'I was Raised in an India Where...’: Shashi Tharoor Clarifies why he praised General Pervez Musharraf Amid row

Shashi Tharoor Vs BJP: The Kerala Congress MP is facing criticism for describing former Pakistan military dictator-turned-President Pervez Musharraf as “foe-turned-real force for peace” in his condolence message.

New Delhi: Kerala Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has now reacted to fierce criticism over his remarks on the demise of late former Pakistan military dictator-turned-President Pervez Musharraf whom he described as “foe-turned-real force for peace” in his condolence message. "I was raised in an India where you are expected to speak kindly of people when they die. Musharraf was an implacable enemy and was responsible for Kargil War but he did work for peace with India, in his own interest, 2002-7. He was no friend but he saw strategic benefit in peace, as did we," Tharoor said in a tweet.

I was raised in an India where you are expected to speak kindly of people when they die. Musharraf was an implacable enemy &was responsible for Kargil but he did work for peace w/India, in his own interest, 2002-7. He was no friend but he saw strategic benefit in peace,as did we. — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 5, 2023

Tharoor had on Sunday condoled the demise of the former Pakistan military ruler stating that "once an implacable foe of India, he became a real force for peace between 2002-2007."`Pervez Musharraf, Former Pakistani President, Dies of Rare Disease`: once an implacable foe of India, he became a real force for peace 2002-2007," Tharoor said in a tweet. "I met him annually in those days at the @un & found him smart, engaging & clear in his strategic thinking. RIP," the former minister of state for external affairs said.

“Pervez Musharraf, Former Pakistani President, Dies of Rare Disease”: once an implacable foe of India, he became a real force for peace 2002-2007. I met him annually in those days at the @un &found him smart, engaging & clear in his strategic thinking. RIP https://t.co/1Pvqp8cvjE — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 5, 2023

Former Pakistan President and Army Chief Pervez Musharraf died on Sunday after a prolonged illness at the American Hospital in UAE's Dubai after spending several years in self-imposed exile. He was 79. He survived numerous assassination bids and found himself on the front line of the struggle between militant Islamists and the West.

Tharoor`s post brought fierce criticism from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar hit out at Tharoor saying his post "best describes Congress." 

Chandrashekhar while taking to Twitter, slammed the grand old party for finding peace in a person who "inflicted terror a backstabbing conflict and tortured our soldiers in violation of every International law".

"Nothing like a proper military thrashing for Fatcat Pak Dictator Generals to become a "force for peace" and develop "clear strategic thinking". Notwithstanding many lives lost n international laws violated and harm caused all around, these Generals will have their admiring fans in India (sic)," the Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar wrote in his tweet.

Nothing like a proper military thrashing for Fatcat Pak Dictator Generals to become a "force for peace" n develop "clear strategic thinking".

Not withstandng many lives lost n Intl laws violated n harm caused all around, these Generals will hv their admiring fans in India https://t.co/uo5gRu9AYQ — Rajeev Chandrasekhar (@Rajeev_GoI) February 5, 2023

In another tweet, Chandrasekhar said, "That a former Cong Foreign Min (a party that refused to celebrate Kargil Vijay Diwas till 2010) wud think that a Pak General who inflicted terror, a backstabbing conflict n tortured our Soldiers in violation of every Intl law, wud be a "force for peace" - best describes Congress.”

That a former Cong Foreign Min (a party that refused to celebrate Kargil Vijay Diwas till 2010) wud think that a Pak General who inflicted terror, a back stabbing conflict n tortured our Soldiers in violatn of every Intl law, wud be a "force for peace" - best describes Cong. https://t.co/uo5gRu9AYQ — Rajeev Chandrasekhar (@Rajeev_GoI) February 5, 2023

Gen Musharraf was Pakistan`s army chief during the Kargil war between India and Pakistan. The conflict between the two countries is believed to have been orchestrated by Musharraf without the knowledge of the then-Pakistan Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif.

Musharraf was the tenth president of Pakistan after a successful military coup in 1999. He served as the 10th Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of Pakistan (CJCSC) from 1998 to 2001 and the 7th top general from 1998 to 2007. 

(With Agency Inputs)