New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday strongly backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's gesture of gifting a copy of the Bhagavad Gita to Russian President Vladimir Putin, stressing that the move was not an effort to convert the Russian leader to Hinduism but a reflection of India's 'civilisational heritage.'The exchange of gifts took place during Putin's visit to New Delhi from December 4 to 6. Modi presented Putin with a Russian translation of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, which is part of the Mahabharata. Modi had posted on X (formerly Twitter), "Presented a copy of the Gita in Russian to President Putin. The teachings of the Gita give inspiration to millions across the world."
"Absolutely Nothing Wrong": Tharoor's View
Responding to questions about the gift, Shashi Tharoor said he saw "nothing wrong in gifting Gita to Putin," noting that the text remains central to India’s cultural and philosophical legacy."The Gita is very much a part of our ancient civilisation and history. To give it in Russian means conveying to another culture some of the essential lessons that we have learned from our civilisational and spiritual heritage. I see absolutely nothing wrong with that," Tharoor stated. He dismissed any political or religious motive behind the gesture. "It's not an attempt to convert Mr Putin to Hinduism. It's a way of just showing him something that he can understand in his language. It's a fine gesture because it reflects what we are," Tharoor said.
Gita in Curriculum: Tharoor’s Opinion
Tharoor also responded to Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s remarks on including the Bhagavad Gita in school curricula. Tharoor recalled that his 1989 satirical novel, 'The Great Indian Novel,' had already made the case for teaching Indian epics in English-medium schools. "I think there's no problem in reading in our school days the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and so on," he added.
Tharoor Attended Banquet, Causing Disquiet in Congress
Shashi Tharoor attended the banquet hosted for Putin at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday, describing the atmosphere as 'warm' and 'engaging.'However, Tharoor's presence at the banquet drew comment within the Congress, as Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi were not invited. Party spokesperson Pawan Khera criticised the government for 'breaching protocols' and suggested that those who accepted such selective invitations should 'question their own conscience,' implicitly targeting Tharoor.