Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 16 (IANS): Congress Working Committee member and Thiruvananthapuram MP, Shashi Tharoor, has responded to criticism from within his party regarding his recent article in an English newspaper highlighting Kerala's progress in the startup sector.
In a Facebook post in Malayalam on Sunday, Tharoor expressed surprise over the controversy.
He stated, "I wrote this article as a Member of Parliament from Kerala, focusing on a specific issue - the transformation of the industrial landscape through the growth of the startup sector. As a Congress worker, I take pride in acknowledging that it was former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who initiated this change."
He credited Chandy's policies for setting the foundation for Kerala's startup ecosystem, mentioning initiatives like the Startup Village and the Kerala Startup Mission, which the current government has continued to support.
In response to questions about the accuracy of his claims, Tharoor stated, "The basis of my article is the 2024 Global Startup Ecosystem Report, which provides data and information on this subject."
His remark appeared to be directed at party leaders who had questioned the authenticity of his analysis. His comments came after Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) leaders, led by Opposition Leader V. D. Satheesan, criticised the article.
Former Industries Minister and IUML general secretary P. K. Kunhalikutty also took issue with Tharoor's statements, arguing that the industrial sector had greatly benefited from UDF's policies.
Tharoor emphasised that his article was not a comprehensive assessment of Kerala's economy.
He acknowledged the state's economic challenges, including high unemployment, the migration of educated youth, crises in the agricultural sector (rubber, cashew, etc.), and the record-high debt burden.
"Solving these problems will take time. However, when we see progress in even one sector, it would be shortsighted not to acknowledge it," he wrote, attempting to distance himself from the controversy.
On Saturday (February 15), Kerala opposition leader, V.D. Satheesan specifically questioned the credibility of Tharoor's data on Kerala's MSME sector.
He remarked, "I don't know where Tharoor got these figures on Kerala's MSME growth. Many returning NRIs start small businesses like shops and bakeries - can such ventures really be counted as MSME growth?"
In response, Tharoor urged his critics to read the article before passing judgment.
"One final request: Please read the article before commenting! It does not discuss party politics but rather what needs to be done to pull Kerala out of its economic crisis. For the past 16 years, I have consistently spoken about Kerala’s economic progress,” he said. Meanwhile, KPCC leadership has submitted a letter of dissent against Tharoor to the All India Congress Committee (AICC)," he said.
Interestingly, the CPI(M) has welcomed Tharoor's article, with leaders including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan, and Industries Minister P. Rajeeve appreciating his recognition of Kerala's startup sector growth.