Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor has voiced his disapproval of what he categorizes as "low-level politics" in response to the circulation of photos featuring him alongside Mahua Moitra, a prominent leader from the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Tharoor clarified that these photographs were taken during a birthday celebration and were manipulated to create the impression of a clandestine meeting. He emphasized that Mahua Moitra is significantly younger than him, and he regards her as if she were a "child."
During an interaction with the media in Kottayam, Kerala, Tharoor expressed his discontent with the situation, stating, "This is such low-level politics." He elaborated further, "It was that child's birthday. I can't call her a child, but for me, she is like one. She is 10 to 20 years younger than me."
Tharoor provided context for the images, explaining, "It was her birthday party, and there were 15 people present. My sister was also invited, and she was in attendance. However, some people deliberately cropped out others and presented it as some secret private meeting. Anyone who sees these photos should think about who would have taken the photo if it was indeed a secret meeting. It was her birthday."
Furthermore, Tharoor criticized the influence of "online trolls" and the attention given to such incidents. He stated, "I don't give all these trolls much importance, not even the importance that the media sometimes gives them. I won't be giving it any more importance either. Our priority is working for the people."
Previously, TMC MP Mahua Moitra had accused the "BJP's troll sena" (a term referencing a brigade of online supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party) of sharing her personal photos out of context. She made light of the situation, clarifying that the images were taken out of context.
In response to the photos depicting her in dresses and holding a cigar, Moitra expressed her amusement, saying, "I like the green dress better on me than the white blouse. And why bother cropping - show the rest of the folks at dinner as well." She underlined the authenticity of the photos by stating, "Bengal's women live a life. Not a lie."
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