NEW DELHI: Amidst the growing rift with the Congress Party, Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday appears to have sided with the RSS-BJP over the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi’s accusation that the RSS wanted ‘Manusmriti’, not the Constitution. While answering to a question over Rahul Gandhi’s tweet that the RSS-BJP want Manusmriti instead of the Constitution, Congress MP said that historically the Raebareli MP is right as then RSS chief MS Golwalkar had said that one of the greatest flaws of the Constitution is that there is nothing of the Manusmriti in it. “But I think the RSS itself has moved on from those days,” Tharoor said. “Historically, he’s (Rahul Gandhi) referring to the fact that that was a criticism expressed at the time of the adoption of the Constitution. Mr Golwalkar, amongst others, said that one of the greatest flaws of the Constitution is that there is nothing of the Manusmriti in it, but I think the RSS itself has moved on from those days. So, as a historical statement, it’s accurate, whether it’s a reflection of how they feel today. The RSS should be in the best position to answer that…” Tharoor said while talking to reporters. Shashi Tharoor’s widening rift with the Congress Party has come under renewed spotlight after a string of pointed remarks and cryptic social media posts seemingly challenging the party’s leadership. One such post read, “Don’t ask permission to fly. The wings are yours. And the sky belongs to no one.” This, followed by a series of similar messages, signaled growing tensions between Tharoor and the party.The tensions between Tharoor and Congress leadership rose after he praised PM Modi’s diplomacy during Operation Sindoor in a Hindu article, describing his “energy” and “dynamism” as assets for India’s global standing. The PMO shared the piece, fuelling speculation about Tharoor’s loyalty. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge indirectly rebuked him, suggesting his praise for PM Modi was inappropriate. “We say nation first, but some consider Modi first, country later. What can we do about that?” he asked.Tharoor, however, clarified that his remarks reflected national interest, not support for the BJP.
