under the theme of "Planet, People, Peace, and Prosperity," and each of these received unanimous support. A remarkable aspect of the New Delhi Declaration was its unanimous endorsement by all participating countries. This consensus was achieved without a single footnote or Chair's Summary, making it a comprehensive and unequivocal statement supported by 100 per cent unanimity. Watch | Inside Visuals of UK PM Rishi Sunak visiting Akshardham Temple Amitabh Kant and his team received widespread praise for their exceptional work in building consensus on contentious issues like the Ukraine conflict. One notable voice of commendation came from senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament, Shashi Tharoor. He acknowledged Kant's diplomatic prowess and celebrated India's proud moment at the G20. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

G20 sherpa's herculean effort: 200 hours, 300 meetings culminate in Delhi consensus

<p>Indian National Congress (INC) on Sunday (August 20) reshuffled its intra-party top decision-making body. There were some notable inclusions in the Congress Working Committee (CWC). Sachin Pilot, a leader from the younger ranks in the Congress, has been included in the CWC. So was former Union minister Shashi Tharoor. The Congress party has been trying to placate Sachin Pilot, who is former deputy chief minister of Rajasthan, the state which will soon face assembly elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In addition to these two, Syed Nasser Hussain and Deepa Das Munshi are the new entrants to the CWC.</p>

<p>Das Munshi was a Member of Parliament from West Bengal and is wife of veteran Congress leader the late Priya Ranjan Das Munshi. Syed Nasser Hussian is member of the Rajya Sabha, the higher chamber of Parliament of India. He has previously served as Congress' national media panellist.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Media reports suggest that Sachin Pilot is likely to be made party in-charge of a prominent Indian state.</p>

<p>Shashi Tharoor, in a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), said that he was 'honoured' by his inclusion in the CWC.</p>

<p>"I am honoured by the decision of the @INCIndia President Shri Mallikarjun @Kharge ji and the Congress central leadership to nominate me to the Working Committee. As one who is aware of the historic role played by the CWC in guiding the party over the last 138 years, I am humbled and grateful to be part of this institution, and look forward to the opportunity to serve the party alongside my dedicated colleagues. None of us can accomplish anything without the lakhs of committed workers who are the lifeblood of the party. Today, above all, I bow to them. The countless Indians who seek a more inclusive and accepting India deserve the best from us," wrote Tharoor.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I am honoured by the decision of the <a href="https://twitter.com/INCIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@INCIndia</a> President Shri Mallikarjun <a href="https://twitter.com/kharge?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Kharge</a> ji and the Congress central leadership to nominate me to the Working Committee. As one who is aware of the historic role played by the CWC in guiding the party over the last 138 years, I am humbled…</p>
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1693182125489422631?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Sachin Pilot has also posted in Hindi on X as well. He has thanked the Congress Party</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">कांग्रेस वर्किंग कमेटी (CWC) का सदस्य बनाए जाने पर मैं आदरणीय कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्री मल्लिकार्जुन खरगे जी, CPP चेयरपर्सन श्रीमती सोनिया गांधी जी एवं पूर्व अध्यक्ष श्री राहुल गांधी जी का आभार व्यक्त करता हूं।<br />
<br />
हम सभी कांग्रेस की रीति-नीति व विचारधारा को सशक्त करते हुए उसे और अधिक… <a href="https://t.co/LjK7N8WF4s">https://t.co/LjK7N8WF4s</a></p>
— Sachin Pilot (@SachinPilot) <a href="https://twitter.com/SachinPilot/status/1693196341151932606?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here is the full list of CWC members</p>

<p><img alt="CWC" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cc15b4a4-9587-4d02-82f6-07cf9f53917f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-08-20%20at%2014.26.42.jpeg" /></p>

<p><img alt="CWC" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="138011af-be1a-4f34-9f6b-d671666863ae" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-08-20%20at%2014.26.55.jpeg" /></p>

<p><img alt="CWC" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a39fef07-a132-4de0-87ed-adc7d1014818" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-08-20%20at%2014.27.05.jpeg" /></p>

<p>Just this year, Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal had said that the group of leaders bearing offices of the party should have half the leaders under the age of 50. Currently, only 3 of 39 CWC members are under 50 years of age. These are, Sachin Pilot, Gourav Gogoi and Kamaleshwar Patel.</p>

<p>Media reports have said citing sources that Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi who was previously in-charge of state of Uttar Pradesh will not be made party in-charge of any state.</p>

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Indian National Congress (INC) on Sunday (August 20) reshuffled its intra-party top decision-making body. There were some notable inclusions in the Congress Working Committee (CWC).

Indian National Congress (INC) on Sunday (August 20) reshuffled its intra-party top decision-making body. There were some notable inclusions in the Congress Working Committee (CWC). Sachin Pilot, a leader from the younger ranks in the Congress, has been included in the CWC. So was former Union minister Shashi Tharoor. The Congress party has been trying to placate Sachin Pilot, who is former deputy chief minister of Rajasthan, the state which will soon face assembly elections. In addition to these two, Syed Nasser Hussain and Deepa Das Munshi are the new entrants to the CWC. Das Munshi was a Member of Parliament from West Bengal and is wife of veteran Congress leader the late Priya Ranjan Das Munshi. Syed Nasser Hussian is member of the Rajya Sabha, the higher chamber of Parliament of India. He has previously served as Congress' national media panellist. Media reports suggest that Sachin Pilot is likely to be made party in-charge of a prominent Indian state. Shashi Tharoor, in a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), said that he was 'honoured' by his inclusion in the CWC. "I am honoured by the decision of the @INCIndia President Shri Mallikarjun @Kharge ji and the Congress central leadership to nominate me to the Working Committee. As one who is aware of the historic role played by the CWC in guiding the party over the last 138 years, I am humbled and grateful to be part of this institution, and look forward to the opportunity to serve the party alongside my dedicated colleagues. None of us can accomplish anything without the lakhs of committed workers who are the lifeblood of the party. Today, above all, I bow to them. The countless Indians who seek a more inclusive and accepting India deserve the best from us," wrote Tharoor. I am honoured by the decision of the @INCIndia President Shri Mallikarjun @Kharge ji and the Congress central leadership to nominate me to the Working Committee. As one who is aware of the historic role played by the CWC in guiding the party over the last 138 years, I am humbled… — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 20, 2023 × Sachin Pilot has also posted in Hindi on X as well. He has thanked the Congress Party कांग्रेस वर्किंग कमेटी (CWC) का सदस्य बनाए जाने पर मैं आदरणीय कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्री मल्लिकार्जुन खरगे जी, CPP चेयरपर्सन श्रीमती सोनिया गांधी जी एवं पूर्व अध्यक्ष श्री राहुल गांधी जी का आभार व्यक्त करता हूं। हम सभी कांग्रेस की रीति-नीति व विचारधारा को सशक्त करते हुए उसे और अधिक… https://t.co/LjK7N8WF4s — Sachin Pilot (@SachinPilot) August 20, 2023 × Here is the full list of CWC members Just this year, Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal had said that the group of leaders bearing offices of the party should have half the leaders under the age of 50. Currently, only 3 of 39 CWC members are under 50 years of age. These are, Sachin Pilot, Gourav Gogoi and Kamaleshwar Patel. Media reports have said citing sources that Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi who was previously in-charge of state of Uttar Pradesh will not be made party in-charge of any state. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

India: Congress party reconstitutes CWC, Shashi Tharoor and Sachin Pilot included

<p>Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday opposed the introduction of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and said that it is our right to oppose the bill.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking to reporters, the Lok Sabha MP said, "A brief introduction on the Delhi (NCT) Ordinance Bill took place in the Parliament today. However, only an introduction was held and not a debate on it. It is our right to oppose the introduction and five to six members of the opposition tried to oppose it".</p>

<p>"Although, one of the parties from the opposition supported the government. Others said that it is illegal and that the government is taking unconstitutional actions,"&nbsp;added Tharoor.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Notably, the bill to replace the ordinance for control of services in Delhi was introduced in Lok Sabha today. The controversial bill aims to replace an ordinance that granted the Centre control over Delhi's bureaucrats, thereby overriding a Supreme Court ruling favouring the elected government's authority in transfers and appointments.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/what-is-lokmanya-tilak-national-award-pm-modi-to-be-conferred-with-award-in-pune-621276">What is Lokmanya Tilak National Award? PM Modi conferred with the honour in Pune</a></strong></p>

<p>Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai introduced the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023.</p>

<p>Opposition members, including Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, NK Premachandran and Shashi Tharoor, opposed the introduction of the bill.</p>

<p>"I rise to oppose the introduction of the bill as the bill vindicates the outrageous infringement of this government upon the territory of the state. It is designed of digging up a graveyard for cooperative federalism. The state has rights over the subject centre is overriding powers," Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.</p>

<p>Revolutionist Socialist Party MP NK Premachandran questioned the legislative competence of Lok Sabha over the bill.<br />
"There is no meaning of government in delhi if this bill gets passed. It is taking away legislative powers from the elected government through bureaucrats. It is overriding the Supreme Court," he said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-women-sanitation-workers-earning-usd-3-per-day-win-usd-12-million-lottery-621397">India: Women sanitation workers, earning USD 3 per day, win USD 1.2 million lottery</a></strong></p>

<p>AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi said that this bill is violating multiple provisions of the constitution."It is a violation of Article 123. It is violating the separation of powers theory. There is no legislative competence. I demand a division of votes," he said.</p>

<p>Rejecting the contentions of opposition members, Home Minister Amit Shah said that Constitution has given the House power to pass any law regarding Delhi.</p>

<p>He said the Supreme Court judgement has clarified that parliament can bring any law regarding Delhi and the opposition parties were opposing its introduction for political considerations.</p>

<p>The bill empowers the Central Government to make rules in connection with the affairs of the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi including the functions, terms and other conditions of service of officers and employees.</p>

<p>The Centre on May 19 promulgated the Ordinance for control of services in Delhi. The ordinance was promulgated days after the Supreme Court order on the issue.&nbsp;</p>

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Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday opposed the introduction of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and said that it is our right to oppose the bill.

Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday opposed the introduction of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and said that it is our right to oppose the bill. Speaking to reporters, the Lok Sabha MP said, "A brief introduction on the Delhi (NCT) Ordinance Bill took place in the Parliament today. However, only an introduction was held and not a debate on it. It is our right to oppose the introduction and five to six members of the opposition tried to oppose it". "Although, one of the parties from the opposition supported the government. Others said that it is illegal and that the government is taking unconstitutional actions," added Tharoor. Notably, the bill to replace the ordinance for control of services in Delhi was introduced in Lok Sabha today. The controversial bill aims to replace an ordinance that granted the Centre control over Delhi's bureaucrats, thereby overriding a Supreme Court ruling favouring the elected government's authority in transfers and appointments. Also read | What is Lokmanya Tilak National Award? PM Modi conferred with the honour in Pune Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai introduced the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023. Opposition members, including Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, NK Premachandran and Shashi Tharoor, opposed the introduction of the bill. "I rise to oppose the introduction of the bill as the bill vindicates the outrageous infringement of this government upon the territory of the state. It is designed of digging up a graveyard for cooperative federalism. The state has rights over the subject centre is overriding powers," Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said. Revolutionist Socialist Party MP NK Premachandran questioned the legislative competence of Lok Sabha over the bill. "There is no meaning of government in delhi if this bill gets passed. It is taking away legislative powers from the elected government through bureaucrats. It is overriding the Supreme Court," he said. Also read | India: Women sanitation workers, earning USD 3 per day, win USD 1.2 million lottery AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi said that this bill is violating multiple provisions of the constitution."It is a violation of Article 123. It is violating the separation of powers theory. There is no legislative competence. I demand a division of votes," he said. Rejecting the contentions of opposition members, Home Minister Amit Shah said that Constitution has given the House power to pass any law regarding Delhi. He said the Supreme Court judgement has clarified that parliament can bring any law regarding Delhi and the opposition parties were opposing its introduction for political considerations. The bill empowers the Central Government to make rules in connection with the affairs of the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi including the functions, terms and other conditions of service of officers and employees. The Centre on May 19 promulgated the Ordinance for control of services in Delhi. The ordinance was promulgated days after the Supreme Court order on the issue. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'It is our right to oppose': Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor on introduction of Delhi Services Bill

<p>Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor bumped into former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar at the Dubai airport and the result was quite interesting. Tharoor shared a selfie with Akhtar and revealed that both of them talked about India and Pakistan as well as cricket. Notably, Tharoor was returning to Delhi after attending a Literature Festival in England when he met the former Pakistan pacer at the Dubai Airport. The senior politician called the meeting pleasant and heaped praises on the former cricketer. Shoaib Akhtar was also quick to reply to this tweet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tharoor described the Pakistan cricket legend as a smart, attractive, and flamboyant bowler. The 67-year-old politician also told Shoaib Akhtar about the mass fan following he has in India.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-world-cup-2023-full-schedule-out-ind-vs-pak-on-october-15-check-date-time-venue-all-you-need-to-know-609143">ICC World Cup 2023 full schedule out: Check date, time, venue &amp; all you need to know</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>Shashi Tharoor on meeting Shoaib Akhtar</strong></h2>

