Recently, series of comments directed at Shashi Tharoor by Congress leaders in Kerala indicated what has been brewing for a while: a serious and well-planned campaign by the Thiruvananthapuram MP to emerge as the prime face of the Congress in the state, and the party’s growing dismay at being reduced to a spectator in this power play. Coming fresh off from his failed party national presidency Mr. Tharoor seems determined to make an impact in his home state of Kerala but one should examine at what cost he will attain his success in this endeavour. In this context, this article will look in to the bid by Tharoor to become face of Congress in Kerala and also why he is playing with communal and caste fire in his effort to attain the same?
Appeasing Radical Islamists
Shashi Tharoor has been busy meeting several religious leaders in Kerala recently and is now getting wider support from the Muslim community after his recent meetings. On the 14 January 2023, Shashi Tharoor tweeted about his meeting with leaders of the “liberal” Salafi organisation Nadvathul Mujahideen.
Along with my LokSabha colleague @mkraghavaninc, called on TP AbdullaKoya Madani, chief of the Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen, a liberal Salafi organisation, & his senior team. Our warm welcome included a book on the Kerala Muslim Renaissance, in last pic. pic.twitter.com/PvNTkvQham
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 13, 2023
In another tweet, Shashi Tharoor spoke about meeting Sayyid Muhammed Jifri Muthukkoya Thangal, President of the Samastha Kerala Jem’iyyathul Ulema, a major body of Sunni scholars.
Called on Sayyid Muhammed Jifri Muthukkoya Thangal, President of the Samastha Kerala Jem'iyyathul Ulema, a major body of Sunni scholars, at his office in Kozhikode and was honoured by his warm welcome. The Samastha is a noted liberal voice in Kerala’s Muslim society. pic.twitter.com/d6BPkVUl3r
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 13, 2023
Shashi Tharoor has, rather openly, voiced his wishes to become to Chief Minister of Kerala, ruffling feathers within the Congress ranks in the state. AICC General Secretary has taken strong opposition to Shashi Tharoor saying he would be willing to become the Kerala Chief Minister. KC Venugopal said “Congress is the most democratic party. Series of meetings happen in the party every month. Leaders can raise any issues in meetings and have discussions. All leaders have the responsibility to ensure that open debates do not spoil the dreams of party workers to come back to power”. While Shashi Tharoor has maintained that he was only responding to queries by journalists and since the Assembly election is far away, there is no point of such a discussion at this point of time, it is clear that Tharoor is trying to consolidate his base in the state by reaching out to specifically the Muslim population of the state. After Tharoor’s meeting with the “sunni scholar”, Samastha president Jifri Muthukoya Thangal hailed Tharoor stating that he is the leader who is trying to achieve a cordial relationship with the Muslim community, something which has been ignored by other leaders in the state of Kerala. He said that Tharoor’s endeavours would strengthen Congress. While Tharoor is trying to win brownie points in Kerala with the Muslim community, what is far more concerning is what this “liberal” politician seems to have endorsed during this endeavour.
Meeting leaders of Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) at the Mujahid Centre, Tharoor told them that the renaissance movement in Kerala is an example for all communities. He hailed the renaissance efforts of the Mujahid movement and opined that effective steps should be taken to counter the efforts to divide people communally, according to a report by The New Indian Express.
Interestingly, what Shashi Tharoor seems to have hailed is the further Islamisation of the Muslims of Kerala. The Mujahid renaissance movement propagated against Sufism, calling it corrupt, polytheism etc, and called for the revival of true Islamic practices in the Muslim community in Kerala. The Mujahids consider themselves proponents of authentic Islamic reform. They believe in the principle of Tawhid, which refers to the belief that there is no God other than Allah and that Muhammad was his Prophet. While hailing this effort which is a campaign against every religion other than Islam, one wonders how Shashi Tharoor wanted these very Islamic scholars to counter “efforts to divide people communally”.
Interestingly, KNM Markazudawa leaders also raised concerns with Shashi Tharoor about the BJP government contemplating the implementation of Uniform Civil Code and said that all “secular” parties must stand with the “Muslims” (Oh, the irony!) and their organisations in oppositing this movie.
Dangerously, Shashi Tharoor seems to have voiced his opinion against UCC and said that the intention to implement UCC was merely an “election propaganda” by the government. Speaking at Wisdom Islamic Organisation (WIO), Tharoor further urged that “secular” votes (secular means all non-Hindu votes) must not be split across states.
Playing His Caste Card
Shashi Tharoor not only bought the communal weapon to the fight but also indulged in caste politics in order to secure his future in Kerala’s politics. Recently, Shashi Tharoor flaunted his caste identity at a community event. The so-called liberal leader flaunted that he is a proud Nair. Tharoor is a Nair, as are leaders who have been chafing at his rise, including AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, Kerala Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan, and former Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala. Tharoor was inaugurating the 146th Mannam Jayanti, which is held to celebrate the birth anniversary of the founder of the Nair Service Society (NSS), Mannath Padmanabhan, at the organisation’s headquarters in Changanassery in Kottayam. Referring to the founding days of the NSS, Tharoor said: “Things were not easy those days. Mannam used to say that it is difficult to organise Nairs. He observed that one Nair cannot acknowledge another Nair. He stated it 100 years back. But in politics, I often see that.” The NSS invitation to Tharoor as the chief guest is significant as the community outfit has been a powerful supporter of the Congress.
At the function, NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair praised Tharoor as “a global citizen” and “Kerala’s son”. “There is no one as eligible as Tharoor to inaugurate the Mannam Jayanti. This is in stark contrast to the position took by NSS back in 2009. In 2009, the NSS refused to accept Tharoor’s candidature from Thiruvananthapuram, which has a sizeable chunk of Nair votes. At the time the NSS assistant secretary, Sukumaran Nair had said: “Tharoor is a Nair, but he should not be seen as part of the NSS. He is a Delhi Nair.” But now we can see that Tharoor and NSS are both cosying up to each other for political benefits.
It is a known fact that Kerala is a literate state leading in all metrics which makes a place champion in Human Development Index (HDI). But at the same time, it is disheartening to see caste and communal tendencies playing a major role in deciding who comes to power in Kerala and Tharoor, the flag bearer of liberalism forgot his identity in pursuit of power and is now heralding an era of communal and caste politics in Kerala for his own benefit.
Scratch a Congressman who claims to be a ‘liberal Hindu’, you will see the typical communal Congressman indulging in Muslim appeasement and caste politics.
So, all the liberal wokes and champagne socialists out there who are going gaga over his flamboyant hair and English, Shashi Tharoor is no different brand of politician!
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