Shashi Tharoor Declines Veer Savarkar Award Citing Lack of Information - Congress Loyalty Prevails Despite Party Differences

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has declined nomination for the Veer Savarkar International Impact Award, citing lack of information about the award and its organizing body. The Thiruvananthapuram representative firmly stated, "I am not going," when questioned about his attendance at the ceremony.

In a subsequent online clarification, Tharoor elaborated, "In the absence of clarifications about the nature of the award, the organization presenting it or any other contextual details, the question of my attending the event today or accepting the award does not arise."

The Veer Savarkar International Impact Award 2025, established by the NGO High Range Rural Development Society (HRDS), had named Tharoor as its first recipient. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to inaugurate the award ceremony at NDMC Convention Hall in New Delhi today, recognizing contributions to national development, social reform, and humanitarian efforts.

Tharoor explained that he only discovered his nomination through media reports while in Kerala. He emphasized that he was neither aware of the award nor had he accepted it, criticizing the organizers: "It was irresponsible on the part of the organisers to announce my name without my having agreed to receive it."

This situation emerged as potentially problematic within Congress circles. K Muraleedharan, a senior Congress figure from Kerala, remarked that accepting such an award would "insult and embarrass" the party. While the BJP and right-wing groups revere Vinayak Damodar 'Veer' Savarkar as a revolutionary icon, the Congress has consistently questioned his contributions to India's independence movement.

Although Tharoor avoided direct comments on Savarkar himself, his rejection of the award appears to demonstrate loyalty to Congress principles despite his occasional disagreements with party operations.

Tharoor has recently attracted attention for statements perceived as critical of Congress, including admonishing those who disrupt parliamentary proceedings. Nevertheless, he remains committed to the party, having recently told NDTV, "I went to great trouble to get elected. It would take a considerable amount of thought and various other considerations to be anything else," when questioned about potential party-switching plans.