Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 27 : Veteran filmmaker and Dadasaheb Phalke Awardee Adoor Gopalakrishnan on Sunday said that Congress MP Shashi Tharoor should be welcomed with open arms in politics, while praising him at the P Kesavadev Memorial Literary Award ceremony held here.
Gopalakrishnan, who presented the award to Tharoor, said, "What Shashi Tharoor is experiencing is the problem of being too tall. The average Malayali prefers mediocrity. The moment someone rises above that, they are cut down. Tharoor should be welcomed with open arms in politics and everywhere else."
The remarks came amid ongoing internal friction within the Congress party, where Tharoor has faced criticism from party leaders after his remarks in support of "nation first" during Operation Sindoor.
Tharoor, a three-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, was honoured with the 21st Kesavadev Memorial Literary Award for his contributions to literature and public discourse.
In a post on X, Tharoor expressed his gratitude for the recognition and said, "Honoured and humbled to receive the 21st Kesavadev Memorial literary award from the eminent film director Adoor Gopalakrishnan today in Thiruvananthapuram."
https://x.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1949456839701061732
The event was attended by prominent literary and cultural figures from across Kerala.
Adoor's remarks struck a chord with many present, especially in the context of recent controversies surrounding Tharoor's independent views within his party.
Tharoor has continued to stir debates within the Congress party with his outspoken views on national issues, often taking stances that don't align with the party's high command. His support for Operation Sindoor has sparked mixed reactions, ranging from praise to criticism, from within the party and beyond.
On July 21, Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan said that the party was not ready to cooperate with Tharoor in Kerala.
He said that the final authority will be the Congress high command, which will decide whether to take action against him or allow him to remain in the party.
K. Muraleedharan further stated that they are dissatisfied with his performance in Kerala. "He is no longer coming to his parliamentary constituency. We have decided that we will not cooperate with him in the upcoming local body elections," he added.
Recently, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, while adressing the issues related to party high command, stated that sometimes it is necessary to cooperate with other parties in the interest of national security. The Congress MP emphasised that, for him, national security will always come first, and the main perspective of any political party is to make a better India.
Earlier, Revolutionary Socialist Party MP, N K Premachandran, in an abrasive response to Tharoor's "nation first" stance, stated that all political parties aim for the betterment of the country and none act against national interests.