Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. File picture
| Photo Credit: ANI

Thiruvananthapuram:

Amid ongoing controversy over his article praising the Left government in Kerala, Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday withdrew a poster, reportedly from the KPCC, that he had shared on his Facebook page, which referred to the CPI(M) as “cannibals”.

Hours after sharing the controversial poster commemorating Kripesh and Sarathlal, the Youth Congress workers who were killed in Periya in Kasaragod district, by CPI(M) workers five years ago, Mr Tharoor made another post, sharing their photos but without any reference to the CPI(M).

The deleted poster had featured the photos of the two Youth Congress workers and read: “Our brothers who were murdered by CPI(M) cannibals.” In the replacement post, alongside the victims’ photos, the Thiruvananthapuram MP wrote: “I bow in tribute to the memories of Sarath Lal and Kripesh. In a democratic political system, we must remember that violence can never be a solution to differences in opinion.” The development comes as he has been under attack from the rank and file of the Congress in Kerala for his article praising the state’s entrepreneurial growth under the Left government.

As the controversy over Mr Tharoor’s article continued, KPCC chief K Sudhakaran said that he had spoken directly to the MP and given him “good advice.” “Individuals can have their own opinions, but the party decides its official stance,” Mr Sudhakaran told reporters in Kasaragod, responding to a question about Mr Tharoor’s article.

When asked about certain leaders’ demanding Mr Tharoor to step down from the CWC, Mr Sudhakaran said: “Let the party decide.” “It is up to the high command to make that decision. The party is in the hands of capable leaders. There is no rebellion within the Congress,” he added. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Thiruvananthapuram:

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday defended his praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his meeting with US President Donald Trump, stating that he spoke with India’s interests in mind and that “we cannot always speak only in terms of party interest.” Speaking to reporters, Tharoor said that Modi’s US visit had yielded some positive outcomes for the Indian people.

He also noted that Modi being the fourth world leader to meet Trump after he took office underscored India’s growing importance on the global stage.

At the same time, he pointed out that the visit left some questions unanswered, such as why the issue of how illegal immigrants were returned to India was not addressed.

“Did PM Modi raise it behind closed doors? In diplomacy, not everything is laid out publicly,” said Tharoor, the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram.

Welcoming the agreement to hold trade and tariff negotiations over the next nine months, Tharoor remarked, “It’s far better than Washington hastily and unilaterally imposing tariffs on us, which could have hurt our exports. To my mind, something good has been achieved, and I applaud that as an Indian. We can’t always speak only in terms of party interests. I am not a party spokesman.” Tharoor emphasised that as an elected MP representing Thiruvananthapuram, he speaks as a responsible stakeholder in Indian democracy and on behalf of those who have placed their trust in him to exercise his judgment and speak fairly and freely on certain issues.

“In this particular case, I am speaking solely in the national interest,” he added.

Tharoor further stated that throughout his 16-year political career, his approach has remained consistent; acknowledging and praising good governance, regardless of the party in power, while also criticising when necessary.

“When someone in government, whether from the Congress or any other party, does something right, it should be acknowledged and praised. When they do something wrong, it should be criticised,” he said.

“I have done both-I have praised and I have criticised. In fairness, I base my stance on facts. That I believe is the right approach.” He added that consistently praising or criticising the government would undermine his credibility.

“If I were to praise all the time, no one would take me seriously. If I were to criticise all the time, no one would take me seriously either,” he explained.

Tharoor also criticised the tendency of political parties to oppose each other reflexively.

“The real problem arises when the opposition believes everything the government does is wrong, and when the government believes everything the opposition says is wrong,” he said.

“There has to be some give and take in a democracy,” he added. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday reacted to the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, questioning what would happen to those who are not employed. Mr Tharoor’s statements were in response to the revised tax slabs and rates under the new regime.

“I think, frankly, the applause you heard from the BJP benches was for the middle-class tax cut. We look at the details and that may be a good thing. So if you have a salary, you may be paying less tax. But the important question is, what happens if we don’t have a salary?” the Congress leader said.

“The fact is yes, I suppose if you have a job and you are earning Rs 12 lakh or less, there is every reason to be happy,” he added.

Mr Tharoor claimed the Finance Minister did not mention unemployment throughout her Union Budget speech.

“We didn’t even hear the words unemployment or inflation from the Finance Minister today. It was a mercifully short speech, but she didn’t use either of those words, which is not so merciful,” the Congress leader said.

