New Delhi [India], November 19 : BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Congress over its criticism of party MP Shashi Tharoor for heaping praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Poonawalla lashed out at Congress, saying that if someone prioritises national interest above "Parivaric" interest, then a fatwa is issued against them in the Congress party.
The BJP leader further said that INC should not be 'Indian National Congress' but rather it should be called 'Indira Nazi Congress' because they "demonstrate former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's emergency mindset and Nazi's dictatorial behaviour."
"It should not be called the 'Indian National Congress'; it should be called the 'Indira Nazi Congress' because they demonstrate Indira's emergency mindset and Nazi dictatorial behaviour. If somebody praises the Prime Minister's speech, which is about larger issues, then a 'fatwa' is issued against that person by the Congress, which talks about democracy in the entire country, but there is no democracy within their party... if someone keeps national interest above 'Parivaric' interest, then a fatwa is issued against them," Shehzad Poonawalla told ANI.
Earlier, in a post on X, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had lauded PM Modi's speech delivered during the sixth Ramnath Goenka Lecture, organised by the Indian Express.
Tharoor highlighted that a significant part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Ramnath Goenka Lecture focused on overturning Macaulay's 200-year legacy of a "slave mentality" and restoring pride in India's heritage, languages, and knowledge systems.
Tharoor said the PM highlighted India's "constructive impatience" for development, promoted a post-colonial mindset, and described the country as an "emerging model" for the world, focusing on economic resilience and people-centric governance.
In a post on X, Shashi Tharoor wrote, "Attended PM @narendramodi's Ramnath Goenka Lecture at the invitation of @IndianExpress last night. He spoke of India's 'constructive impatience' for development and strongly pushed for a post-colonial mindset. The PM emphasized that India is no longer just an 'emerging market' but an 'emerging model' for the world, noting its economic resilience. PM Modi said he'd been accused of being in "election mode" all the time, but he was really in "emotional mode" to redress the problems of the people."
"A significant part of the speech was dedicated to overturning Macaulay's 200-year legacy of "slave mentality." PM Modi appealed for a 10-year national mission to restore pride in India's heritage, languages, and knowledge systems. I wish he had also acknowledged how Ramnath Goenka had used English to raise a voice for Indian nationalism! On the whole, the PM's address served as both an economic outlook and a cultural call to action, urging the nation to be restless for progress. Glad to have been in the audience despite battling a bad cold and cough!" the post read.
In response to his praise, party leader Supriya Shrinate said she didn't find anything "worth appreciating" in Prime Minister Modi's speech and called it a "petty speech."
She questioned Tharoor what reason he found to appreciate the Prime Minister's speech.
Shrinate had said, "I didn't find anything in the speech (of PM Modi) worth appreciating. I think PM must answer a lot of things. He was at an event of a newspaper. He should tell us what his problem is with fair journalism. He should have told us why is he not happy with those who show and speak truth... So, I didn't see any reason to appreciate him. I don't know how he (Shashi Tharoor) found one...I found it to be a petty speech. He criticised Congress there too. PM thinks of Congress day and night. This is amazing."
Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India's education, economy, and societal aspirations became increasingly aligned with foreign models under the influence of the British and emphasised the need to free society from any mindset of slavery.
Delivering the sixth Ramnath Goenka Lecture organised by The Indian Express in New Delhi here today, PM Modi said his government is not opposed to the English language, but firmly supports Indian languages.
Noting that Ramnath Goenka was often described as being impatient -- not in a negative sense, but in a positive one - PM Modi highlighted that it was the kind of impatience that drives the highest levels of effort for change, the kind that stirs still waters into motion.