"What happened in past is history, let historians debate it": Shashi Tharoor on PM Modi's speech in Parliament

Dec 15, 2024

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], December 15 : Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in Parliament, urging him to focus on addressing present challenges rather than dwelling on the past.
"The answer was already given the previous day by Priyanka Gandhi. Why go on about the past? You are accountable for the present and what is happening today and tomorrow. What happened in the past is history; let historians debate it," Tharoor said.
"Even though I have written extensively about these issues, I am not entering that debate because, for me, the government is responsible for the condition of Indians today, the functioning of the Constitution today, and the future of our youth. While I am impressed by the list of initiatives he mentioned, he always omits the negatives we have been pointing out," the Congress MP added.
Commenting on the idea of 'One Nation, One Election,' Tharoor highlighted significant flaws in the concept as it is currently presented.
Citing historical examples, Tharoor said, "There are too many flaws in the concept as it stands. It fails to address why we have the kind of staggered election schedules we see today. When we began in 1952, elections were held simultaneously in 1952, 1957, 1962, and 1967. However, this changed when governments fell, coalitions broke apart, votes of confidence were lost, or governments were dismissed, necessitating fresh elections. These circumstances could still arise in the future."
Prime Minister Modi, during his speech marking 75 years of the Constitution, had launched a sharp attack on the Congress, stating, "One family in Congress left no stone unturned in undermining the Constitution."
PM Modi also remarked that during the 25th year of the Constitution, "it was torn apart" with the imposition of Emergency.
The special two-day debate in the Lok Sabha on 75 years of the Constitution concluded on Saturday.