<p>Sharing his experience after meeting Shoaib Akhtar, Shashi Tharoor posted a selfie and wrote, “On my way back to Delhi via Dubai, was pleasantly surprised when Shoaib Akhtar said hello. What a smart &amp; engaging young man the tearaway fast bowler is! He has plenty of fans on our side of the border. All the Indians who came up to greet me wanted selfies with him too. Had a good conversation about (inevitably) India, Pakistan &amp; cricket.”</p>

<p>Shoaib Akhtar replied to his tweet and said that it was nice meeting the senior Congress leader.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">On my way back to Delhi via Dubai, was pleasantly surprised when <a href="https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@shoaib100mph</a> said hello. What a smart &amp; engaging young man the tearaway fast bowler is! He has plenty of fans on our side of the border: all the Indians who came up to greet me wanted selfies with him too. Had a_ <a href="https://t.co/4WZl8V1rbN">pic.twitter.com/4WZl8V1rbN</a></p>
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1673371321625870337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Twitter’s divided reactions to the friendly meet-up</strong></h2>

<p>Soon after Shashi Tharoor shared the selfie on his Twitter profile, netizens showered the post with divided reactions. While a few cricket fans liked the photo and also wished for peace between the two nations, some Twitter users seem to have problems with Tharoor praising and clicking selfies with Pakistan’s former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-real-madrid-remain-hopeful-of-signing-psg-star-kylian-mbappe-report-609081">Football: Real Madrid remain 'hopeful' of signing PSG star Kylian Mbappe - Report</a></strong></p>

<p>"1.4 billion Indians in the world, and of course, as a Congressi you bump into a Pakistani. Keep it up, old chap, good show,” wrote a Twitter user, while another tweet read, “There is nothing more shameful that Indian public elected MP is busy on meeting with a man who wants to capture India.”</p>

<p>Some fans also expressed their wish and wrote that Akhtar should also break his silence on the Pakistan Cricket Board’s statement on ICC ODI World Cup 2023 venue-changing demand.</p>


While sharing an update on his Twitter profile, Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweeted that he met former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar at Dubai airport. Tharoor was returning to Delhi after attending a Literature festival in England.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor bumped into former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar at the Dubai airport and the result was quite interesting. Tharoor shared a selfie with Akhtar and revealed that both of them talked about India and Pakistan as well as cricket. Notably, Tharoor was returning to Delhi after attending a Literature Festival in England when he met the former Pakistan pacer at the Dubai Airport. The senior politician called the meeting pleasant and heaped praises on the former cricketer. Shoaib Akhtar was also quick to reply to this tweet. Tharoor described the Pakistan cricket legend as a smart, attractive, and flamboyant bowler. The 67-year-old politician also told Shoaib Akhtar about the mass fan following he has in India. Also read: ICC World Cup 2023 full schedule out: Check date, time, venue & all you need to know Shashi Tharoor on meeting Shoaib Akhtar Sharing his experience after meeting Shoaib Akhtar, Shashi Tharoor posted a selfie and wrote, “On my way back to Delhi via Dubai, was pleasantly surprised when Shoaib Akhtar said hello. What a smart & engaging young man the tearaway fast bowler is! He has plenty of fans on our side of the border. All the Indians who came up to greet me wanted selfies with him too. Had a good conversation about (inevitably) India, Pakistan & cricket.” Shoaib Akhtar replied to his tweet and said that it was nice meeting the senior Congress leader. On my way back to Delhi via Dubai, was pleasantly surprised when @shoaib100mph said hello. What a smart & engaging young man the tearaway fast bowler is! He has plenty of fans on our side of the border: all the Indians who came up to greet me wanted selfies with him too. Had a_ pic.twitter.com/4WZl8V1rbN — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 26, 2023 × Twitter’s divided reactions to the friendly meet-up Soon after Shashi Tharoor shared the selfie on his Twitter profile, netizens showered the post with divided reactions. While a few cricket fans liked the photo and also wished for peace between the two nations, some Twitter users seem to have problems with Tharoor praising and clicking selfies with Pakistan’s former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar. Also read: Football: Real Madrid remain 'hopeful' of signing PSG star Kylian Mbappe - Report "1.4 billion Indians in the world, and of course, as a Congressi you bump into a Pakistani. Keep it up, old chap, good show,” wrote a Twitter user, while another tweet read, “There is nothing more shameful that Indian public elected MP is busy on meeting with a man who wants to capture India.” Some fans also expressed their wish and wrote that Akhtar should also break his silence on the Pakistan Cricket Board’s statement on ICC ODI World Cup 2023 venue-changing demand.

When Shashi Tharoor met Shoaib Akhtar at Dubai airport

<p><meta charset="utf-8" />Mallikarjun Kharge defeated Shashi Tharoor to become the first non-Gandhi Congress president in 24 years. According to party MP Randeep Surjewala, he would start&nbsp;his new position on 26 October.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Following the results of the vote counting, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/who-is-mallikarjun-kharge-the-new-non-gandhi-congress-chief-to-square-off-against-modis-bjp-526800">Kharge</a> was named the winner of the Congress president election. As per Madhusudan Mistry, chairman of the central election authority for the party, Kharge garnered 7,897 votes, while Tharoor received 1,072 votes, out of a total of 9,385 cast. The remaining 416 votes were deemed invalid.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Separately, Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, has been on his <em>'Bharat Jodo Yatra'</em> for almost a month now. The Congress party seeks to revive itself&nbsp;with the 3,570-km, 150-day-long foot march that has been hailed as its largest recent mass engagement programme.</p>

<p><strong>Downhill since 2014</strong></p>

<p>In terms of the seats won in the Lok Sabha elections, the Indian National Congress (INC) has seen a significant dropoff since 2014. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it gained 52 seats, a little rise over the 44 seats it won in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. It just so happens that it no longer has a stronghold in several States where it once had one. Party members quitting the party have caused it to lose members, which has hurt its ranks. Along with the decline in vote share, its base of support has also shrunk.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indian-rupee-falls-to-record-low-against-us-dollar-inches-closer-to-83-mark-526779">Indian rupee falls to record low against United States dollar, crosses 83-mark</a></p>

<p>The visualisation below explains the vote share that the Indian National Congress received in the Lok Sabha elections from the 1951 first general elections after the nation gained its independence till 2019. The INC had a vote share greater than 30% from 1951 to 1984, with the exception of 1977. The party's performance as a national party has declined, as seen by the sharp reduction in seats gained in 2014 and 2019, when the vote share was less than 20%.</p>

<p><em><strong>Hover over the graph for data</strong></em></p>

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<p><strong>Data source: Election Commission of India</strong></p>

<p>The political landscape of India between the years of 2012 and 2022 is depicted on maps below. The INC was in power in 12 of India's 28 States in 2012, while the BJP had power in just five of those States. The Congress only held office in two States in 2022—Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh—while it was allied with the party in power in Tamil Nadu, Bihar, and Jharkhand. BJP, on the other hand, is in charge in 16 States. In the Northeast States in 2012, the Congress was in charge. But by 2022, the BJP had eliminated the influence of the Congress in the region.</p>

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<p><strong>Data source: Election Commission of India</strong></p>

<p>While there are many variables contributing to the Congress party's downfall, their woes have been made worse by the party's adamant opposition to internal structural changes, the crisis in its leadership, and its failure to overthrow the current administration.</p>

<p><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>The Congress has hit its lowest point, and efforts to revive the party through presidential elections in addition to outreach initiatives like the Bharat Jodo Yatra appear to be the only ways to escape the quagmire. It will be interesting to see a non-Gandhi president be the face of the party.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></p>


Mallikarjun Kharge defeated Shashi Tharoor to become the first non-Gandhi Congress president in 24 years. According to party MP Randeep Surjewala, he would start his new position on 26 October.

Mallikarjun Kharge defeated Shashi Tharoor to become the first non-Gandhi Congress president in 24 years. According to party MP Randeep Surjewala, he would start his new position on 26 October. Following the results of the vote counting, Kharge was named the winner of the Congress president election. As per Madhusudan Mistry, chairman of the central election authority for the party, Kharge garnered 7,897 votes, while Tharoor received 1,072 votes, out of a total of 9,385 cast. The remaining 416 votes were deemed invalid. Separately, Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, has been on his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' for almost a month now. The Congress party seeks to revive itself with the 3,570-km, 150-day-long foot march that has been hailed as its largest recent mass engagement programme. Downhill since 2014 In terms of the seats won in the Lok Sabha elections, the Indian National Congress (INC) has seen a significant dropoff since 2014. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it gained 52 seats, a little rise over the 44 seats it won in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. It just so happens that it no longer has a stronghold in several States where it once had one. Party members quitting the party have caused it to lose members, which has hurt its ranks. Along with the decline in vote share, its base of support has also shrunk. Also read | Indian rupee falls to record low against United States dollar, crosses 83-mark The visualisation below explains the vote share that the Indian National Congress received in the Lok Sabha elections from the 1951 first general elections after the nation gained its independence till 2019. The INC had a vote share greater than 30% from 1951 to 1984, with the exception of 1977. The party's performance as a national party has declined, as seen by the sharp reduction in seats gained in 2014 and 2019, when the vote share was less than 20%. Hover over the graph for data × Data source: Election Commission of India The political landscape of India between the years of 2012 and 2022 is depicted on maps below. The INC was in power in 12 of India's 28 States in 2012, while the BJP had power in just five of those States. The Congress only held office in two States in 2022—Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh—while it was allied with the party in power in Tamil Nadu, Bihar, and Jharkhand. BJP, on the other hand, is in charge in 16 States. In the Northeast States in 2012, the Congress was in charge. But by 2022, the BJP had eliminated the influence of the Congress in the region. × × Data source: Election Commission of India While there are many variables contributing to the Congress party's downfall, their woes have been made worse by the party's adamant opposition to internal structural changes, the crisis in its leadership, and its failure to overthrow the current administration. The Congress has hit its lowest point, and efforts to revive the party through presidential elections in addition to outreach initiatives like the Bharat Jodo Yatra appear to be the only ways to escape the quagmire. It will be interesting to see a non-Gandhi president be the face of the party. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Data Lab | Congress's first non-Gandhi president in 24 years; mapping the downfall of the party since 2014

<p>Senior Congress leader and a candidate for the party president post, Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday conceded defeat to rival Mallikarjuan Kharge. Tharoor admitting defeat comes hours after his faction alleged that voting had been rigged in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and demanded the 'vote count' be removed from the final result.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Taking to Twitter, Tharoor posted a congratulatory message to Kharge and thanked colleagues for their support.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It is a great honour &amp; a huge responsibility to be President of @INCIndia &amp; I wish @Kharge ji all success in that task. It was a privilege to have received the support of over a thousand colleagues, &amp; to carry the hopes &amp; aspirations of so many well-wishers of Congress across India," tweeted Tharoor.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">It is a great honour &amp; a huge responsibility to be President of <a href="https://twitter.com/INCIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@INCIndia</a> &amp;I wish <a href="https://twitter.com/kharge?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Kharge</a> ji all success in that task. It was a privilege to have received the support of over a thousand colleagues,&amp; to carry the hopes&amp; aspirations of so many well-wishers of Congress across India. <a href="https://t.co/NistXfQGN1">pic.twitter.com/NistXfQGN1</a></p>
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1582644658361860096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>"On 17th October, in a true celebration of inner-party democracy, over 9500 delegates of the Indian National Congress cast their vote in the elections for the post of party president. Today, the final verdict has been in favour of Shri Mallikarjun Kharge Ji. I would like to convey my warm congratulations to him for his victory. The decision of the party delegates is final and I accept it humbly. It is a privilege to be a member of a party that allows its workers to choose their President," read the statement released by Tharoor.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;Thiruvananthapuram MP also thanked the Gandhi family, especially former President Rahul Gandhi as well as her sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for their support.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"My thanks also to former President Shri Rahul Gandhi and Smt Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for doing their own bit to support free and neutral elections. The Nehru-Gandhi family has held, and will always hold, a special place in the hearts of Congress party members - and with good reason too. It is my hope and belief that the family will remain the foundational pillar of the Congress, our moral conscience and ultimate guiding spirit."</p>

<p>Rahul Gandhi, currently on his Bharat Jodo Yatra, in a statement said that he could not comment on the role of the newly elected president.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I can't comment on Congress president's role, that's for Mr Kharge to comment on. The President will decide what my role is," said the former Congress president.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a>| "I can't comment on Congress President's role, that's for Mr Kharge (party's Presidential candidate) to comment on. The President will decide what my role is...", says Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, in Andhra Pradesh<br />
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Counting of votes to decide the Congress President underway <a href="https://t.co/eRoRBY7QfX">pic.twitter.com/eRoRBY7QfX</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1582645458609938432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>According to reports, it was a landslide win for Kharge who received over 90 per cent of the votes cast. The senior Congress leader polled 7,897 votes while Tharoor trailed miles behind at 1,072.</p>

<p>This was the first Congress presidential election to be held in more than 20 years. Earlier, the chair rotated between the Gandhi family members with the mother-son duo of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi occupying the position since 1998.</p>

<p>However, political experts are casting aspersions over the authenticity of the result as Kharge was projected as the 'Gandhi-approved' candidate and not many in the party dare go beyond the line issued by the top family.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Senior Congress leader and a candidate for the party president post, Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday conceded defeat to rival Mallikarjuan Kharge. Tharoor admitting defeat comes hours after his faction alleged that voting had been rigged in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and demanded the 'vote count' be removed from the final result.

