Shashi Tharoor took to Facebook to wish Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday with a heart-warming message.
There are times when Shashi Tharoor reminds us that it’s important not to let the mud stick and to maintain one’s dignity in politics. At a time when politics is being dragged through the gutter, and debates are being replaced by incoherent hashtags, there are some politicians who put their best foot forward when it comes to maintaining the dignity of office.
One of them is undoubtedly Shashi Tharoor, one of the most eloquent politicians. On PM Modi’s 66th birthday, Tharoor’s birthday greeting to the PM was dignity personified as he sent a warm message to the PM. Despite being on opposite sides of the ideological spectrum, Tharoor took time out to wish a man whose party relegated the Congress to their worst defeat in electoral history.
On PM Modi’s 66th birthday, Tharoor took wrote a heart-warming Facebook post about the PM. Read his full text below:
On the Prime Minister's birthday today, I accepted the PMO's invitation to send him wishes for a special page of greetings from Indians of all walks of life. This is what I wrote:
"On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday last year, I tweeted: “Happy Birthday @narendramodi. May you continue to serve India with energy & commitment. Will continue to disagree with your politics, but with respect!” What surprised me was his response, barely a couple of hours later: “Thank you, Dr. Tharoor. And, what is our democracy without constructive criticism! Debate makes us stronger.”
It is this capacity to reach out across the political divide to opponents that struck me as the most unusual personal characteristic of our Prime Minister. I had, after all, used the occasion of his birthday to remind him again of our political differences; yet he had not only taken that in his stride, but turned it around into a positive message of conciliation and collegiality.
A similar thing had happened, in fact, on the day of his election victory in 2014. It was only in the evening, as the results poured in and the size of his majority became apparent, that I issued this somewhat grudging tweet: “Still touring my constituency to thank party workers, but before it's too late, congratulations @NarendraModi & BJP on an astonishing victory”. Within minutes this came back from him: “@ShashiTharoor Many thanks. Congratulations for your victory as well. Let’s work together to create a better India!”
This is the spirit in which I wish Narendra Modiji a happy birthday today in 2016. Let us, Government and Opposition, work together to create a better India. When your policies are manifestly in the national interest, let us support you; and when, in our view, they are not, let us take opposition constructively, respecting each other’s sincere faith in different paths to India’s betterment.
In that spirit, I wish Narendra Modiji a long, healthy and productive life in the service of our nation."
The Prime Minister was gracious enough to reply as follows:
"Thank you so much @ShashiTharoor. Looking forward to the continued debate and discussion in the times to come."
Let us hope we can continue to work in our different ways for a better India. Happy Birthday Pradhan Mantriji!
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 "Shashi Tharoor and Narendra Modi")
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