Shashi Tharoor Says No To Veer Savarkar Award, Questions Ideology Behind Honour

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has turned down an award named after Veer Savarkar, raising questions about the manner in which the honour was announced and the ideological implications attached to it.

His refusal came even as the initiative risked triggering friction within the Congress, where Savarkar remains a contentious figure.

Tharoor Rejects Award Citing Lack of Clarity

Tharoor said he learned of the Veer Savarkar International Impact Award 2025 only through media reports while he was in Kerala. When asked if he would attend the ceremony, he responded, "I am not going," before elaborating on his position in a detailed online post.

"In the absence of clarifications about the nature of the award, the organization presenting it or any other contextual details, the question of my attending the event today or accepting the award does not arise," he wrote.

The award has been instituted by the NGO High Range Rural Development Society and Tharoor had been named its inaugural recipient. It is scheduled to be inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the NDMC Convention Hall in New Delhi, recognising contributions to national development, social reform, and humanitarian work.

Questions Over Organisers' Announcement

Tharoor criticised the organisers for publicly announcing his name without securing his consent. Calling their move irresponsible, he said, "It was irresponsible on the part of the organisers to announce my name without my having agreed to receive it."

He added that despite his clarification, "Despite that, today in Delhi, some media outlets continue to ask the same question," indicating his frustration at the continuing speculation.

Congress Leaders Weigh In

The nomination stirred reactions within the Congress. Leaders from Kerala suggested that accepting an award named after Savarkar would go against the party's historical position. K Muraleedharan said that doing so would insult and embarrass the Congress. While the BJP and the wider right wing celebrate Savarkar as a revolutionary figure, the Congress has long challenged his contribution to the freedom movement.

Tharoor did not comment on Savarkar himself, but his decision to reject the award signals a boundary he is unwilling to cross, even as he remains candid about disagreements within his own party.

Tharoor's Position in the Congress

Tharoor has recently drawn attention for remarks interpreted as criticism of internal disruptions in parliament, feeding speculation about his future in the party. Yet he has signalled no immediate intention to move away from the Congress.

"I went to great trouble to get elected. It would take a considerable amount of thought and various other considerations to be anything else," he said when asked about the possibility of switching sides.