Senior Congress leader and a candidate for the party president post, Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday conceded defeat to rival Mallikarjuan Kharge. Tharoor admitting defeat comes hours after his faction alleged that voting had been rigged in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and demanded the 'vote count' be removed from the final result. Taking to Twitter, Tharoor posted a congratulatory message to Kharge and thanked colleagues for their support. "It is a great honour & a huge responsibility to be President of @INCIndia & I wish @Kharge ji all success in that task. It was a privilege to have received the support of over a thousand colleagues, & to carry the hopes & aspirations of so many well-wishers of Congress across India," tweeted Tharoor. It is a great honour & a huge responsibility to be President of @INCIndia &I wish @Kharge ji all success in that task. It was a privilege to have received the support of over a thousand colleagues,& to carry the hopes& aspirations of so many well-wishers of Congress across India. pic.twitter.com/NistXfQGN1 — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 19, 2022 × "On 17th October, in a true celebration of inner-party democracy, over 9500 delegates of the Indian National Congress cast their vote in the elections for the post of party president. Today, the final verdict has been in favour of Shri Mallikarjun Kharge Ji. I would like to convey my warm congratulations to him for his victory. The decision of the party delegates is final and I accept it humbly. It is a privilege to be a member of a party that allows its workers to choose their President," read the statement released by Tharoor. The Thiruvananthapuram MP also thanked the Gandhi family, especially former President Rahul Gandhi as well as her sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for their support. "My thanks also to former President Shri Rahul Gandhi and Smt Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for doing their own bit to support free and neutral elections. The Nehru-Gandhi family has held, and will always hold, a special place in the hearts of Congress party members - and with good reason too. It is my hope and belief that the family will remain the foundational pillar of the Congress, our moral conscience and ultimate guiding spirit." Rahul Gandhi, currently on his Bharat Jodo Yatra, in a statement said that he could not comment on the role of the newly elected president. "I can't comment on Congress president's role, that's for Mr Kharge to comment on. The President will decide what my role is," said the former Congress president. #WATCH| "I can't comment on Congress President's role, that's for Mr Kharge (party's Presidential candidate) to comment on. The President will decide what my role is...", says Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, in Andhra Pradesh Counting of votes to decide the Congress President underway pic.twitter.com/eRoRBY7QfX — ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2022 × According to reports, it was a landslide win for Kharge who received over 90 per cent of the votes cast. The senior Congress leader polled 7,897 votes while Tharoor trailed miles behind at 1,072. This was the first Congress presidential election to be held in more than 20 years. Earlier, the chair rotated between the Gandhi family members with the mother-son duo of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi occupying the position since 1998. However, political experts are casting aspersions over the authenticity of the result as Kharge was projected as the 'Gandhi-approved' candidate and not many in the party dare go beyond the line issued by the top family. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India: Tharoor concedes defeat, Kharge set to be Congress party president

<p>Over 9,000 Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates will cast their votes to choose the new Congress president on Monday in a historic decision. In its 137-year history, the party has chosen a new leader through elections six times.&nbsp;Senior party figures Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor are involved in the contest. While Tharoor has positioned himself as a candidate of change, senior leader Kharge is regarded as the "unofficial official candidate" of the Gandhi family.</p>

<p>A non-Gandhi will assume the role of party leader for the first time in 24 years. Almost 65 additional polling places spread across different states as well as the AICC headquarters in Delhi will all use secret voting systems to conduct the election.</p>

<p>The voters are required to check the box next to the name of the candidate they intend to support. The vote would be void if any other symbol or number were written, according to&nbsp;party Central Election Authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-committee-to-who-information-on-killer-cough-syrups-inadequate-525793">India committee tells WHO: Information on 'killer' cough syrups 'inadequate'</a></p>

<p>Sonia Gandhi, the party's interim president, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, its general secretary, are most likely to vote at the AICC headquarters, while Rahul Gandhi and 40 other Bharat Jodo Yatris will vote at a campsite in Sanganakallu, Karnataka.</p>

<p>Karnataka veteran Kharge (80), who has been involved in<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-liz-truss-economic-plan-was-a-mistake-says-biden-525756"> politics</a> for half a decade, stated on Sunday that, should he be chosen as the party's leader, he would not feel guilty about following the Gandhis' advise.&nbsp;Responding to allegations of being remote-controlled by Gandhis, Kharge said: "The BJP indulges in such a campaign and others follow it. Sonia Gandhi has worked for 20 years in the organisation...Rahul Gandhi was also president...they have struggled for the party and put their strength for its growth."</p>

<p>Parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor, 66, claimed that amid the transformation he foresees, the party's "values and loyalty" will remain the same, with the means of achieving the objectives changing. In addition, he made a subtle jab at certain top figures who were endorsing Kharge, claiming that some of them were "indulging in 'netagiri' and informing party people" who Sonia Gandhi wanted to be elected.</p>

<p>"If anyone has "fear or doubt" in their mind, the party has made it clear that it will be a secret ballot," Tharoor said in Lucknow and urged the Congress delegates to listen to their hearts while <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-bolsonaro-lula-face-off-in-first-debate-525954">voting</a> to elect the new party president.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ballot boxes will be transported to Delhi after voting so that they can be counted there. On October 19, the outcomes will be released.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

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Over 9,000 Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates will cast their votes to choose the new Congress president on Monday in a historic decision. In its 137-year history, the party has chosen a new leader through elections six times.

Over 9,000 Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates will cast their votes to choose the new Congress president on Monday in a historic decision. In its 137-year history, the party has chosen a new leader through elections six times. Senior party figures Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor are involved in the contest. While Tharoor has positioned himself as a candidate of change, senior leader Kharge is regarded as the "unofficial official candidate" of the Gandhi family. A non-Gandhi will assume the role of party leader for the first time in 24 years. Almost 65 additional polling places spread across different states as well as the AICC headquarters in Delhi will all use secret voting systems to conduct the election. The voters are required to check the box next to the name of the candidate they intend to support. The vote would be void if any other symbol or number were written, according to party Central Election Authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry. Also read | India committee tells WHO: Information on 'killer' cough syrups 'inadequate' Sonia Gandhi, the party's interim president, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, its general secretary, are most likely to vote at the AICC headquarters, while Rahul Gandhi and 40 other Bharat Jodo Yatris will vote at a campsite in Sanganakallu, Karnataka. Karnataka veteran Kharge (80), who has been involved in politics for half a decade, stated on Sunday that, should he be chosen as the party's leader, he would not feel guilty about following the Gandhis' advise. Responding to allegations of being remote-controlled by Gandhis, Kharge said: "The BJP indulges in such a campaign and others follow it. Sonia Gandhi has worked for 20 years in the organisation...Rahul Gandhi was also president...they have struggled for the party and put their strength for its growth." Parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor, 66, claimed that amid the transformation he foresees, the party's "values and loyalty" will remain the same, with the means of achieving the objectives changing. In addition, he made a subtle jab at certain top figures who were endorsing Kharge, claiming that some of them were "indulging in 'netagiri' and informing party people" who Sonia Gandhi wanted to be elected. "If anyone has "fear or doubt" in their mind, the party has made it clear that it will be a secret ballot," Tharoor said in Lucknow and urged the Congress delegates to listen to their hearts while voting to elect the new party president. The ballot boxes will be transported to Delhi after voting so that they can be counted there. On October 19, the outcomes will be released. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Congress presidential elections: Stage set for Tharoor, Kharge face-off

<p>Shashi Tharoor, the leader of the Congress, was furious when Fox News host Tucker Carlson made the untrue claim that India lacked civilization and had not produced any architectural wonders prior to the start of the British colonial era.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Fox News host who is accused of promoting false information regarding the Covid-19 vaccine during the epidemic on his prime-time programme and of omitting the Capitol Hill riots remarked that the British "didn't just take things, they added."</p>

<p>Strong nations rule over weak ones. This pattern has not altered. At least the English were serious about their colonial duties. Instead of only taking, they also added. When we (the US) departed Afghanistan, we also took our arsenal with us. Carlson said that the British had abandoned civilization when they departed India, disregarding the country's long history of civilisation and even the fact that the first highly developed human civilizations originated there.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While ignoring the Taj Mahal, the Hawa Mahal, the Mehrangarh Fort, the Golconda Fort, and countless other numerous gorgeous, enormous structures that dot the landscape of the seventh largest country in the world, Tucker displayed a graphic of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai and claimed that India has been unable to construct such architectural wonders.</p>

<p>In response to Tucker Carlson's tirade, Tharoor uploaded two furious face emojis and said: "I think Twitter ought to have an option for something to press when you can’t respond without losing your cool."&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I think <a href="https://twitter.com/Twitter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@twitter</a> ought to have an option for something to press when you can’t respond without losing your cool. For now I will content myself with😡 🤬 <a href="https://t.co/6tWpUuSuMR">https://t.co/6tWpUuSuMR</a></p>
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1569512604229603328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>During his Fox News primetime programme, Tucker Carlson went on the offensive and even asserted that the British did not carry out any genocide during the colonial era.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/juxtapose-dramatic-expansion-of-bahrain-by-building-land-on-sea-1987-vs-2022-515720">Before and after images show dramatic expansion of Bahrain by building land on sea: 1987 vs 2022</a></p>

<p>Carlson disregarded the 1943 Bengal Famine and the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre, both of which historians and experts consider to be instances of mass murder under British rule.</p>

<p>Martina Navratilova and Shashi Tharoor both outclassed the Fox News host in tennis. "Hey Tucker Carlson - your utter ignorance of history is quite staggering. I suggest you read the book “Inglorious Empire” by Shashi Tharoor and then try again. Your racism is off the charts and your stupidity on this particular issue is of Olympic proportions!&nbsp;”&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/TuckerCarlson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TuckerCarlson</a> - your utter ignorance of history is quite staggering. I suggest you read the book “Inglorious Empire” by Shashi Tharoor and then try again. Your racism is off the charts and your stupidity on this particular issue is of Olympic proportions!!! <a href="https://t.co/7Xrd97NpwT">https://t.co/7Xrd97NpwT</a></p>
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) <a href="https://twitter.com/Martina/status/1569393099700314113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Fox News host hasn't addressed the tweets or provided an explanation for his remarks.</p>

<p><em>(with inputs from agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>

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Shashi Tharoor, the leader of the Congress, was furious when Fox News host Tucker Carlson made the untrue claim that India lacked civilization and had not produced any architectural wonders prior to the start of the British colonial era.

Shashi Tharoor, the leader of the Congress, was furious when Fox News host Tucker Carlson made the untrue claim that India lacked civilization and had not produced any architectural wonders prior to the start of the British colonial era. The Fox News host who is accused of promoting false information regarding the Covid-19 vaccine during the epidemic on his prime-time programme and of omitting the Capitol Hill riots remarked that the British "didn't just take things, they added." Strong nations rule over weak ones. This pattern has not altered. At least the English were serious about their colonial duties. Instead of only taking, they also added. When we (the US) departed Afghanistan, we also took our arsenal with us. Carlson said that the British had abandoned civilization when they departed India, disregarding the country's long history of civilisation and even the fact that the first highly developed human civilizations originated there. While ignoring the Taj Mahal, the Hawa Mahal, the Mehrangarh Fort, the Golconda Fort, and countless other numerous gorgeous, enormous structures that dot the landscape of the seventh largest country in the world, Tucker displayed a graphic of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai and claimed that India has been unable to construct such architectural wonders. In response to Tucker Carlson's tirade, Tharoor uploaded two furious face emojis and said: "I think Twitter ought to have an option for something to press when you can’t respond without losing your cool." I think @twitter ought to have an option for something to press when you can’t respond without losing your cool. For now I will content myself with😡 🤬 https://t.co/6tWpUuSuMR — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 13, 2022 × During his Fox News primetime programme, Tucker Carlson went on the offensive and even asserted that the British did not carry out any genocide during the colonial era. Also Read: Before and after images show dramatic expansion of Bahrain by building land on sea: 1987 vs 2022 Carlson disregarded the 1943 Bengal Famine and the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre, both of which historians and experts consider to be instances of mass murder under British rule. Martina Navratilova and Shashi Tharoor both outclassed the Fox News host in tennis. "Hey Tucker Carlson - your utter ignorance of history is quite staggering. I suggest you read the book “Inglorious Empire” by Shashi Tharoor and then try again. Your racism is off the charts and your stupidity on this particular issue is of Olympic proportions! ” Hey @TuckerCarlson - your utter ignorance of history is quite staggering. I suggest you read the book “Inglorious Empire” by Shashi Tharoor and then try again. Your racism is off the charts and your stupidity on this particular issue is of Olympic proportions!!! https://t.co/7Xrd97NpwT — Martina Navratilova (@Martina) September 12, 2022 × The Fox News host hasn't addressed the tweets or provided an explanation for his remarks. (with inputs from agencies)

