Veer Savarkar Award: Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, has clarified that he will neither attend nor has agreed to receive the HRDS INDIA’s Veer Savarkar International Impact Award 2025.
Why was Shashi Tharoor selected?
Tharoor was among six dignitaries who were selected for the inaugural edition. His selection stands as a testament to the far-reaching impact of Tharoor’s positive impact across national and global platforms, especially after Operational Sindoor.
The long and illustrated career of Tharoor at the United Nations and his participation at key discussions on diplomacy, education and inclusive development are seen as possible reasons behind the award.
What Tharoor said?
Shashi Tharoor said he was not aware of the fact that he was selected by the award panel for the Veer Savarkar Award. Tharoor added he only came to know of the award through media while he was in Kerala.
Who was Veer Savarkar?
Veer Savarkar was revolutionary thinker, reformer and visionary patriot whose intellectual clarity, moral courage and commitment to national transformation have long being appreciated by the ruling BJP and many other parties such as Shiv Sena.
The Backlash within Congress
Congress leader K Muraleedharan said no party member should ever accept award in the name of Savarkar as he had bowed before the Britishers.
Muraleedharan added Tharoor should not accept the award as it would insult and embarrass the Congress party.
Shashi Tharoor faced backlash within the Congress party after he appreciated PM Modi during Operational Sindoor and his policies. Tharoor was also criticized by some members of his political party after he attended a dinner with Russian President when Congress Chief Kharge and Rahul Gandhi were not invited.
