Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], November 11 (ANI): BJP National spokesperson CR Kesavan criticised the Congress party on Monday for distancing itself from MP Shashi Tharoor's recent remarks praising veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani and sending birthday wishes on his 98th birthday.

In an interaction with ANI, Kesavan questioned the INC's alleged growing intolerance and claimed that the party has now become bigoted, unable to tolerate basic civility and courtesies being extended in public life.

'Does INC now stand for 'Intolerant National Congress'? Because the churlish way in which the Congress party has publicly reverted a birthday tweet from Tharoor goes on to show how blinkered and how bigoted the Congress party has become, so much so that it cannot even tolerate basic civility and courtesies being extended in public life. The deep-rooted insecurity of the 'Congress First' family and the 'Nehru-Gandhi' family is the prime reason for the meltdown we witness in the Congress Party... I don't think he is alone in venting his feelings. He shares the sentiment of many Congressmen who feel stifled and suffocated under the undeserved leadership of the 'Congress first' family... The Congress party only possesses an emergency prejudiced, intolerant mindset...,' said Kesavan.

Meanwhile, Congress on Sunday dissociated itself from Thiruanathapuram MP Shashi Tharoor's recent comments lauding veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani, with party leader Pawan Khera saying that Tharoor's views are personal and not representative of the party.

In a post shared on X, Congress leader Pawan Khera wrote, 'Like always, Dr. Shashi Tharoor speaks for himself and the Indian National Congress outrightly dissociates itself from his most recent statement. That he continues to do so as a Congress MP and CWC member reflects the essential democratic and liberal spirit unique to INC.'

On November 8, Thiruvanathapuram MP Shashi Tharoor wished the former Deputy PM on his 98th birth anniversary, where he praised his 'unwavering commitment to public service, modesty, and his role in shaping the trajectory of modern India.

'Wishing the venerable Shri L.K. Advani a very happy 98th birthday! His unwavering commitment to public service, his modesty & decency, and his role in shaping the trajectory of modern India are indelible. A true statesman whose life of service has been exemplary,' Tharoor wrote on X.

However, Tharoor's wishes received some objections, with people saying that the Congress MP was whitewashing the true history of the BJP leader. A Supreme Court Advocate, Sanjay Hedge, criticised Tharoor, saying that Advani 'unleashing the dragon seeds of hatred' could not be called as 'public service', referencing the Ram Rath Yatra carried out in 1990.

'Sorry Mr Tharoor, unleashing the 'dragon seeds of hatred' (to quote Kushwant Singh) in this country is NOT public service,' his post read.

However, Tharoor defended the legacy of one of the BJP's founders and compared the legacies of former PMs Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.

'Agreed, @sanjayuvacha, but reducing his long years of service to one episode, however significant, is also unfair. The totality of Nehruji's career cannot be judged by the China setback, nor Indira Gandhi's by the Emergency alone. I believe we should extend the same courtesy to Advaniji,' Tharoor wrote on X. (ANI)