Shashi Tharoor 'loses cool' as TV anchor Tucker Carlson says Britain civilised India

<p>Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor's tweet on the movie 'The Kashmir Files' has started a heated debate on Twitter with actor Anupam Kher jumping in and even posting a tweet by Tharoor's late wife Sunanda Pushkar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shashi Tharoor, who was in past&nbsp;Under-Secretary General of the United Nations, tweeted on May 10 that 'The Kashmir Files' was banned in Singapore. He posted a link from Channel News Asia.</p>

<p>"Film promoted by India’s ruling party, #KashmirFiles, banned in Singapore:..." tweeted Tharoor.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Film promoted by India’s ruling party, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KashmirFiles?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KashmirFiles</a>, banned in Singapore: <a href="https://t.co/S6TBjglele">https://t.co/S6TBjglele</a> <a href="https://t.co/RuaoTReuAH">pic.twitter.com/RuaoTReuAH</a></p>
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1523823431015223297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Actor Anupam Kher, who has acted in 'The Kashmir Files' took exception to Tharoor's tweet and termed&nbsp;his attitude "callous". In his tweet, Kher posted a screenshot of tweets made by Tharoor's late wife Sunanda Pushkar. The tweets were made in the year 2013.</p>

<p>"...If nothing else at least for #Sunanda’s sake who was a Kashmiri herself you should show some sensitivity towards #KashmiriPandits &amp; not feel victorious about a country banning #TheKashmirFiles!," tweeted Kher.</p>

<p>"So much is being done for minorities these days especially the ones who suffered riots. why on earth are Kashmiris ignored who suffered in 1989," Sunanda Pushkar appears to have tweeted as per image posted by Kher.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dear <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShashiTharoor</a>! Your callousness towards <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KashmiriHindus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KashmiriHindus</a> genocide is tragic.If nothing else at least for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sunanda?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sunanda</a>’s sake who was a Kashmiri herself you should show some sensitivity towards <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KashmiriPandits?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KashmiriPandits</a> &amp; not feel victorious about a country banning <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheKashmirFiles?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheKashmirFiles</a>! 💔 <a href="https://t.co/YwEsgYWgc4">https://t.co/YwEsgYWgc4</a> <a href="https://t.co/b7XRL46tIG">pic.twitter.com/b7XRL46tIG</a></p>
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnupamPKher/status/1523878765230702593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Tharoor has shot back at Anupam Kher on Facebook but has refrained from taking his name.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"My statement in response to assorted comments on my tweet:..." starts Tharoor's post.</p>

<p>In his FB post, Throor maintains that he did not '“mock” or disparage the sufferings of Kashmiri Pandits' and made a tweet on 'factual news item'.</p>

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<p>The Kashmir Files is a movie based on exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu and Kashmir during years of militancy in the state which is now a union territory.</p>

<p><strong>Decode the geostrategy, diplomacy, and ideologies of the world’s unending wars. Catch our special series ‘World at War’ every Saturday at 8:30 PM IST and Sunday at 10:30 PM IST only on WION.</strong></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor's tweet on the movie 'The Kashmir Files' has started a heated debate on Twitter with actor Anupam Kher jumping in and even posting a tweet by Tharoor's late wife Sunanda Pushkar.

Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor's tweet on the movie 'The Kashmir Files' has started a heated debate on Twitter with actor Anupam Kher jumping in and even posting a tweet by Tharoor's late wife Sunanda Pushkar. Shashi Tharoor, who was in past Under-Secretary General of the United Nations, tweeted on May 10 that 'The Kashmir Files' was banned in Singapore. He posted a link from Channel News Asia. "Film promoted by India’s ruling party, #KashmirFiles, banned in Singapore:..." tweeted Tharoor. Film promoted by India’s ruling party, #KashmirFiles, banned in Singapore: https://t.co/S6TBjglele pic.twitter.com/RuaoTReuAH — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 10, 2022 × Actor Anupam Kher, who has acted in 'The Kashmir Files' took exception to Tharoor's tweet and termed his attitude "callous". In his tweet, Kher posted a screenshot of tweets made by Tharoor's late wife Sunanda Pushkar. The tweets were made in the year 2013. "...If nothing else at least for #Sunanda’s sake who was a Kashmiri herself you should show some sensitivity towards #KashmiriPandits & not feel victorious about a country banning #TheKashmirFiles!," tweeted Kher. "So much is being done for minorities these days especially the ones who suffered riots. why on earth are Kashmiris ignored who suffered in 1989," Sunanda Pushkar appears to have tweeted as per image posted by Kher. Dear @ShashiTharoor! Your callousness towards #KashmiriHindus genocide is tragic.If nothing else at least for #Sunanda’s sake who was a Kashmiri herself you should show some sensitivity towards #KashmiriPandits & not feel victorious about a country banning #TheKashmirFiles! 💔 https://t.co/YwEsgYWgc4 pic.twitter.com/b7XRL46tIG — Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) May 10, 2022 × Tharoor has shot back at Anupam Kher on Facebook but has refrained from taking his name. "My statement in response to assorted comments on my tweet:..." starts Tharoor's post. In his FB post, Throor maintains that he did not '“mock” or disparage the sufferings of Kashmiri Pandits' and made a tweet on 'factual news item'. × The Kashmir Files is a movie based on exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu and Kashmir during years of militancy in the state which is now a union territory. Decode the geostrategy, diplomacy, and ideologies of the world’s unending wars. Catch our special series ‘World at War’ every Saturday at 8:30 PM IST and Sunday at 10:30 PM IST only on WION. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Shashi Tharoor's tweet on 'The Kashmir Files' starts heated debate, Anupam Kher mentions Sunanda Pushkar

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology will question officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on July 28 in connection with reports about the illegal surveillance using Pegasus spyware.

Pegasus row: Shashi Tharoor urges probe on matter of 'National Security'

<p>After a long and tense wait, it is finally clear that Democratic <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden </a>will be the next president of the United States. The results came out after it was declared by various US media houses that Biden has claimed the decisive state of Pennsylvania. Later, Biden secured victory in the state of Nevada too, stretching his electoral count to 290, which is 19 more than the mandatory 271.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, wishes from several prominent leaders poured in for the former vice president and the next Vice President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Canadian PM Justin Trudeau was one of the first leaders to congratulate Biden on his victory, saying he "really looks forward to working together".&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congratulations, <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KamalaHarris</a>. Our two countries are close friends, partners, and allies. We share a relationship that’s unique on the world stage. I’m really looking forward to working together and building on that with you both.</p>
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1325121342568505346?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Indian Prime Minister also wished both Biden and Harris via Twitter, saying he looks "forward to working closely together" to take bilateral relations to "greater heights".</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congratulations <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> on your spectacular victory! As the VP, your contribution to strengthening Indo-US relations was critical and invaluable. I look forward to working closely together once again to take India-US relations to greater heights. <a href="https://t.co/yAOCEcs9bN">pic.twitter.com/yAOCEcs9bN</a></p>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1325145433828593664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>He also wished Harris saying her "success is pathbreaking, and a matter of immense pride not just for your chittis, but also for all Indian-Americans."</p>

<p>"I am confident that the vibrant India-US ties will get even stronger with your support and leadership".</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Heartiest congratulations <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KamalaHarris</a>! Your success is pathbreaking, and a matter of immense pride not just for your chittis, but also for all Indian-Americans. I am confident that the vibrant India-US ties will get even stronger with your support and leadership.</p>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1325145671742054400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Director-General of the World Health Organization, who has been in cross-hairs with Donald Trump over the issue of the coronavirus pandemic, also tweeted in support of Biden saying, "Congratulations to President-elect&nbsp;@JoeBiden&nbsp;&amp; Vice President-Elect @KamalaHarris! My&nbsp;@WHO&nbsp;colleagues and I look forward to working with you and your teams. Crises like the #COVID19 pandemic show the importance of global solidarity in protecting lives and livelihoods. Together!"</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congratulations to President-elect <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> &amp; Vice President-Elect <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KamalaHarris</a>! My <a href="https://twitter.com/WHO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WHO</a> colleagues and I look forward to working with you and your teams. Crises like the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> pandemic show the importance of global solidarity in protecting lives and livelihoods. Together!</p>
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1325351387698520066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, too, took to Twitter to congratulate the Democrat duo.</p>

<p>"&nbsp;I wish&nbsp;@JoeBiden&nbsp;a successful tenure and look forward to working with him to further strengthen India-US relations," he tweeted.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">My sincere felicitations to Joseph R. Biden on his election as President of the United States of America and <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KamalaHarris</a>, as Vice President. I wish <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> a successful tenure and look forward to working with him to further strengthen India-US relations.</p>
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) <a href="https://twitter.com/rashtrapatibhvn/status/1325149711787982851?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Hillary Clinton, who ran for the presidency in 2016 against Trump, also congratulated Biden and Harris.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It's a history-making ticket, a repudiation of Trump, and a new page for America," Clinton wrote on Twitter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen. Onward, together."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The voters have spoken, and they have chosen <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KamalaHarris</a> to be our next president and vice president.<br />
<br />
It's a history-making ticket, a repudiation of Trump, and a new page for America.<br />
<br />
Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen. Onward, together. <a href="https://t.co/YlDY9TJONs">pic.twitter.com/YlDY9TJONs</a></p>
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) <a href="https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1325118585434468353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Indian leaders were also not behind in wishing Biden as senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor.</p>

<p>"I'm confident that he will unite America and provide it with a strong sense of direction," Gandhi in a tweet said.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congratulations to President-elect <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a>. I’m confident that he will unite America and provide it with a strong sense of direction.</p>
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1325123569240559617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">All Indian democrats will echo this sentiment as we join <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RahulGandhi</a> in applauding <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KamalaHarris</a>. On a personal note, delighted to have a US V-P who enjoys idlis and makes dosas! <a href="https://t.co/iRL9IassFi">https://t.co/iRL9IassFi</a></p>
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1325132600139149312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Ireland Prime Minister Taoiseach Micheál Martin described Biden as "a true friend to this nation" in his congratulatory message.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I want to congratulate the new President Elect of the USA <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> Joe Biden has been a true friend of this nation throughout his life and I look forward to working with him in the years ahead. I also look forward to welcoming him back home when the circumstances allow! 🇮🇪 🇺🇸</p>
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichealMartinTD/status/1325115676873388035?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> on his election as President of the United States of America.<br />
<br />
He ran a campaign on the values that we in the United Kingdom share - decency, integrity, compassion and strength.</p>
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) <a href="https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1325116305540780032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>UK's top opposition leader Keir Starmer said the president-elect had run a campaign on "the values that we in the United Kingdom share - decency, integrity, compassion and strength".</p>

<p>Pakistan's Prime Minister, Imran Khan, too, congratulated Joe Biden and said he looks&nbsp;"forward to President-Elect Biden's Global Summit on Democracy &amp; working with him to end illegal tax havens &amp; stealth of nation's wealth by corrupt ldrs."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congratulations <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KamalaHarris</a>. Look forward to President Elect Biden's Global Summit on Democracy &amp; working with him to end illegal tax havens &amp; stealth of nation's wealth by corrupt ldrs. We will also continue to work with US for peace in Afghanistan &amp; in the region</p>
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1325150531422220288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>The tech giant Bill Gates also joined in and sent his wishes to the President-elect and the Vice president-elect. He also thanked the various campaign employees and volunteers who helped Americans to register and vote. "Congratulations to President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris. Thank you to the election officials and campaign workers who worked tirelessly to ensure a record number of Americans could cast a ballot and have it counted during such a challenging time for our country," he tweeted.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congratulations to President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris. Thank you to the election officials and campaign workers who worked tirelessly to ensure a record number of Americans could cast a ballot and have it counted during such an challenging time for our country.</p>
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillGates/status/1325138314861580289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Tibetan spiritual guru Dalai Lama wrote a letter to the President-elect appreciating America's value of democracy and said, "Humanity places great hope in the democratic vision and leadership of the US as leader of the free world. Particularly in these challenging times, I hope you will be able to contribute to shaping a more peaceful world in which people suffering poverty and injustice find relief."</p>

<p>Further, he thanked Biden for&nbsp;"support for the Tibetan people, during your time in Congress and the previous administration, as well as for your statement in September this year. It has been the Tibetan people`s good fortune to have received the friendship and encouragement of the American people and their respective Presidents in our endeavor to protect and preserve our ancient Buddhist culture -- a culture of peace, non-violence and compassion -- that has great potential to benefit humanity as a whole," he said.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;Nobel Peace Laureate also appreciated Biden's choice of Vice President-elect saying, "May I also commend you for your choice of a woman, Kamala Harris, to be your Vice President."</p>


After a long and tense wait, it is finally clear that Democratic Joe Biden will be the next president of the United States. The results came out after it was declared by various US media houses that Biden has claimed the decisive state of Pennsylvania.