Hitting out at the BJP government, Mr Tharoor claimed that they are using the Budget for the upcoming elections.

“If you are living in Bihar, and you are from an ally party, no doubt you will get the sops that will help you with your elections,” he said.

Revised slabs for new tax regime

According to the slabs revised under the new tax regime, those earning up to Rs 12 lakh annually won’t have to pay any income tax. This limit will be Rs 12.75 lakh for salaried taxpayers, counting Rs 75,000 of the standard deduction. So, those with Rs 12 lakh annual income will get a benefit of Rs 80,000, and those earning Rs 18 lakh will get a benefit of Rs 70,000, Ms Sitharaman told the Parliament.

But the catch is – the exemption can be earned only if a taxpayer takes relief under various sections of the Income Tax Act.

Ms Sitharaman said the new structure will substantially reduce taxes of the middle class and leave more money in their hands, boosting household consumption, savings, and investment.

Tax Slabs For FY25-26

Up to Rs 4 Lakh: Nil

Rs 4-8 lakh: 5%

Rs 8-12 lakh: 10%

Rs 12-16 lakh: 15%

Rs 16-20 lakh: 20%

Rs 20-24 lakh: 25%

Above Rs 24 lakh: 30%

Current tax slabs (FY24-25)

Up to Rs 3 lakh: Nil

Rs 3-7 lakh: 5%

Rs 7-10 lakh: 10%

Rs 10-12 lakh: 15%

Rs 12-15 lakh: 20%

Above Rs 15 lakh: 30%

New Delhi:

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday refuted Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s claims regarding the former insisting the inclusion of billionaire George Soros in an invite list to a 2009 dinner in the US.

Mr Tharoor said his and Mr Puri’s recollections of the dinner hosted by the latter during his tenure as the Indian Ambassador to the US differ. “I was completely unaware of any Mr Soros having any connection to any foundation in India – and have never discussed it with him either. All I remember hearing from him at that occasion was his strong objection to our government’s stand on the West’s responsibility for global warming,” The Thiruvananthapuram MP wrote in a post on X.

.Our recollections differ, dear Hardeep. There were several guests present at your well-attended dinner whom i had never met before. But i am not objecting; it is entirely appropriate that on such an occasion the Indian Ambassador should have a guest-list spanning a wide…

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 21, 2024

The matter began on December 15 when an X user who identified himself as a BJP worker from Karnataka showed Mr Tharoor an old post from 2009 in which Mr Tharoor wrote, “Met old friend George Soros, upbeat about India and curious about our neighbourhood. He’s far more than an investor: a concerned world citizen.”

On Friday, Mr Puri responded to Mr Tharoor’s post on X that he met US billionaire George Soros at a formal dinner at the former’s New York home. Mr Puri indicated the Congress MP did not show the whole picture – he said it was Mr Tharoor himself who gave the list of invitees for the dinner, and the “gentleman in question was among the benefactors of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, and the Minister of State was keen to meet him.”

Mr Puri went on to say that it became clear in retrospect that Mr Soros was an invitee because he was among the benefactors of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. He added that that was why Mr Tharoor, then Minister of State External Affairs, wanted to meet him.

New Delhi:

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has responded to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s post on X that he met US billionaire George Soros at a formal dinner at Mr Puri’s New York home when the Union Minister was India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative at the United Nations.

Mr Puri indicated the Congress MP did not show the whole picture – he said it was Mr Tharoor himself who gave the list of invitees for the dinner, and the “gentleman in question was among the benefactors of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, and the Minister of State was keen to meet him.”

Mr Tharoor was the Minister of State for External Affairs at that time.

“In retrospect, it is clear that the name was included because the gentleman in question was among the benefactors of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, and the Minister of State was keen to meet him,” Mr Puri said.

“Language has frequently been accorded pride of place amongst major arts of deception. Some of my friends in the Congress party excel in obfuscation; but they tweet at their own peril,” Mr Puri, the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, said in a post on X.

The matter began on December 15 when an X user who identified himself as a BJP worker from Karnataka showed Mr Tharoor an old post from 2009 in which Mr Tharoor wrote, “Met old friend George Soros, upbeat about India and curious about our neighbourhood. He’s far more than an investor: a concerned world citizen.”

