Congress daily takes potshots on Shashi Tharoor for praising PM Narendra Modi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after Congress leaders in Kerala warned Shashi Tharoor against praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party organ attacked the former Union minister today, raising questions on his loyalty to the organisation.

A stinging editorial in the Congress daily ' Veekshnam', without naming the target, said loyalty of those who pen "love letters" to Modi through social media and write adulatory articles in edit pages will be suspected.

The write-up, replete with oblique references to Tharoor's expertise in foreign policy issues, concluded by quoting the Malayalam saying that "even the gold-yielding tree should be felled if it poses a threat to one's home."

Stating that it is rather strange that somebody who is authorised as a spokesperson of the Congress is indulging in eulogising Modi, the editorial said, "seeking campus selection from the BJP by sitting in the Congress camp is nothing but sheer betrayal of trust."

Launching an onslaught on Tharoor, Congress leaders in Kerala had yesterday warned him against praising Modi and threatened to initiate disciplinary action if he declined to follow the party line.

Immediate provocation for the Congress leaders to take on the second term MP from the Kerala capital was his positive response to Modi's 'Swachh Bharat' campaign.

Putting up a brave face, Tharoor had sought to set the record straight holding that he is a "proud Congressman" and had not even remotely endorsed the "Hindutva agenda" of the BJP.