This Article is From Oct 25, 2014

Citing Mahatma Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor Joins PM's Clean India Campaign

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor during the cleanliness campaign

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for drawing the nation's attention to the issue of cleanliness, but said that he was "not going to surrender Gandhiji or Sardar Patel to Mr Modi."

Mr Tharoor's tough words for the Prime Minister came after he participated in a cleanliness campaign in his home constituency of Thiruvananthapuram.

Mr Tharoor said the commitment to cleanliness is a national commitment and not a commitment of any party.

"I refuse to cede the cleanliness of India to any political party," said Mr Tharoor. "I believe it is an issue for everybody and an opportunity for all of us to commit ourselves to the society."

To a question of whether he was continuing PM Modi's challenge on 'Swachh Bharat' drive, Mr Tharoor said, "This has been the ideal of Mahatma Gandhi's and even the stand of Congress. I am furthering only that."

While his nomination by the PM has cost him greatly, the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram said he will choose his nine nominees carefully to spare them controversy.

He said he would "nominate nine people after consulting them, just the way I wish I was consulted. Because some may choose to stay away from this with all the controversy surrounding it."

He later tweeted about the cleanliness drive.


The Prime Minister hailed Mr Tharoor's effort and tweeted:

PM Modi has often taken the names of the two national leaders in his speeches, more recently the Mahatma as part of the cleanliness campaign. The Prime Minister has also championed a project to build a statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Gujarat.

Earlier this month, Mr Tharoor was asked to step down as Congress spokesperson, after the state unit's complaints of the Congress MP's pro-Modi reactions hurting the sentiments of party workers.
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