Shashi Tharoor's Article on Emergency Sparks Political Debate in Kerala Congress

The Congress party in Kerala on Thursday (July 10, 2025) seemed to be avoiding Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor’s controversial article that criticized late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son, Sanjay Gandhi, for acts of cruelty during the Emergency.

Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan avoided questions about whether Tharoor’s article was a deliberate act of dissent ahead of the local body polls in 2025 and the 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala.

Mr. Satheesan stated that he had read the article but reserved his opinion. He emphasized that no Congress leader in Kerala would criticize Tharoor, and any differences could be addressed to the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

Tharoor’s article, translated and published by Deepika, highlighted human rights abuses during the Emergency and attributed them to Indira and Sanjay Gandhi.

Tharoor had previously stirred controversy by sharing a survey naming him as the most-preferred Chief Ministerial candidate in Kerala, at a time when the Congress was dealing with internal issues.

His actions were seen as conflicting with the party’s official stance on the BJP and CPI(M) governments, leading to speculation about strained relations with the party’s leadership.