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NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of attempting to cultivate an image as the ‘Hindu hriday samrat‘ (king of Hindu hearts) in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking at a press conference, Tharoor criticized Modi’s electoral strategies, asserting that the Prime Minister’s focus on religious rhetoric and fear-mongering against Muslims is divisive and detrimental to the country’s secular fabric.
Tharoor pointed to Modi’s previous electoral campaigns, citing the shift from anti-corruption agendas and development promises to appeals rooted in nationalism and religious identity.
“In 2019, they fought the general polls on Pulwama, Balakot (terror incidents and surgical strikes in response). That was his message. Now, after 2019 he can’t say that because I have said he has been a failure in the Chinese border area,” Tharoor said.
“In 2024, the only message is that the PM is Hindu hriday samrat and is indulging in scare mongering about Muslims. What kind of talk is this? It is embarrassing when the PM of the country talks like this,” Tharoor asserted, expressing dismay at what he views as a regression in political discourse.
Tharoor further cautioned that while such messaging may resonate with the hardcore Hindutva voter base, it risks alienating neutral voters and eroding the broader support base of the ruling party.
“We believe the decline of votes in certain areas is a reflection of the indifference being felt by the traditional BJP supporter,” Tharoor said, underscoring the perceived disconnect between the BJP’s messaging and the concerns of the electorate.
(With inputs from agencies)
Speaking at a press conference, Tharoor criticized Modi’s electoral strategies, asserting that the Prime Minister’s focus on religious rhetoric and fear-mongering against Muslims is divisive and detrimental to the country’s secular fabric.
Tharoor pointed to Modi’s previous electoral campaigns, citing the shift from anti-corruption agendas and development promises to appeals rooted in nationalism and religious identity.
“In 2019, they fought the general polls on Pulwama, Balakot (terror incidents and surgical strikes in response). That was his message. Now, after 2019 he can’t say that because I have said he has been a failure in the Chinese border area,” Tharoor said.
“In 2024, the only message is that the PM is Hindu hriday samrat and is indulging in scare mongering about Muslims. What kind of talk is this? It is embarrassing when the PM of the country talks like this,” Tharoor asserted, expressing dismay at what he views as a regression in political discourse.
Tharoor further cautioned that while such messaging may resonate with the hardcore Hindutva voter base, it risks alienating neutral voters and eroding the broader support base of the ruling party.
“We believe the decline of votes in certain areas is a reflection of the indifference being felt by the traditional BJP supporter,” Tharoor said, underscoring the perceived disconnect between the BJP’s messaging and the concerns of the electorate.
(With inputs from agencies)
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