After a long and tense wait, it is finally clear that Democratic Joe Biden will be the next president of the United States. The results came out after it was declared by various US media houses that Biden has claimed the decisive state of Pennsylvania. Later, Biden secured victory in the state of Nevada too, stretching his electoral count to 290, which is 19 more than the mandatory 271. Meanwhile, wishes from several prominent leaders poured in for the former vice president and the next Vice President Kamala Harris. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau was one of the first leaders to congratulate Biden on his victory, saying he "really looks forward to working together". Congratulations, @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris. Our two countries are close friends, partners, and allies. We share a relationship that’s unique on the world stage. I’m really looking forward to working together and building on that with you both. — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) November 7, 2020 × Indian Prime Minister also wished both Biden and Harris via Twitter, saying he looks "forward to working closely together" to take bilateral relations to "greater heights". Congratulations @JoeBiden on your spectacular victory! As the VP, your contribution to strengthening Indo-US relations was critical and invaluable. I look forward to working closely together once again to take India-US relations to greater heights. pic.twitter.com/yAOCEcs9bN — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 7, 2020 × He also wished Harris saying her "success is pathbreaking, and a matter of immense pride not just for your chittis, but also for all Indian-Americans." "I am confident that the vibrant India-US ties will get even stronger with your support and leadership". Heartiest congratulations @KamalaHarris! Your success is pathbreaking, and a matter of immense pride not just for your chittis, but also for all Indian-Americans. I am confident that the vibrant India-US ties will get even stronger with your support and leadership. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 7, 2020 × Director-General of the World Health Organization, who has been in cross-hairs with Donald Trump over the issue of the coronavirus pandemic, also tweeted in support of Biden saying, "Congratulations to President-elect @JoeBiden & Vice President-Elect @KamalaHarris! My @WHO colleagues and I look forward to working with you and your teams. Crises like the #COVID19 pandemic show the importance of global solidarity in protecting lives and livelihoods. Together!" Congratulations to President-elect @JoeBiden & Vice President-Elect @KamalaHarris! My @WHO colleagues and I look forward to working with you and your teams. Crises like the #COVID19 pandemic show the importance of global solidarity in protecting lives and livelihoods. Together! — Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) November 8, 2020 × The Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, too, took to Twitter to congratulate the Democrat duo. " I wish @JoeBiden a successful tenure and look forward to working with him to further strengthen India-US relations," he tweeted. My sincere felicitations to Joseph R. Biden on his election as President of the United States of America and @KamalaHarris, as Vice President. I wish @JoeBiden a successful tenure and look forward to working with him to further strengthen India-US relations. — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) November 7, 2020 × Hillary Clinton, who ran for the presidency in 2016 against Trump, also congratulated Biden and Harris. "It's a history-making ticket, a repudiation of Trump, and a new page for America," Clinton wrote on Twitter. "Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen. Onward, together." The voters have spoken, and they have chosen @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris to be our next president and vice president. It's a history-making ticket, a repudiation of Trump, and a new page for America. Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen. Onward, together. pic.twitter.com/YlDY9TJONs — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 7, 2020 × Indian leaders were also not behind in wishing Biden as senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor. "I'm confident that he will unite America and provide it with a strong sense of direction," Gandhi in a tweet said. Congratulations to President-elect @JoeBiden. I’m confident that he will unite America and provide it with a strong sense of direction. — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 7, 2020 × All Indian democrats will echo this sentiment as we join @RahulGandhi in applauding @JoeBiden & @KamalaHarris. On a personal note, delighted to have a US V-P who enjoys idlis and makes dosas! https://t.co/iRL9IassFi — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 7, 2020 × Ireland Prime Minister Taoiseach Micheál Martin described Biden as "a true friend to this nation" in his congratulatory message. I want to congratulate the new President Elect of the USA @JoeBiden Joe Biden has been a true friend of this nation throughout his life and I look forward to working with him in the years ahead. I also look forward to welcoming him back home when the circumstances allow! 🇮🇪 🇺🇸 — Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) November 7, 2020 × Congratulations to @JoeBiden on his election as President of the United States of America. He ran a campaign on the values that we in the United Kingdom share - decency, integrity, compassion and strength. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) November 7, 2020 × UK's top opposition leader Keir Starmer said the president-elect had run a campaign on "the values that we in the United Kingdom share - decency, integrity, compassion and strength". Pakistan's Prime Minister, Imran Khan, too, congratulated Joe Biden and said he looks "forward to President-Elect Biden's Global Summit on Democracy & working with him to end illegal tax havens & stealth of nation's wealth by corrupt ldrs." Congratulations @JoeBiden & @KamalaHarris. Look forward to President Elect Biden's Global Summit on Democracy & working with him to end illegal tax havens & stealth of nation's wealth by corrupt ldrs. We will also continue to work with US for peace in Afghanistan & in the region — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 7, 2020 × The tech giant Bill Gates also joined in and sent his wishes to the President-elect and the Vice president-elect. He also thanked the various campaign employees and volunteers who helped Americans to register and vote. "Congratulations to President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris. Thank you to the election officials and campaign workers who worked tirelessly to ensure a record number of Americans could cast a ballot and have it counted during such a challenging time for our country," he tweeted. Congratulations to President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris. Thank you to the election officials and campaign workers who worked tirelessly to ensure a record number of Americans could cast a ballot and have it counted during such an challenging time for our country. — Bill Gates (@BillGates) November 7, 2020 × Tibetan spiritual guru Dalai Lama wrote a letter to the President-elect appreciating America's value of democracy and said, "Humanity places great hope in the democratic vision and leadership of the US as leader of the free world. Particularly in these challenging times, I hope you will be able to contribute to shaping a more peaceful world in which people suffering poverty and injustice find relief." Further, he thanked Biden for "support for the Tibetan people, during your time in Congress and the previous administration, as well as for your statement in September this year. It has been the Tibetan people`s good fortune to have received the friendship and encouragement of the American people and their respective Presidents in our endeavor to protect and preserve our ancient Buddhist culture -- a culture of peace, non-violence and compassion -- that has great potential to benefit humanity as a whole," he said. The Nobel Peace Laureate also appreciated Biden's choice of Vice President-elect saying, "May I also commend you for your choice of a woman, Kamala Harris, to be your Vice President."

US election 2020: Wishes pour in as Joe Biden wins presidency

<p>Underlining that India has been more of a "rule taker" than a "rule maker" at the UN, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday said the country needs to fix its domestic issues, including that of the economy, and have "moral authority" if it wants to be a rules contributor to the world.</p>

<p>The former Union minister said he has always argued that India's international credibility is often a reflection of its domestic postures and the success at home is the best guarantee that "we will be respected and effective abroad".</p>

<p>"Now we have unfortunately been going through a few very bad years domestically in terms of crumbling social cohesion, the eruption and uncontrollable spread of the coronavirus pandemic, the border troubles with China, the economic collapse after demonetisation, unemployment figures worst recorded in the history in these years, everything is wrong," he said at a session of the 7th national forum of the Public Affairs Forum of India.</p>

<p>Tharoor said India must use its capacity to demand constructive changes in global governance.</p>

<p>"India has to be what it was trying to be before the last five years or so which was a sort of an example to the developing world -- the world's first development power," the former UN under secretary general said.</p>

<p>Tharoor hoped that India would contribute to initiatives to catalyse a new consensus for the world.</p>

<p>"But before it does so, we really have to fix our internal situation first so that we can face the world with greater credibility and with renewed admiration that we used to enjoy till very recently," he said.</p>

<p>Asked about reforms at the UN and whether they were linked with monetary contributions by member states, Tharoor said, "I don't think cheque book alone is important."</p>

<p>India is a state that has contributed generously and was among the leading donors to UN's democracy fund, initiatives on ideas, decolonisation, racism, apartheid, and also also contributed in kind through peacekeeping, Tharoor said.</p>

<p>"India has nothing to be ashamed of, we have very much been in the forefront of international efforts at the UN to do a lot of good work and to contribute in terms of leadership. Yet, we have been more of a 'rule taker' than a 'rule maker' and these rules have been made by the big powerful countries and we haven't been counted amongst them," he said.</p>

<p>"Which is why we need both economic growth and prosperity on the one hand, which has gone down the tubes in the last few years, and we also need moral authority if we want to be a rule contributor," Tharoor said.</p>

<p>That moral authority comes from the successful management of our own challenges including the great challenges of religious, ethnic and linguistic diversity in India which the country had been managing very well till recently, he said.</p>

<p>It also involves managing some of the contradictions in the neighbourhood and being magnanimous to neighbours rather than being hostile to them, Tharoor said, claiming that India had slipped on that count recently.</p>

<p>Tharoor said it was important for India to come across to the rest of the world as an example of a thriving and harmonious society.</p>

<p>"If we can get our act together and lead our country in the direction that we have traditionally aspired to -- that has been hailed as a success in the past, we will once again be in a position to set an example whether on the Security Council or off it," he said.</p>

<p>If India does this and also prospers economically, people from other countries will state that they cannot imagine a Security Council without India "rather than us demanding it as we are doing it now", Tharoor said.&nbsp;</p>


Underlining that India has been more of a "rule taker" than a "rule maker" at the UN, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday said the country needs to fix its domestic issues, including that of the economy, and have "moral authority" if it wants to be a rules contributor to the world.

Underlining that India has been more of a "rule taker" than a "rule maker" at the UN, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday said the country needs to fix its domestic issues, including that of the economy, and have "moral authority" if it wants to be a rules contributor to the world. The former Union minister said he has always argued that India's international credibility is often a reflection of its domestic postures and the success at home is the best guarantee that "we will be respected and effective abroad". "Now we have unfortunately been going through a few very bad years domestically in terms of crumbling social cohesion, the eruption and uncontrollable spread of the coronavirus pandemic, the border troubles with China, the economic collapse after demonetisation, unemployment figures worst recorded in the history in these years, everything is wrong," he said at a session of the 7th national forum of the Public Affairs Forum of India. Tharoor said India must use its capacity to demand constructive changes in global governance. "India has to be what it was trying to be before the last five years or so which was a sort of an example to the developing world -- the world's first development power," the former UN under secretary general said. Tharoor hoped that India would contribute to initiatives to catalyse a new consensus for the world. "But before it does so, we really have to fix our internal situation first so that we can face the world with greater credibility and with renewed admiration that we used to enjoy till very recently," he said. Asked about reforms at the UN and whether they were linked with monetary contributions by member states, Tharoor said, "I don't think cheque book alone is important." India is a state that has contributed generously and was among the leading donors to UN's democracy fund, initiatives on ideas, decolonisation, racism, apartheid, and also also contributed in kind through peacekeeping, Tharoor said. "India has nothing to be ashamed of, we have very much been in the forefront of international efforts at the UN to do a lot of good work and to contribute in terms of leadership. Yet, we have been more of a 'rule taker' than a 'rule maker' and these rules have been made by the big powerful countries and we haven't been counted amongst them," he said. "Which is why we need both economic growth and prosperity on the one hand, which has gone down the tubes in the last few years, and we also need moral authority if we want to be a rule contributor," Tharoor said. That moral authority comes from the successful management of our own challenges including the great challenges of religious, ethnic and linguistic diversity in India which the country had been managing very well till recently, he said. It also involves managing some of the contradictions in the neighbourhood and being magnanimous to neighbours rather than being hostile to them, Tharoor said, claiming that India had slipped on that count recently. Tharoor said it was important for India to come across to the rest of the world as an example of a thriving and harmonious society. "If we can get our act together and lead our country in the direction that we have traditionally aspired to -- that has been hailed as a success in the past, we will once again be in a position to set an example whether on the Security Council or off it," he said. If India does this and also prospers economically, people from other countries will state that they cannot imagine a Security Council without India "rather than us demanding it as we are doing it now", Tharoor said.

