A major controversy has erupted over Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s article that says dynastic politics across the political spectrum poses a “grave threat” to Indian democracy.
Reacting to his article, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a sharp attack against the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan took a jibe at the Congress and the RJD, saying Tharoor wrote the article based on his own "experience." "I welcome the statement of Shashi Tharoor. Whatever he said must be correct. He would have said this on the basis of his experience. His remarks will obviously hurt the Congress party and the RJD because their politics are limited to a family. They cannot think outside their family," Pradhan said.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the article rightly exposes how the Gandhi family turned Indian politics into a "family business."
Speaking with ANI, Poonawalla said, "A very insightful piece has been written by Dr Tharoor on how Indian politics has become family business and in the opening of that piece he has explained how the first family of Congress party, the Gandhi-Vadra dynasty has been responsible for cementing this negative thought that political position and power can be a matter of birth right."
Poonawalla said Tharoor's piece will make RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi uncomfortable.
"Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi may take his article very personally... Dr Tharoor should be applauded, but now he will get a series of bad words and insults from Kerala Congress and other leaders," he further added.
Separately, taking to X, Poomawalla stated, “Dr Tharoor has become Khatron ke Khiladi. He has directly called out Nepo Kids or Nawabs of Nepotism. Sir when i called out Nepo Naamdar Rahul Gandhi in 2017 - you know what happened to me Sir praying for you… First family is very vengeful,” he wrote.
What did Shashi Tharoor say in his article?
In his article for international media organisation Project Syndicate, Tharoor pointed out that while the Nehru-Gandhi family is associated with the Congress, dynastic succession prevails across the political spectrum.
In the article titled 'Indian Politics Are a Family Business', Tharoor said that for decades, one family has towered over Indian politics. He said the influence of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty -- including independent India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and current opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra -- is bound up with the history of India's struggle for freedom.
"But it has also cemented the idea that political leadership can be a birthright. This idea has penetrated Indian politics across every party, in every region, and at every level," Tharoor said.
He said Indian political parties are largely personality-driven, with a few exceptions.
Leadership selection processes are often opaque, with decisions made by a small clique or even a single leader, figures with little interest in rocking the boat, said Tharoor, who himself unsuccessfully contested Congress presidential elections in 2022.
Citing examples of political dynasties across party lines such as Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena, Lok Janshakti Party, among others, Tharoor noted that nepotism generally trumps meritocracy.
"It is high time that India traded dynasty for meritocracy. This would require fundamental reforms, from imposing legally mandated term limits to requiring meaningful internal party elections, together with a concerted effort to educate and empower the electorate to choose leaders based on merit," he said.
How Congress leaders reacted to Tharoor’s piece?
Congress leader Udit Raj said that dynastic influence pervades all sectors in India, including politics, business, the judiciary, and the film industry, adding that this trend restricts opportunities to a select few families.
Speaking to ANI, Raj said, "A dynastic approach exists in almost every sector in India, a doctor's son becomes a doctor, a businessman's child continues in business, and politics is no exception. Also, if a politician has a criminal background, it reflects the reality of our society. Election tickets are often distributed along caste and family lines."
"From Naidu to Pawar, DMK to Mamata, Mayawati to Amit Shah's son, there are many such examples. The loss is that opportunities remain confined to families alone. Dynastic influence is not limited to politics; it extends to the bureaucracy, judiciary, and even the film industry," he added.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari defended the Nehru-Gandhi family, saying that the leadership comes from "merit".
"Leadership always comes from merit. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was the most capable Prime Minister of this country... Indira Gandhi proved herself by sacrificing her life. Rajiv Gandhi served this country by sacrificing his life. So, if someone talks about the Gandhi family as a dynasty, then which other family in India had the sacrifice, dedication, and ability that this family possessed? Was it the BJP?" Congress MP said.
Congress leader Rashid Alvi on Monday said that in a democracy, it is ultimately the people who decide who will be voted to power, adding that no one can be barred from contesting elections simply because of their family background, as such patterns exist across various fields. "The public makes the decisions in a democracy. You cannot impose a restriction that says you cannot contest elections because your father was an MP. This is happening in every field. What way will you find for this?" Alvi told ANI.
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