‘Kerala start-up entrepreneurship story is not what’s been reported’; Tharoor changes stand

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said Kerala's progress in micro, small and medium enterprises should not be limited to paper only. He responded by sharing a post on social media.

'It is shocking to know that the stories about Kerala's startups are not as reported. The only consolation is that the claims of the Kerala government point to the right goal. We need micro, small and medium startups. It should not be only on paper. Kerala should move forward in this regard,' Tharoor wrote on X. Tharoor's post was shared with a newspaper report that more than 42,000 micro, small and medium enterprises have been closed in Kerala in the last nine years.

Earlier, Tharoor's article praising the industrial development of Kerala was very controversial. Tharoor's 'Changing Kerala', which pointed out the growth in the startup sector and Kerala's ranking as the first in the business-friendly rankings; The article titled 'Lumbering Jumbo to a Light Tiger' sparked controversy. Tharoor's article said that Kerala is a unique model in the country in entrepreneurial advancement and sustainable growth and that it is surprising that the government led by the Communist Party-led Front is creating these achievements.

Later, leaders including opposition leader V D Satheesan came out against Tharoor. State leaders filed a complaint against him with the high command. AICC organizational general secretary K C Venugopal also publicly rejected Shashi Tharoor. This was followed by Tharoor's new note on the startup scene in Kerala.