India needs to fix domestic issues, economy to face world with more credibility: Shashi Tharoor

<p>Netizens started an intense debate on Twitter after a UK-based professor called idli, an Indian dish popular in the southern part as the world's most boring thing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Edward Anderson, who teaches history in the UK, was responding to Zomato's post, in which the food-delivery giant asked people to name a dish which you don't understand why people like it so much.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Idli(s) are the most boring things in the world," Anderson responded to the tweet that led to sharp reactions from several social media users with divided opinions.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Idli are the most boring things in the world. <a href="https://t.co/2RgHm6zpm4">https://t.co/2RgHm6zpm4</a></p>
— Edward Anderson (@edanderson101) <a href="https://twitter.com/edanderson101/status/1313442648045346816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Many Indian users hit out at Anderson, saying he has not eaten "real" idlis and other users opined that the taste of idli depends upon what it is being eaten with.</p>

<p>Here are some of the reactions.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Someone feed him some real idlis <a href="https://t.co/wt9PhZWWgU">https://t.co/wt9PhZWWgU</a></p>
— Varun Krishnan (@varunkrish) <a href="https://twitter.com/varunkrish/status/1314107487239299072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">No waaaay! 😱😱😱😱<br />
Butter idlis are heavenly!!! Also same, if had with gunpowder Masala!<br />
It all depends on the preparation of it! <a href="https://t.co/sENGUbfaRa">https://t.co/sENGUbfaRa</a></p>
— Devang Bhandari (@iamdevb) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamdevb/status/1314104856857112576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Have you had mini idlis soaked in Sambhar and ghee?</p>
— پربھا (@deepsealioness) <a href="https://twitter.com/deepsealioness/status/1313857142441435136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">As a south Indian, I agree. There is one big exception though: Sannas, which are idlis made with the usual batter and toddy. When eaten with a good Mangalorean chicken curry, it can transform your world. <a href="https://t.co/A1HWo98jZw">https://t.co/A1HWo98jZw</a></p>
— Shaunna Rodrigues (@Shaunnaroder) <a href="https://twitter.com/Shaunnaroder/status/1314101106021081090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Looks like an international conspiracy has been planned to defame my Idly. People from UK &amp; France are involved.<br />
Et tu, brute? 😢</p>
— IdlyVadaa (@IdlyVadaa) <a href="https://twitter.com/IdlyVadaa/status/1313880212464037888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who represents a constituency in the southern part of India, also took a jibe at the history professor, saying: "civilisation is hard to acquire".</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Yes, my son, there are some who are truly challenged in this world. Civilisation is hard to acquire: the taste &amp; refinement to appreciate idlis, enjoy cricket, or watch ottamthullal is not given to every mortal. Take pity on this poor man, for he may never know what Life can be. <a href="https://t.co/M0rEfAU3V3">https://t.co/M0rEfAU3V3</a></p>
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1313854211004624896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Yes, my son, there are some who are truly challenged in this world. Civilisation is hard to acquire: the taste &amp; refinement to appreciate idlis, enjoy cricket, or watch ottamthullal is not given to every mortal. Take pity on this poor man, for he may never know what Life can be," Tharoor said in a tweet.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


Netizens started an intense debate on Twitter after a UK-based professor called idli, an Indian dish popular in the southern part as the world's most boring thing.

Netizens started an intense debate on Twitter after a UK-based professor called idli, an Indian dish popular in the southern part as the world's most boring thing. Edward Anderson, who teaches history in the UK, was responding to Zomato's post, in which the food-delivery giant asked people to name a dish which you don't understand why people like it so much. "Idli(s) are the most boring things in the world," Anderson responded to the tweet that led to sharp reactions from several social media users with divided opinions. Idli are the most boring things in the world. https://t.co/2RgHm6zpm4 — Edward Anderson (@edanderson101) October 6, 2020 × Many Indian users hit out at Anderson, saying he has not eaten "real" idlis and other users opined that the taste of idli depends upon what it is being eaten with. Here are some of the reactions. Someone feed him some real idlis https://t.co/wt9PhZWWgU — Varun Krishnan (@varunkrish) October 8, 2020 × No waaaay! 😱😱😱😱 Butter idlis are heavenly!!! Also same, if had with gunpowder Masala! It all depends on the preparation of it! https://t.co/sENGUbfaRa — Devang Bhandari (@iamdevb) October 8, 2020 × Have you had mini idlis soaked in Sambhar and ghee? — پربھا (@deepsealioness) October 7, 2020 × As a south Indian, I agree. There is one big exception though: Sannas, which are idlis made with the usual batter and toddy. When eaten with a good Mangalorean chicken curry, it can transform your world. https://t.co/A1HWo98jZw — Shaunna Rodrigues (@Shaunnaroder) October 8, 2020 × Looks like an international conspiracy has been planned to defame my Idly. People from UK & France are involved. Et tu, brute? 😢 — IdlyVadaa (@IdlyVadaa) October 7, 2020 × Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who represents a constituency in the southern part of India, also took a jibe at the history professor, saying: "civilisation is hard to acquire". Yes, my son, there are some who are truly challenged in this world. Civilisation is hard to acquire: the taste & refinement to appreciate idlis, enjoy cricket, or watch ottamthullal is not given to every mortal. Take pity on this poor man, for he may never know what Life can be. https://t.co/M0rEfAU3V3 — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 7, 2020 × "Yes, my son, there are some who are truly challenged in this world. Civilisation is hard to acquire: the taste & refinement to appreciate idlis, enjoy cricket, or watch ottamthullal is not given to every mortal. Take pity on this poor man, for he may never know what Life can be," Tharoor said in a tweet.

Massive row erupts on Twitter after UK teacher calls idlis most 'boring' thing

<p>The PV Narasimha Rao government was successful in maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries through reasonable, conciliatory and accommodative approach while the present BJP dispensation has "failed" in that area, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor claimed.</p>

<p>Delivering a talk on "India's Foreign Policy - Former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao", organised by the Congress' Telangana unit, he described the former prime minister as a 'true jewel of India' and demanded Bharat Ratna for the leader posthumously.</p>

<p>He was addressing the event, held by Congress as part of the year-long birth centenary celebrations of Mr Rao, who hailed from Telangana, through video conferencing.</p>

<p>"The reason things are so bad today is first - a divisive, ideologically driven and arrogant politics which our neighbours pay attention to," Mr Tharoor alleged, replying to a query on how he compared the foreign policy handling of Mr Rao and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.</p>

<p>"Second, huge difference in personality between the arrogance of the current leadership in our country and the quite, understated, humble approach of Narasimha Rao," he said.</p>

<p>The Thiruvananthapuram MP said Narasimha Rao was pragmatic and wanted to "change things" without seeming to be changing any.</p>

<p>"Finally, Narasimha Rao was pragmatic... he wanted to change things without seeming to bechanging any... you never heard a speech from him saying that all our previous foreign policies are bad and I am changing everything. He portrayed everything was in continuation of the past but at the same time he brought about fundamental changes," he added.</p>

<p>According to Shashi Tharoor, Narasimha Rao knew how to relate to the neighbourhood in an asymmetrical fashion, show these countries that India will give more than it takes as opposed to the present regime.</p>

<p>"For example in the confrontation with Nepal over the new Constitution (there), it looked like India was demanding more from Nepal than Nepal could feasibly give... that is not the approach of a big country to a small country.</p>

<p>"We have to go out of our way to be reasonable, conciliatory and accommodative. Sadly, this is where the present regime has failed and this is where Narasimha Rao succeeded," Mr Tharoor said.</p>

<p>He further said in one of India's most difficult periods in 1991, the country was blessed with an extraordinary statesman and a visionary leader in PV Narasimha Rao, who according to him changed the country's fortunes in an exceptionally transformative way.</p>

<p>His skilful management of alliances and courage to introduce bold economic reforms with Manmohan Singh (who was the finance minister in his cabinet) fundamentally changed India, he added.</p>

<p>"He achieved this despite not being a popular mass leader, presiding over a minority government and as an accidental prime minister. Under him the foreign policy of India moved decisively away from pure Nehruvian idealism to more pragmatic pursuits of national self-interest," Mr Tharoor added.</p>


The PV Narasimha Rao government was successful in maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries through reasonable, conciliatory and accommodative approach while the present BJP dispensation has "failed" in that area, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor claimed.

The PV Narasimha Rao government was successful in maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries through reasonable, conciliatory and accommodative approach while the present BJP dispensation has "failed" in that area, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor claimed. Delivering a talk on "India's Foreign Policy - Former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao", organised by the Congress' Telangana unit, he described the former prime minister as a 'true jewel of India' and demanded Bharat Ratna for the leader posthumously. He was addressing the event, held by Congress as part of the year-long birth centenary celebrations of Mr Rao, who hailed from Telangana, through video conferencing. "The reason things are so bad today is first - a divisive, ideologically driven and arrogant politics which our neighbours pay attention to," Mr Tharoor alleged, replying to a query on how he compared the foreign policy handling of Mr Rao and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Second, huge difference in personality between the arrogance of the current leadership in our country and the quite, understated, humble approach of Narasimha Rao," he said. The Thiruvananthapuram MP said Narasimha Rao was pragmatic and wanted to "change things" without seeming to be changing any. "Finally, Narasimha Rao was pragmatic... he wanted to change things without seeming to bechanging any... you never heard a speech from him saying that all our previous foreign policies are bad and I am changing everything. He portrayed everything was in continuation of the past but at the same time he brought about fundamental changes," he added. According to Shashi Tharoor, Narasimha Rao knew how to relate to the neighbourhood in an asymmetrical fashion, show these countries that India will give more than it takes as opposed to the present regime. "For example in the confrontation with Nepal over the new Constitution (there), it looked like India was demanding more from Nepal than Nepal could feasibly give... that is not the approach of a big country to a small country. "We have to go out of our way to be reasonable, conciliatory and accommodative. Sadly, this is where the present regime has failed and this is where Narasimha Rao succeeded," Mr Tharoor said. He further said in one of India's most difficult periods in 1991, the country was blessed with an extraordinary statesman and a visionary leader in PV Narasimha Rao, who according to him changed the country's fortunes in an exceptionally transformative way. His skilful management of alliances and courage to introduce bold economic reforms with Manmohan Singh (who was the finance minister in his cabinet) fundamentally changed India, he added. "He achieved this despite not being a popular mass leader, presiding over a minority government and as an accidental prime minister. Under him the foreign policy of India moved decisively away from pure Nehruvian idealism to more pragmatic pursuits of national self-interest," Mr Tharoor added.

Narasimha Rao was very different from PM Modi, says Shashi Tharoor 

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<p>It is important to understand that students need our support, said Congress MP and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor on Sunday while expressing solidarity with the students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI).</p>

<p>Referring to the violence on the campuses of JNU and JMI, which left several teachers and students injured, Tharoor told ANI: "Jamia and JNU have both been sites of very shameful misbehaviour."</p>

<p>"In Jamia, by the police themselves, who burst into the hostels and library, and seriously injured and even killed a couple of students, while in JNU, we saw the police standing idle nearby when thugs and goons entered the campus and attacked the students," he said.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Heartwarming to meet &amp; address the courageous women of Shaheen Bagh whose resistance is now legendary. “Aap is sheher ki shaan hain, Bharat desh ki jaan hain” I told them in my address. <a href="https://t.co/nPg467w46J">pic.twitter.com/nPg467w46J</a></p>
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1216373052256047104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>He objected to the manner in which the students had been dealt with, and said that dissent was very precious in the country, especially on university campuses.</p>

<p>"The people who have come into power are claiming that they are big heroes, but they are not showing respect to the students, which they felt they deserve themselves. It is important to understand that the students need our support, and we are here to show our solidarity," said Tharoor.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Message to JNU students awaiting me: Decided to give up battling the traffic near ShaheenBagh &amp; have taken the metro instead to get to you. Will still be late, but not as late as if I’d stuck to four wheels! See you all soon! Looking forward to our interaction. <a href="https://t.co/t68zW8Iqsp">pic.twitter.com/t68zW8Iqsp</a></p>
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1216371585327616000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Talking about Home Minister Amit Shah`s statement that the amended citizenship law does not take away the citizenship of any citizen, Tharoor said: "The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) discriminates by imposing, for the first time, a religious test.</p>

<p>The Act says that there would be fast track citizenship for the people of only six religions, which is completely violative of Gandhi and our Constitution, and reflects different thinking than that of our freedom struggle.</p>


It is important to understand that students need our support, said Congress MP and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor on Sunday while expressing solidarity with the students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI).

It is important to understand that students need our support, said Congress MP and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor on Sunday while expressing solidarity with the students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI). Referring to the violence on the campuses of JNU and JMI, which left several teachers and students injured, Tharoor told ANI: "Jamia and JNU have both been sites of very shameful misbehaviour." "In Jamia, by the police themselves, who burst into the hostels and library, and seriously injured and even killed a couple of students, while in JNU, we saw the police standing idle nearby when thugs and goons entered the campus and attacked the students," he said. Heartwarming to meet & address the courageous women of Shaheen Bagh whose resistance is now legendary. “Aap is sheher ki shaan hain, Bharat desh ki jaan hain” I told them in my address. pic.twitter.com/nPg467w46J — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 12, 2020 × He objected to the manner in which the students had been dealt with, and said that dissent was very precious in the country, especially on university campuses. "The people who have come into power are claiming that they are big heroes, but they are not showing respect to the students, which they felt they deserve themselves. It is important to understand that the students need our support, and we are here to show our solidarity," said Tharoor. Message to JNU students awaiting me: Decided to give up battling the traffic near ShaheenBagh & have taken the metro instead to get to you. Will still be late, but not as late as if I’d stuck to four wheels! See you all soon! Looking forward to our interaction. pic.twitter.com/t68zW8Iqsp — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 12, 2020 × Talking about Home Minister Amit Shah`s statement that the amended citizenship law does not take away the citizenship of any citizen, Tharoor said: "The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) discriminates by imposing, for the first time, a religious test. The Act says that there would be fast track citizenship for the people of only six religions, which is completely violative of Gandhi and our Constitution, and reflects different thinking than that of our freedom struggle.

