Shashi Tharoor, a senior Congress leader, has found himself in the crosshairs of a political debate after penning an article critical of dynastic politics in India. The article, published in Project Syndicate, argues that the prevalence of family rule across the political spectrum poses a "grave threat" to Indian democracy. While Tharoor highlighted the Nehru-Gandhi family's influence within the Congress party, he also noted that dynastic succession extends to other parties in India.
Tharoor asserted that when political power is determined by lineage instead of merit, commitment, or grassroots engagement, the quality of governance suffers. He suggested reforms such as legally mandated term limits and internal party elections to promote meritocracy.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was quick to seize upon Tharoor's remarks, using them to target the Congress leadership. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla lauded Tharoor's piece as "insightful" and hailed him as a "Khatron Ke Khiladi" for questioning political succession within his own party. Poonawalla went on to say that Tharoor had launched a direct attack on Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, calling them "nepo kids". He also warned Tharoor of potential backlash from the Congress, stating that the "first family is very vengeful".
Another BJP spokesperson, C.R. Kesavan, also attacked the Gandhi family, citing Tharoor's article. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan welcomed Tharoor's remarks, suggesting they were based on "experience" and would hurt Congress and RJD, as their politics are limited to family.
Tharoor's article has sparked varied reactions within the Congress party. While some leaders have refrained from commenting, others have defended the Nehru-Gandhi family's contributions to the nation. Congress leader Udit Raj argued that dynastic approaches are not limited to politics, citing examples in business and medicine. Pramod Tiwari stated that Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi proved themselves through their capabilities and sacrifices, questioning whether any other family in India, including the BJP, possessed the same level of dedication and ability.
Tharoor's article also criticized the often-opaque nature of leadership selection processes in Indian politics, where decisions are frequently made by a small group or a single leader. He cited examples of dynastic politics across different parties, including Naveen Patnaik succeeding his father in Odisha and Uddhav Thackeray succeeding his father in Shiv Sena. He also cited examples from outside India, such as the Bhuttos and Sharifs in Pakistan and the Bandaranaikes and Rajapaksas in Sri Lanka.
The BJP seems to be using Tharoor's criticism of dynastic politics as a political weapon, particularly in the context of upcoming elections. By highlighting Tharoor's remarks, the BJP aims to portray the Congress party and its allies as perpetuating a culture of family rule, thereby undermining the principles of democracy.
