New Delhi: The BJP was quick to latch on to a statement by veteran Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his interactions at the G7 Summit in France.
Claiming the remarks exposed contradictions within the opposition party’s stance towards the Prime Minister, BJP’s national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi.
“Shashi Tharoor exposes Rahul Gandhi. Congress Leader praises PM @narendramodi Ji’s diplomacy. When it Comes to Protecting India’s National Interest PM Modi comes first; When it comes to speaking against India’s National interest Rahul Gandhi leaves everyone behind!” Bhandari posted on X.
Tharoor appreciated Prime Minister Modi’s diplomatic engagement with US president Donald Trump during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France.
“PM Modi made his point cle
ar both in the public and private meetings with the president. It is important to convey the message that in wartime, civilian sailors on commercial ships should not be targets of combat. They are not soldiers, and that is the message Mr Modi conveyed,” Tharoor said, as reported by timesnow.in.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP also acknowledged several aspects of Modi’s leadership.
“I think we all recognise that he has a tremendous amount of dynamism and energy. He has a vision, whether you agree with that vision or not. He is a powerful orator, one of the best orators the country has seen in Hindi. He reaches out particularly to those who speak that language,” Tharoor had said.
“He has a very compelling presence on the national stage. Undoubtedly, he has been able to leave his stamp on many aspects of Indian life, society and politics, the economy, particularly the building of the infrastructure is one of Mr Modi’s achievements as long as the highways, ports and airports stand. Though there is still always room for improvement,” he added.
Prime Minister Modi brought up the issue of the safety of Indian seafarers during his address at the Summit, with Trump by his side. Later, during a bilateral meeting with the US president, PM Modi raised concerns about the safety of Indian seafarers operating in the Gulf region, including near the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump had praised PM Modi after the meeting, describing him as a “tough negotiator” and commenting on his strong public presence.