JNU, Jamia students need our support, says Cong leader Shashi Tharoor

<p>The 77th Golden Globes was a starry affair on January 6, 2020 (Indian time) as celebs from around the world got together to celebrate last year’s films and TV shows that entertained the audience and made moolah at the box office. Among the list of winners were some surprise wins, some that we anticipated while some that made history including Awkwafina’s win that established her as the first Asian to win best actress comedy or musical for her role in 'The Farewell' and ‘Parasite’, a South Korean drama that won best foreign film Golden Globe and is also tipped to win big at the Academy Awards 2020. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/2020-golden-globes-awards-the-complete-list-of-winners-272377">Check out the complete list of winners here.</a></p>

<p>While these stole the show, another thing that stood out was the Golden Globe winner Ramy Youssef’s acceptance speech that included the phrase “Allahu Akbar”. As he received his Golden Globe for best actor in a comedy series for his role in ‘Ramy’, he said, “I would like to thank my God. Allahu Akbar. Thank you, God.”</p>

<p>“Look, I know you guys haven’t seen my show. We made a very specific show about an Arab Muslim family living in New Jersey, and this means a lot to be recognized on this level,” he continued. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/golden-globes-2020-desi-girl-priyanka-chopra-lights-up-red-carpet-in-a-pink-gown-with-husband-nick-jonas-272431">Also see: Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas turn heads on the red carpet</a></p>

<p>Ramy was handed over the award by Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/golden-globes-2020-brad-pitt-jennifer-aniston-priyanka-chopra-serve-some-major-red-carpet-looks-272400#ricky-gervais-272369">Watch red carpet looks from the Golden Globes 2020.</a></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I want to be friends with <a href="https://twitter.com/ramy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ramy</a><br />
<br />
Allahu Akbar. <a href="https://t.co/5g3Yq1SRoL">https://t.co/5g3Yq1SRoL</a></p>
— Bilal Jaleel (@bilaljaleel_) <a href="https://twitter.com/bilaljaleel_/status/1214219741755133964?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="in">Ramy dropping an Allahu Akbar at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoldenGlobes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoldenGlobes</a> <a href="https://t.co/z3TM9YELw7">pic.twitter.com/z3TM9YELw7</a></p>
— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) <a href="https://twitter.com/BeardedGenius/status/1213995804320583682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>As soon as Ramy said the phrase on the globally-watched platform, Twitter went into frenzy with fans crushing over the actor for proudly flaunting his Egyptian identity while some users from India tagged Indian politician Shashi Tharoor calling for a reaction from him. “Allahu Akbar” is a widely used phrase by the Muslims all around the world as it means ‘Allah is great’ and they use it every time before starting something, to seek blessings from God. The phrase, however, has been politicised around the world and is seen as a war cry and is often associated with radical Islam. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/77th-golden-globes-australia-fires-abortion-rights-and-other-issues-that-dominated-awards-night-272537">Read about politics taking center stage at the 77th Golden Globes.</a></p>

<p>Meanwhile, Shashi Tharoor was brought into the conversation as he recently in December had taken to Twitter over the ongoing anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in India sharing a video featuring some Indian muslims chanting “La Ilaha illallah” as part of their fight against Hindutva extremism. He had then said that the fight against Hindutva extremism should give no comfort to Islamic extremism either. He had added that the people who are raising their voice over CAA and NRC are fighting to defend an inclusive India. He was then too bashed for not being sensitised towards the demands of the Indian muslims, against whom the Bill (now Act) is discriminatory.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Our fight against Hindutva extremism should give no comfort to Islamist extremism either. We who’re raising our voice in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CAA_NRCProtests?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CAA_NRCProtests</a> are fighting to defend an <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InclusiveIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#InclusiveIndia</a>. We will not allow pluralism&amp;diversity to be supplanted by any kind of religious fundamentalism. <a href="https://t.co/C9GVtB9gIa">https://t.co/C9GVtB9gIa</a></p>
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1211265562883579904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Users thus tagged Shashi Tharoor in Ramy Youssef’s acceptance speech video, saying that he won’t be happy that the actor used this phrase at the Golden Globes event.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Shashi Tharoor will not like this. <a href="https://t.co/8iv2Eegn7E">https://t.co/8iv2Eegn7E</a></p>
— Shahana Yasmin (@shahana_y) <a href="https://twitter.com/shahana_y/status/1214082384536064001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">CC: <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShashiTharoor</a><br />
Watch this video before you go to sleep. Good Night! <a href="https://t.co/CRkBoVIkAR">https://t.co/CRkBoVIkAR</a></p>
— Aryan Srivastava (@aryansrivastav_) <a href="https://twitter.com/aryansrivastav_/status/1214257461349081090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tag Shashi tharoor,he would definitely not like it.bdw is that Rachel? <a href="https://t.co/jiSQu8Snr6">https://t.co/jiSQu8Snr6</a></p>
— m_shaikh (@moodwrites) <a href="https://twitter.com/moodwrites/status/1214159661974179840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>In another note, the 77th Golden Globes had lesser number of wins for content from Netflix and other OTT platforms while it backed more international studios’ work. ‘1917’ and ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ won big awards last night while Netflix’s ‘Irishman’ was the biggest loser with no award in its kitty.</p>


The 77th Golden Globes was a starry affair on January 6, 2020 (Indian time) as celebs from around the world got together to celebrate last year’s films and TV shows that entertained the audience and made moolah at the box office.

The 77th Golden Globes was a starry affair on January 6, 2020 (Indian time) as celebs from around the world got together to celebrate last year’s films and TV shows that entertained the audience and made moolah at the box office. Among the list of winners were some surprise wins, some that we anticipated while some that made history including Awkwafina’s win that established her as the first Asian to win best actress comedy or musical for her role in 'The Farewell' and ‘Parasite’, a South Korean drama that won best foreign film Golden Globe and is also tipped to win big at the Academy Awards 2020. Check out the complete list of winners here. While these stole the show, another thing that stood out was the Golden Globe winner Ramy Youssef’s acceptance speech that included the phrase “Allahu Akbar”. As he received his Golden Globe for best actor in a comedy series for his role in ‘Ramy’, he said, “I would like to thank my God. Allahu Akbar. Thank you, God.” “Look, I know you guys haven’t seen my show. We made a very specific show about an Arab Muslim family living in New Jersey, and this means a lot to be recognized on this level,” he continued. Also see: Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas turn heads on the red carpet Ramy was handed over the award by Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. Watch red carpet looks from the Golden Globes 2020. I want to be friends with @ramy Allahu Akbar. https://t.co/5g3Yq1SRoL — Bilal Jaleel (@bilaljaleel_) January 6, 2020 × Ramy dropping an Allahu Akbar at the #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/z3TM9YELw7 — Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) January 6, 2020 × As soon as Ramy said the phrase on the globally-watched platform, Twitter went into frenzy with fans crushing over the actor for proudly flaunting his Egyptian identity while some users from India tagged Indian politician Shashi Tharoor calling for a reaction from him. “Allahu Akbar” is a widely used phrase by the Muslims all around the world as it means ‘Allah is great’ and they use it every time before starting something, to seek blessings from God. The phrase, however, has been politicised around the world and is seen as a war cry and is often associated with radical Islam. Read about politics taking center stage at the 77th Golden Globes. Meanwhile, Shashi Tharoor was brought into the conversation as he recently in December had taken to Twitter over the ongoing anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in India sharing a video featuring some Indian muslims chanting “La Ilaha illallah” as part of their fight against Hindutva extremism. He had then said that the fight against Hindutva extremism should give no comfort to Islamic extremism either. He had added that the people who are raising their voice over CAA and NRC are fighting to defend an inclusive India. He was then too bashed for not being sensitised towards the demands of the Indian muslims, against whom the Bill (now Act) is discriminatory. Our fight against Hindutva extremism should give no comfort to Islamist extremism either. We who’re raising our voice in the #CAA_NRCProtests are fighting to defend an #InclusiveIndia. We will not allow pluralism&diversity to be supplanted by any kind of religious fundamentalism. https://t.co/C9GVtB9gIa — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 29, 2019 × Users thus tagged Shashi Tharoor in Ramy Youssef’s acceptance speech video, saying that he won’t be happy that the actor used this phrase at the Golden Globes event. Shashi Tharoor will not like this. https://t.co/8iv2Eegn7E — Shahana Yasmin (@shahana_y) January 6, 2020 × CC: @ShashiTharoor Watch this video before you go to sleep. Good Night! https://t.co/CRkBoVIkAR — Aryan Srivastava (@aryansrivastav_) January 6, 2020 × Tag Shashi tharoor,he would definitely not like it.bdw is that Rachel? https://t.co/jiSQu8Snr6 — m_shaikh (@moodwrites) January 6, 2020 × In another note, the 77th Golden Globes had lesser number of wins for content from Netflix and other OTT platforms while it backed more international studios’ work. ‘1917’ and ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ won big awards last night while Netflix’s ‘Irishman’ was the biggest loser with no award in its kitty.

Golden Globe winner Ramy Youssef says 'Allahu Akbar' in speech, Twitterati think Shashi Tharoor won't like it

<p>Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor on Sunday gave his take on how cricket teams should go for breaking records if the opportunity presents itself. His remarks came after Australia's batsman <a href="David Warner hits magical triple century as Australia put up mammoth score against Pakistan">David Warner </a>was not able to break Brian Lara's record of highest individual Test score.</p>

<p>Warner had played an unbeaten knock of 335 runs against Pakistan in the ongoing day-night Test at Adelaide and was on course to break Lara's individual score of 400. It was then that Australia's skipper Tim Paine decided to declare the innings.</p>

<p>Tharoor posted two tweets to give his take on the decision to declare by Tim Paine."This summer, David Warner made 95 runs in 10 innings in the Ashes series against England. Against Pak, he scored 150+ in the 1st Test last week &amp; followed it up with 335 not out yesterday in the 2nd. An unnecessary premature declaration cost him a shot at the world record. Pity," Tharoor said in a tweet.</p>

<p>In another tweet, the Congress leader said: "Part of the pleasure of cricket is its records. Figures &amp; statistics continue to enthral the true aficionado. Cricket teams should go for records when they can. With the 1st Test in the bag &amp; victory likely against a weak Pak side (which was soon reduced to 89 for 6), why declare?"</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This summer, <a href="https://twitter.com/davidwarner31?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@davidwarner31</a> made 95 runs in 10 innings in the Ashes series against England. Against Pak, he scored 150+ in the 1st Test last week &amp; followed it up with 335 not out yesterday in the 2nd. An unnecessary premature declaration cost him a shot at the world record. Pity</p>
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1200996362268995585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Warner was able to score just 95 runs in the Ashes this year, but ever since then, he has been in remarkable form. The left-handed batsman played a knock of 154 in the first Test and he followed it up with a score of 335 not out.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Part of the pleasure of cricket is its records. Figures &amp;statistics continue to enthral the true aficionado. Cricket teams should go for records when they can. With the 1st Test in the bag &amp; victory likely against a weak Pak side (which was soon reduced to 89 for 6), why declare?</p>
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1200996962209689602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>In the ongoing Test, Warner broke several records. He surpassed Mark Taylor and Don Bradman to record the second-highest individual score for Australia in Tests. Warner also went past Bradman to record the highest-ever individual score at the Adelaide Oval. He is now the only Australian to have scored two 250+ plus scores in Tests.&nbsp;</p>


Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor on Sunday gave his take on how cricket teams should go for breaking records if the opportunity presents itself. His remarks came after Australia's batsman David Warner was not able to break Brian Lara's record of highest individual Test score.

Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor on Sunday gave his take on how cricket teams should go for breaking records if the opportunity presents itself. His remarks came after Australia's batsman David Warner was not able to break Brian Lara's record of highest individual Test score. Warner had played an unbeaten knock of 335 runs against Pakistan in the ongoing day-night Test at Adelaide and was on course to break Lara's individual score of 400. It was then that Australia's skipper Tim Paine decided to declare the innings. Tharoor posted two tweets to give his take on the decision to declare by Tim Paine."This summer, David Warner made 95 runs in 10 innings in the Ashes series against England. Against Pak, he scored 150+ in the 1st Test last week & followed it up with 335 not out yesterday in the 2nd. An unnecessary premature declaration cost him a shot at the world record. Pity," Tharoor said in a tweet. In another tweet, the Congress leader said: "Part of the pleasure of cricket is its records. Figures & statistics continue to enthral the true aficionado. Cricket teams should go for records when they can. With the 1st Test in the bag & victory likely against a weak Pak side (which was soon reduced to 89 for 6), why declare?" This summer, @davidwarner31 made 95 runs in 10 innings in the Ashes series against England. Against Pak, he scored 150+ in the 1st Test last week & followed it up with 335 not out yesterday in the 2nd. An unnecessary premature declaration cost him a shot at the world record. Pity — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 1, 2019 × Warner was able to score just 95 runs in the Ashes this year, but ever since then, he has been in remarkable form. The left-handed batsman played a knock of 154 in the first Test and he followed it up with a score of 335 not out. Part of the pleasure of cricket is its records. Figures &statistics continue to enthral the true aficionado. Cricket teams should go for records when they can. With the 1st Test in the bag & victory likely against a weak Pak side (which was soon reduced to 89 for 6), why declare? — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 1, 2019 × In the ongoing Test, Warner broke several records. He surpassed Mark Taylor and Don Bradman to record the second-highest individual score for Australia in Tests. Warner also went past Bradman to record the highest-ever individual score at the Adelaide Oval. He is now the only Australian to have scored two 250+ plus scores in Tests.