George Soros is a controversial figure for Indians due to the anti-India rhetoric he used a few years ago. The ruling BJP has often accused top leaders of the opposition Congress for allegedly colluding with George Soros to destabilise the country, including using the West’s deep state — agencies and personnel, academics and think tanks — which finds expression in the western media.

Responding to the BJP worker, Mr Tharoor in a long post on X said he met George Soros “at the home of then-Ambassador and now-BJP Minister Hardeep Puri when I was visiting NY as MoS MEA.”

“Amb Puri had invited a number of prominent Americans for a dinner discussion with me (and that was entirely appropriate). I have not been in touch with Mr Soros since, nor be with me, and my old relationship never had any political connotations,” Mr Tharoor said.

Mr Tharoor said George Soros was a friend in the social sense. “I have never received or solicited a penny from him or any of his foundations for myself or any institution or cause I supported,” the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram said.

Since there is so much unhealthy curiosity about this tweet, I knew Mr Soros well in my @UN days as an upstanding international-minded resident of New York. He was a friend in the social sense: i have never received or solicited a penny from him or any of his foundations for… https://t.co/c1PmAHygyl

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 15, 2024

On Friday, Mr Puri shot back at Mr Tharoor with a long post on X that added context to the situation when George Soros came to a dinner where the two then-diplomats were present.

“My friend Dr Shashi Tharoor ji, who was a student in St Stephen’s College in DU when I was a member of the teaching faculty, had arrived in New York as MoS External Affairs shortly after I was posted as India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative at UN. I hosted him and his companion at a briefing breakfast on 11 October 2009, and then for dinner on the evening of 12 October 2009,” Mr Puri said.

“Since I was just a few months old in the city then, but Dr Tharoor had spent considerable time in New York, I did not choose the list of invitees for the dinner. It was given to me by Minister Tharoor,” he said.

“Apart from members of the diplomatic fraternity I noticed the name of Mr Soros in the list and I clearly remember bringing it up with the then Minister, who had also met him in May 2009 and even tweeted about it. That is the only time in my life when I met Mr Soros. When Dr Tharoor tweeted about the dinner, I called him on 15 December to remind him of the context. Normally he is very prompt, but this time he didn’t take my call,” the Union Minister said.

“In retrospect, it is clear that the name was included because the gentleman in question was among the benefactors of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, and the Minister of State was keen to meet him,” Mr Puri said.

Language has frequently been accorded pride of place amongst major arts of deception.
Some of my friends in the Congress Party excel in obfuscation; but they tweet at their own peril.

I want to take up two issues raised by them.
First – my friend Dr @ShashiTharoor Ji, who was a… pic.twitter.com/sIWc2omjg8

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) December 20, 2024

All this campaign against backsliding of democracy in India and capture of institutions curbs on freedom of press. In other words, create a narrative globally, which would, to the extent it can be effective on the ground, damage India and India’s prospects of attracting foreign investment and everything else by giving the impression that India is sliding into a kind of a political and administrative system which is not very conducive to Western values,” he said.  

India’s former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal, in an interview to NDTV on December 9, had said there seems to be a campaign going on against backsliding of democracy in India, capture of institutions, and curbs on freedom of press.

“In other words, create a narrative globally, which would, to the extent it can be effective on the ground, damage India and India’s prospects of attracting foreign investment and everything else by giving the impression that India is sliding into a kind of a political and administrative system which is not very conducive to Western values,” Mr Sibal said.

New Delhi:

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday suggested in the Lok Sabha that, if required, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor can sit on a ‘dharna’ (protest) for acquiring land for a railway project in Kerala.

Mr Vaishnaw’s comments came while replying to a question on the Nemom railway terminal project in Thiruvananthapuram, which is Mr Tharoor’s constituency.

During Question Hour, the Congress leader mentioned the delay and insufficient funds for the project, which can help decongest the railway line to Thiruvananthapuram Central.

In response, Mr Vaishnaw said the government’s focus is to make sure the big cities and junctions are decongested, new terminals are built and that a lot of emphasis is given on designing them so that the demands and requirements of next 50 years are met.

“The question in Kerala is not of funds. We have already deposited Rs 2,150 crore for acquiring land… I would request Shashi Tharoor ji, a very influential MP whom entire Kerala listens to, if required, to sit on a ‘dharna’ in front of the honourable state government and make sure that the land is acquired,” Mr Vaishnaw said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday questioned whether Delhi should remain the Indian capital as the city’s worsening toxic smog surged past 60 times the World Health Organization’s recommended daily maximum.

