MP Shashi Tharoor's new op-ed draws ire from congress

NEW DELHI: Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan rejected Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's op-ed adulating both central and state governments. Shashi Tharoor in his article praised Kerala's achievements in the field of industry during the rule of the Pinarayi government. Tharoor also wrote highly of the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump.

Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Tharoor said the US decision to hand over the F-35 aircraft to India was very valuable. Meanwhile Tharoor's article 'Changing Kerala; Lumbering Jumbo to a Lithe Tiger’, didn’t find any fans among the congress leadership in Kerala.

V D SATHEESAN:

“Kerala is not a state with favourable industrial conditions and I’m not sure if Tharoor had written the article based on real studies. Tharoor's article mentions Kerala as a unique model in the country for entrepreneurial advancement and sustainable growth. The article also expresses surprise that a Communist Party-led government is creating these achievements.

The Industries Minister claimed that three lakh new enterprises have been started in Kerala in the last three and a half years. I was surprised and asked him to list out those three lakh new enterprises. If going by the numbers, there should have been an average of 2,000 enterprises started in Kerala.”

“The national leadership should respond to Shashi Tharoor's statement. What Tharoor said was not the position of Congress in Kerala. Tharoor is a national leader and a world-renowned figure. There needs to be clarification in his claims.” Said Congress Leader K Muraleedharan.