Shashi Tharoor praises PM Modi’s speech on Indian democracy

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday (January 15) described Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech at the 28th Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference as underlining India’s commitment to democracy and diversity.

“Spending another day in Parliament with the Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers. Prime Minister @narendramodi addressed the opening plenary session, underlining India’s commitment to democracy and diversity,” stated Tharoor in a post on X.

“Chatted with some of our guests (here I am at a rare moment with the Speakers of both the UK House of Commons and House of Lords), and (during the break) in the Central Hall with Pandit Nehru looking over me!” he added.

Tharoor’s praise for PM Modi has earlier drawn the ire of the Congress, which often distanced itself from his remarks made in praise of the BJP-led government at the Centre.

Tharoor earlier praise of PM’s speech

In November, Tharoor, in a post on X, referred to Prime Minister Modi’s address at the sixth Ramnath Goenka Lecture and said he was “glad to have been in the audience despite battling a bad cold and cough”.

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“A significant part of the speech was dedicated to overturning Macaulay's 200-year legacy of ‘slave mentality.’ PM Modi appealed for a 10-year national mission to restore pride in India’s heritage, languages, and knowledge systems,” read a portion of the Congress MP’s post, referring to the Prime Minister’s remarks at the Ramnath Goenka Lecture organised by The Indian Express.

PM Modi on Indian democracy

Prime Minister Modi on Thursday said that Indian democracy signifies last-mile delivery and noted that the democratic process has demonstrated “stability, speed and scale”, as he pitched for a new roadmap for the Global South. He added that India continues to raise issues beneficial to the Global South at every international forum.

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While inaugurating the 28th Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference at the Central Hall of Sanvidhan Sadan, PM Modi addressed delegates at the CSPOC meeting, highlighting India’s diversity and inviting Commonwealth and Global South nations to benefit from India’s innovations.

‘25 crore people out of poverty’

“In India, democracy means last-mile delivery. We work for all, without any discrimination, in the spirit of public welfare. This spirit also helped lift 25 crore people out of poverty,” PM Modi said, as quoted by the Hindustan Times.

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“In India, democracy delivers. That’s because here the people’s aspirations and hopes are given priority. To remove all hurdles in their way, we have democratised everything from process to technology. This democratic spirit is in our blood, mind and in our culture,” he added.

PM Modi also reiterated India’s role as a leading voice for the Global South’s agenda.