A thick layer of smog – a toxic blend of smoke and fog – has been enveloping the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) for the past few days with the air quality index (AQI) plummeting to the “severe-plus” category, forcing authorities to switch schools to online classes and invoke strict pollution control measures.

“Delhi is officially the most polluted city in the world, 4x hazardous levels and nearly five times as bad as the second most polluted city, Dhaka. It is unconscionable that our government has been witnessing this nightmare for years and does nothing about it,” Mr Tharoor posted on X.

The Congress MP said he has run an Air Quality Round Table for experts and stakeholders, including MPs, since 2015 but “gave up” last year because “nothing seemed to change and no one seemed to care”.

“This city is essentially uninhabitable from November to January inclusive and barely livable the rest of the year. Should it even remain the nation’s capital?” Mr Tharoor added.

Delhi is officially the most polluted city in the world, 4x Hazardous levels and nearly five times as bad as the second most polluted city, Dhaka. It is unconscionable that our government has been witnessing this nightmare for years and does nothing about it. I have run an Air… pic.twitter.com/sLZhfeo722

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 18, 2024

Delhi and the surrounding areas, which are home to about 7 crore people, consistently tops world rankings for air pollution in winter as cold air traps dust, emissions and smoke from illegal stubble burning by farmers in neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana to clear their fields for ploughing.

Pollution Chokes Delhi, AQI Nears 500-Mark

A thick blanket of smog continued to grip Delhi and its adjoining areas this morning as the AQI nearly touched the 500-mark.

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) data, the national capital’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 494 at 6 am, the worst so far this season, which officials said was due to “unfavourable” meteorological conditions.

#WATCH | Delhi: Kartavya Path and surrounding areas covered in a layer of smog as air quality in the city remains in ‘Severe’ category, as per Central Pollution Control Board. pic.twitter.com/80mK0nCkBq

— ANI (@ANI) November 19, 2024

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, 401 and 450 severe, and above 450 severe-plus.

The Centre’s air quality panel on Monday invoked stricter pollution control measures for the Delhi-NCR under Stage 4 of the anti-pollution plan Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). This is in addition to the preventive actions announced under Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3 of GRAP already in force.

The GRAP for Delhi-NCR is divided into four stages of air quality: Stage 1 for “poor” air quality (AQI ranging from 201 to 300), Stage 2 for “very poor” air quality (AQI from 301 to 400), Stage 3 for “severe” air quality (AQI from 401 to 450), and Stage 4 for “severe-plus” air quality (AQI above 450).

The panel – Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) – also urged the public, particularly children, senior citizens and those with respiratory, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular or other chronic diseases, to stay indoors.

New Delhi:

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor once wrote to ‘X’ boss Elon Musk about his dropping follower count on the microblogging site, but received a lawyer’s response flatly denying that there was a problem.

The Thiruvananthapuram MP and renowned author, known for his engaging social media posts, wrote that many X users have noticed his stagnant follower count and flagged it to him. This, Mr Tharoor said, had prompted him to go public about the issue.

The Congress leader was responding to one such post that questioned why Mr Tharoor’s follower count was stuck at 8.4 million despite his popularity among people from different fields.

Good question. This has been the case for four years! A source at the old Twitter India told me there was a problem he couldn’t understand: he had reviewed my daily statistics over six months, and found a strange pattern — my followers went up by over 1000 a day, about 60 – 70… https://t.co/IpfTJpMvwt

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 17, 2024

“Good question. This has been the case for four years! A source at the old Twitter India told me there was a problem he couldn’t understand: he had reviewed my daily statistics over six months, and found a strange pattern – my followers went up by over 1000 a day, about 60 – 70 “unfollowed” me each day, but my overall followers total wouldn’t budge above 8.495 million,” Mr Tharoor wrote in a post.

“He thought it was an algorithm glitch. Since my account is never ‘suggested’ for anyone to follow, and many of my followers complain about not receiving most of my posts on their timeline, I wondered if i had been “shadow-banned”. (My source has since left @X),” the Congress leader added.

Mr Tharoor wrote that after noticing this problem for three years, he wrote to Elon Musk. “…received a lawyer’s letter in return – flatly denying there was a problem! So much for corporate responsiveness…,” he said.