Shashi Tharoor slams Australia decision to declare innings as David Warner misses chance to break world record

<p>Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday moved an application in a Special court here seeking permission to travel to three different countries on different dates.</p>

<p>Tharoor has to seek the court`s permission to travel abroad as he is out on bail in the murder case of his wife, Sunanda Pushkar.</p>

<p>Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of January 17, 2014. Tharoor was later charged under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) including for abetment to suicide and cruelty.</p>

<p>The lawmaker was granted bail on a condition that he has to seek prior permission of the court before travelling abroad.From November 14 to 18, Tharoor will be in Dubai.</p>

<p>The leader will be in Oman from December 15 to 17. He will travel to the USA and Mexico from December 28 to January for a family get-together.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday moved an application in a Special court here seeking permission to travel to three different countries on different dates.

Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday moved an application in a Special court here seeking permission to travel to three different countries on different dates. Tharoor has to seek the court`s permission to travel abroad as he is out on bail in the murder case of his wife, Sunanda Pushkar. Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of January 17, 2014. Tharoor was later charged under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) including for abetment to suicide and cruelty. The lawmaker was granted bail on a condition that he has to seek prior permission of the court before travelling abroad.From November 14 to 18, Tharoor will be in Dubai. The leader will be in Oman from December 15 to 17. He will travel to the USA and Mexico from December 28 to January for a family get-together.

Shashi Tharoor seeks court's permission to travel abroad

<p>The counsel representing Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor accused in the murder case of his wife Sunanda Pushkar, on Thursday sought that the tweet posted by the latter just before her demise be made a part of the charge sheet.</p>

<p>Asserting that the Delhi Police did not add Sunanda's tweets to the charge sheet, senior advocate Vikas Pahwa told the Special court at Rouse Avenue Court Complex that according to her last tweet, her mental condition seemed normal.</p>

<p>"Till 16th (January) she was tweeting. Even on 17th morning, the last tweet was at 4:46 am. Delhi police have not filed the tweet as part of the charge sheet. On many social media platforms, details were, however, added," Pahwa said during the course of proceedings.</p>

<p>The senior advocate said that there is no record to ascertain the cause of Sunanda's death. He said that according to the charge sheet, it is neither homicide nor suicide.</p>

<p>A Special court at Rouse Avenue Court Complex was hearing the arguments on the framing of charges against Tharoor. The court has now slated the hearing in the matter for November 15.</p>

<p>Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of January 17, 2014.</p>

<p>Tharoor was later charged under Sections 498-A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).</p>


The counsel representing Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor accused in the murder case of his wife Sunanda Pushkar, on Thursday sought that the tweet posted by the latter just before her demise be made a part of the charge sheet.

The counsel representing Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor accused in the murder case of his wife Sunanda Pushkar, on Thursday sought that the tweet posted by the latter just before her demise be made a part of the charge sheet. Asserting that the Delhi Police did not add Sunanda's tweets to the charge sheet, senior advocate Vikas Pahwa told the Special court at Rouse Avenue Court Complex that according to her last tweet, her mental condition seemed normal. "Till 16th (January) she was tweeting. Even on 17th morning, the last tweet was at 4:46 am. Delhi police have not filed the tweet as part of the charge sheet. On many social media platforms, details were, however, added," Pahwa said during the course of proceedings. The senior advocate said that there is no record to ascertain the cause of Sunanda's death. He said that according to the charge sheet, it is neither homicide nor suicide. A Special court at Rouse Avenue Court Complex was hearing the arguments on the framing of charges against Tharoor. The court has now slated the hearing in the matter for November 15. Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of January 17, 2014. Tharoor was later charged under Sections 498-A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Sunanda Pushkar death case: Defence seeks her last tweet be made part of charge sheet

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who is a part of the Indian delegation at the ongoing Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) Meeting in the Serbian capital Belgrade, on Sunday hit out at Pakistan for raising the issue of Kashmir at the forum.

Shashi Tharoor slams Pakistan on J&K at  Asian Parliamentary Assembly meet

Congress party bigwigs, including Salman Khurshid, Shashi Tharoor and Jyotiraditya Scindia, have expressed their displeasure over the current state of affairs following the exit of Rahul Gandhi as the Congress President.

Video Opinion: Analysing Congress' leadership crisis

<p>What is happening to India’s oldest political formation, the Indian National Congress? Not only is it apparently headless but also in complete disarray. While Sonia Gandhi has reluctantly reassumed its reigns as its interim acting president, its leadership crisis is far from over. In the meanwhile, its top leaders such as P Chidambaram and, now, Karnataka’s DK Shivakumar, are in serious legal trouble. The former, despite his formidable financial and political clout, not to speak of legendry legal acumen, has spent days in detention. More recently, Shivakumar is facing the heat from the Enforcement Directorate, with the Karnataka High Court refusing to grant him protection from arrest.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier in the week, Rahul Gandhi scored another self-goal. After his failed visit to Srinagar on August 24, when he was not allowed to leave the airport and forced to return politically empty-handed, Gandhi tweeted against the government for unleashing draconian measures and brute force on the people of our newest Union Territory. “Things in Jammu and Kashmir are going very wrong,” Gandhi said, “There are reports of violence. There are reports of people dying in Jammu and Kashmir.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Human Rights, Shireen Mazari, was quick to take advantage of Gandhi’s alarmist remarks, quite in consonance with its own strategy to internationalise the Kashmir issue. In her letter to officials of the United Nations, Mazari quoted Gandhi’s comment that people were dying in J&amp;K. Attacked by senior BJP ministers, Gandhi had to hastily beat a retreat by calling out Pakistan as a terror-sponsoring state on social media: “I disagree with this government on many issues,” he tweeted, “But, let me make this absolutely clear: Kashmir is India’s internal issue and there is no room for Pakistan or any other foreign country to interfere in it… There is violence in Jammu &amp; Kashmir. There is violence because it is instigated and supported by Pakistan which is known to be the prime supporter of terrorism across the world.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>Randeep Singh Surjewala, Congress communications chief, had to jump in to defend his former party president. Accusing Pakistan of mischievously trying to use Gandhi to peddle a “pack of lies”, he said, “Let no one in the world be in doubt that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were, are and shall always remain integral parts of India. No amount of diabolical deception by Pakistan shall change this truth.” But the damage was done. Information and Broadcasting Minister and BJP political veteran, Prakash Javadekar accused Gandhi of helping Pakistan against India on the international stage. He rightly pointed out that Gandhi had been forced to make “a complete U-turn…due to circumstances and public pressure”. Earlier, during the 2019 election campaign, Gandhi had also failed to tarnish Modi’s incorruptible image with his “chowkidar chor hai” campaign.</p>

<p>It seems from all this that Jairam Ramesh certainly has a point. Demonising Narendra Modi isn’t helping the Congress. Rather, it shows the deep division, bordering on disarray, that afflicts India’s oldest political party. This was evident in the manner in which its high-profile and loquacious leader, three-times Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, was targeted by his own state leadership. Pulled up by the Kerala Congress president, Mullapally Ramachandran, he was issued a show-cause notice.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The “original sinner”, as a report dubbed him, was not Tharoor, but Ramesh. The latter’s comments at a book launch in the national capital were also supported by party spokesman and lawyer, Abhishek Manu Singhvi. But only Tharoor was targeted. It was the following remark that probably earned Tharoor his party’s ire: “As you know, I have argued for six years now that Narendra Modi should be praised whenever he says or does the right thing, which would add credibility to our criticism and whenever he errs. I welcome others in Opposition coming around to a view for which I was excoriated at the time.” Tharoor was forced to clarify that he was no admirer of Modi and the Kerala Congress had to be “satisfied” with his explanation. The party only earned itself some needless embarrassment and discomfiture in the process.</p>

<p>After the Modi Sarkar’s surgical strike against Article 370, several Congress leaders came out in support of the government. These included Jyotraditya Scindia, Deepender Hooda, RPN Singh and Jitin Prasada, in addition to the son of the former Maharaja of Kashmir and first regent of the state, Dr Karan Singh. Bhuvaneshwar Kalita, the Congress chief whip, went to the extent of resigning. With considerable difficulty, if not force, the CWC eventually passed a resolution opposing the government’s abrogation of Article 370’s key provisions. The Congress is now a divided house. Not only does it lack credible leadership, but a plan of action. As if this were not bad enough, it has also shown itself utterly unsuccessful in denting, leave alone destroying, Narendra Modi’s popularity and appeal.</p>

<p><em>(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-discomfiture-and-disarray-in-congress-2786246">original article</a>)</em></p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>


What is happening to India’s oldest political formation, the Indian National Congress? Not only is it apparently headless but also in complete disarray. While Sonia Gandhi has reluctantly reassumed its reigns as its interim acting president, its leadership crisis is far from over.

What is happening to India’s oldest political formation, the Indian National Congress? Not only is it apparently headless but also in complete disarray. While Sonia Gandhi has reluctantly reassumed its reigns as its interim acting president, its leadership crisis is far from over. In the meanwhile, its top leaders such as P Chidambaram and, now, Karnataka’s DK Shivakumar, are in serious legal trouble. The former, despite his formidable financial and political clout, not to speak of legendry legal acumen, has spent days in detention. More recently, Shivakumar is facing the heat from the Enforcement Directorate, with the Karnataka High Court refusing to grant him protection from arrest. Earlier in the week, Rahul Gandhi scored another self-goal. After his failed visit to Srinagar on August 24, when he was not allowed to leave the airport and forced to return politically empty-handed, Gandhi tweeted against the government for unleashing draconian measures and brute force on the people of our newest Union Territory. “Things in Jammu and Kashmir are going very wrong,” Gandhi said, “There are reports of violence. There are reports of people dying in Jammu and Kashmir.” Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Human Rights, Shireen Mazari, was quick to take advantage of Gandhi’s alarmist remarks, quite in consonance with its own strategy to internationalise the Kashmir issue. In her letter to officials of the United Nations, Mazari quoted Gandhi’s comment that people were dying in J&K. Attacked by senior BJP ministers, Gandhi had to hastily beat a retreat by calling out Pakistan as a terror-sponsoring state on social media: “I disagree with this government on many issues,” he tweeted, “But, let me make this absolutely clear: Kashmir is India’s internal issue and there is no room for Pakistan or any other foreign country to interfere in it… There is violence in Jammu & Kashmir. There is violence because it is instigated and supported by Pakistan which is known to be the prime supporter of terrorism across the world.” Randeep Singh Surjewala, Congress communications chief, had to jump in to defend his former party president. Accusing Pakistan of mischievously trying to use Gandhi to peddle a “pack of lies”, he said, “Let no one in the world be in doubt that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were, are and shall always remain integral parts of India. No amount of diabolical deception by Pakistan shall change this truth.” But the damage was done. Information and Broadcasting Minister and BJP political veteran, Prakash Javadekar accused Gandhi of helping Pakistan against India on the international stage. He rightly pointed out that Gandhi had been forced to make “a complete U-turn…due to circumstances and public pressure”. Earlier, during the 2019 election campaign, Gandhi had also failed to tarnish Modi’s incorruptible image with his “chowkidar chor hai” campaign. It seems from all this that Jairam Ramesh certainly has a point. Demonising Narendra Modi isn’t helping the Congress. Rather, it shows the deep division, bordering on disarray, that afflicts India’s oldest political party. This was evident in the manner in which its high-profile and loquacious leader, three-times Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, was targeted by his own state leadership. Pulled up by the Kerala Congress president, Mullapally Ramachandran, he was issued a show-cause notice. The “original sinner”, as a report dubbed him, was not Tharoor, but Ramesh. The latter’s comments at a book launch in the national capital were also supported by party spokesman and lawyer, Abhishek Manu Singhvi. But only Tharoor was targeted. It was the following remark that probably earned Tharoor his party’s ire: “As you know, I have argued for six years now that Narendra Modi should be praised whenever he says or does the right thing, which would add credibility to our criticism and whenever he errs. I welcome others in Opposition coming around to a view for which I was excoriated at the time.” Tharoor was forced to clarify that he was no admirer of Modi and the Kerala Congress had to be “satisfied” with his explanation. The party only earned itself some needless embarrassment and discomfiture in the process. After the Modi Sarkar’s surgical strike against Article 370, several Congress leaders came out in support of the government. These included Jyotraditya Scindia, Deepender Hooda, RPN Singh and Jitin Prasada, in addition to the son of the former Maharaja of Kashmir and first regent of the state, Dr Karan Singh. Bhuvaneshwar Kalita, the Congress chief whip, went to the extent of resigning. With considerable difficulty, if not force, the CWC eventually passed a resolution opposing the government’s abrogation of Article 370’s key provisions. The Congress is now a divided house. Not only does it lack credible leadership, but a plan of action. As if this were not bad enough, it has also shown itself utterly unsuccessful in denting, leave alone destroying, Narendra Modi’s popularity and appeal. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Discomfiture and disarray in Congress

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