Shashi Tharoor did not understand Swach Bharat Abhiyan was a publicity stunt: Kerala Minister

A minister in the Congress led UDF government on Monday said it was unfortunate that Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had failed to understand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachch Bharat Abhiyan was a 'public stunt'. "Tharoor should have not accepted the invitation of the Prime Minister for one of the promoters of the Swachch Bharat Abhiyan programme," State Cultural Affairs and Information and Public Relations Minister K C Joseph said.

"Tharoor should not bitten the hook stretched by the Prime Minister in the name of Swachch Bharat Abhiyan. It is unfortunate" he said. The minister was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of inaugurating a land resources information system in the district. The Congress MP, who had faced the party's wrath for praising Prime Minister's cleanliness drive, had joined the campaign at the coastal town of Vizhinjam on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram on October 25 by invoking Mahatma Gandhi, saying he is not going to surrender Gandhiji to Narendra Modi.

He had said keeping the country clean was a national concern and no political meaning should be read into his support to it Tharoor was earlier this month removed as AICC spokesperson under pressure from the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, which urged AICC to restrain him from lavishing praise on Modi and his initiatives like "Swachh Bharat" mission. Modi had appreciated Tharoor for actively participating in the campaign, saying his effort is "very encouraging".