Controversial Member Of India Parliament Addresses Milpitas Crowd

MILPITAS, CA -- A controversial member of the Indian parliament addressed a crowd filled with both his fans and opposition Thursday night at the Milpitas India Community Center.

Shashi Tharoor, a member of the Indian National Congress Party, appeared at the India Community Center in Milpitas amid an ongoing general election, which pits his party against the reigning Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The discussion was moderated by his niece, former editor of Bay Area's India Currents magazine Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan, and focused largely on his accomplishments and support for the Congress party, as well as his criticism of the BJP.

She introduced him as her "incomparable uncle," and lauded his strides toward decriminalizing homosexuality and addressing the lasting effects of British colonialism in India.

Their discussion opened with the topic of British reparations to India, and Tharoor garnered loud applause from the audience for description of British museums as glorified "chor (thief) bazaars," filled with looted Indian artifacts. Tharoor said he's interested in atonement, rather than reparations, because no amount of money can revive the millions of people who
died during British occupation.

The two discussed his push for an "inclusive Hinduism" that addresses the needs of marginalized populations in India, and Tharoor spoke out against "Hindutva," a Hindu nationalist ideology espoused by many of Modi's most vocal supporters.

The discussion did not touch on any criticisms of Tharoor or the Congress Party, which have faced wide-ranging corruption allegations in the past. Tharoor was charged in 2018 with aiding his wife's suicide four years prior, and faces trial this year. He has vehemently denied the accusations.

In a closing answer to a question of India's foreign policy, Tharoor said non-resident Indians are a crucial factor in establishing and maintaining a stable relationship between India and the U.S.

"The Indian-American diaspora is a hugely contributing factor. You're not people whom American political representatives can afford to ignore," he said. "Your voices will count in the American process, the American political system."

Bay City News contributed to this report.