“The only practical consequence of my inquiry is that my followers count now drops unsteadily each day – from the peak of 8.495m to 8.429m today. There is clearly something wrong that the people in charge of @XCorpIndia don’t care about. But more and more people have been noticing and asking me, so I have finally decided to go public about it,” Mr Tharoor said.

He said stagnant follower count seems “too petty” an issue to mention considering the more important issues in public life. “But whether it is deliberate or accidental, I hope those asking understand that there is a problem. Perhaps laying it out here might get the attention of someone responsible at @XCorpIndia – but I am not holding my breath,” he said.

New Delhi:

Amid an uproar over the death of a 26-year-old employee at tax consultancy major Ernst&Young (EY) allegedly due to work pressure, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday suggested a 40-hour work week. Anna Sebastian Perayil, a chartered accountant (CA) from Kerala who worked at EY’s Pune office for four months, died this July. Her mother, Anita Augustine, wrote to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani this month, flagging the “glorification” of overwork at the multinational consulting firm.

Taking to his official X account, Mr Tharoor, who is a Member of Parliament from Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, said Anna passed away after a cardiac arrest, following “four months of deeply stressful seven-day weeks of 14 hours a day” at the Big Four accounting firm.

He said he had a “deeply emotional and heartrending” conversation with her father, Sibi Joseph. 

“He (Anna’s father) suggested, and I agreed, that I raise the issue of legislating, through Parliament, a fixed calendar for all workplaces, whether in the private sector or the public, that would not exceed eight hours a day, five days a week,” Mr Tharoor said.

“Inhumanity at the workplace must be legislated out of existence with stringent punishment and fines for offenders. Human rights do not stop at the workplace,” the Congress MP wrote.

Had a deeply emotional and heartrending conversation with Shri Sibi Joseph, the father of young Anna Sebastian, who passed away after a cardiac arrest, following four months of deeply stressful seven-day weeks of 14 hours a day at Ernst&Young. He suggested, and I agreed, that I…

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 20, 2024

He also said he will raise the matter at the “first opportunity” during the next session of Parliament, which is expected to be held in December.

“Advised Her To Quit”: EY Employee’s Father

Anna Sebastian Perayil’s father spoke to the media this week and said she had to work through the night, till 12.30 am.

“We advised her to quit, but she insisted that this stint would provide valuable professional exposure,” Siby Joseph said.

He also claimed the issue of extreme work pressure was mentioned before the senior officials of the EY, but no action was taken.

“She had complained to the assistant manager, but they insisted on working even at night,” he said.

The family alleged that the company responded only after her mother’s letter went viral.

“We are not planning to move legally, but we don’t want anyone else to face the same fate. We don’t want the newbies joining such corporate companies to face similar situations,” Mr Joseph said.

Anna’s mother, Ms Augustine, had also said in the letter that no one from the company had attended her funeral, which the family found deeply hurtful.

EY On Employee’s Death

As the issue snowballed, EY on Wednesday issued a statement saying it was deeply saddened by Anna Sebastian’s “tragic and untimely” passing in July 2024.

It said it works with about 1,00,000 people at its member firms in India and that Anna had worked at one such firm –  S R Batliboi – for four months.

“Since the death, EY has been in touch with the family, helping them but it is only now that her family has chosen to write to the company, complaining about the “excessive workload”, the accounting giant said.

EY India Chairman On Anna Sebastian Perayil’s Death

EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani also issued a statement on Thursday and said the fact that no one from the company attended the funeral is alien to their culture and that he “would not rest” until the objective of nurturing a harmonious workplace is accomplished. 

In a statement posted on LinkedIn, Mr Memani said that, as a father, he could understand the anguish of the woman’s mother.

“I am deeply saddened and as a father, I can only imagine Ms Augustine’s grief. I have conveyed my deepest condolences to the family, although nothing can fill the void in their lives. I truly regret the fact that we missed being present at Anna’s funeral. This is completely alien to our culture. It has never happened before; it will never happen again,” he said.

The EY India Chairman said he was aware that people had commented on some of the company’s work practices on social media and emphasised that the company places the “highest importance” on the well-being of its employees.

“I would like to affirm that the well-being of our people is my top-most priority and I will personally champion this objective. I am absolutely committed to nurturing a harmonious workplace, and I will not rest until that objective is accomplished,” he added.

The Union government has said it is investigating the circumstances that led to Anna’s death.