Shashi Tharoor rejects Veer Savarkar Award, slams organisers for announcing his name without consent

The award, instituted by the High Range Rural Development Society (HRDS), was slated to be presented at the NDMC Convention Hall in New Delhi, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurating the ceremony.

Tharoor revealed he had no prior knowledge about the award until media reports surfaced.

“I am not going,” he said when initially asked about his participation. 

Later, in an online post, he clarified, “In the absence of clarifications about the nature of the award, the organisation presenting it or any other contextual details, the question of my attending the event today or accepting the award does not arise.”

Organisers criticised for ‘irresponsible’ announcement

The Congress leader lashed out at organisers for announcing him as the award recipient without checking with him.

“It was irresponsible on the part of the organisers to announce my name without my having agreed to receive it,” he wrote, noting that the confusion continued despite his clear refusal.

Tharoor added that even on the day of the event, media outlets continued to ask him whether he would attend, prompting him to publicly restate his position.

Political reactions within Congress

The award stirred internal discomfort within the Congress, as party leaders have long questioned Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s role in the freedom struggle.

K Muraleedharan, a senior Congress leader from Kerala, said accepting such an award would “insult and embarrass” the party.

While Tharoor refrained from commenting on Savarkar directly, his refusal reflects a line he is not willing to cross, even as he maintains a reputation for diverging from the Congress’s typical rhetoric at times.

Tharoor’s recent strains with Congress

Tharoor has recently been in the spotlight over remarks perceived as critical of the Congress, including comments on parliamentary disruptions. 

However, he reaffirmed his commitment to the party, saying he has no immediate plans to switch sides.

“I went to great trouble to get elected. It would take a considerable amount of thought and various other considerations to be anything else,” he told the media, dismissing speculation of a political shift.