Shashi Tharoor's 'shandaar' jibe at Uttar Pradesh draws flak from BJP

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor found himself at the receiving end of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over his social media post on the 'viral definition' of Uttar Pradesh.

Tharoor's dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi in context of Uttar Pradesh drew a sharp reaction from the BJP as many leaders took turns to slam the Congress leader, even labeling him as 'repeat offender'.

The row broke out over Tharoor sharing a viral post relating to Uttar Pradesh along with Q&A.

The question read: "Uttar Pradesh kise kehte hain? (Define Uttar Pradesh.)"

The answer read: "A state where uttar (referring to answers) are known before the exam."

Shashi Tharoor commented on the post as "shandaar" and added the hashtag "Pariksha pe charcha", taking a jibe at PM Modi's initiative to interact with students during examinations.

Union Minister Jitin Prasada and a prominent UP leader, in reply to Tharoor’s post, said: "I don't see the humour in running down my state and its people by stereotyping them with such condemnable remarks. Such an insult to UP is deplorable and must be condemned in strongest words.

Rajeev Chandrashekhar, former Union Minister in Modi 2.0 Cabinet, wrote on X: "Shameless crass politics of shaming other fellow Indians - that's the Congress way, ably demonstrated by this self-titled Global citizen. It was just a few months ago, another of Cong 'global citizens' Pitroda described Indians as Africans, Chinese, Middle Eastern, etc., Runs deep in the Cong DNA, this type of superiority complex."

BJP's national spokesperson C.R. Kesavan described Tharoor as a 'repeat offender' and said: "Earlier, Shashi Tharoor gravely insulted our North East brothers and sisters by ridiculing their traditional attire as outlandish. To belittle a serious issue, implying that the state of UP is a state of cheaters is indefensible and unpardonable. Splattering fancy English words does not necessarily make one civil and dignified."

Rajasthan Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said: "Shashi, you having to resort to frivolity!! And in doing so condemning people of an entire state? You don't see UP as yours, since you are deriding it. How I see Kerala is it's my state, it's my people. Bright, young, dynamic Keralites have served with me in the Army and rubbed shoulders with me in Team India."

"When a person of your stature and intelligence mocks a state, why wouldn't others do? And then what!! Remember your oath and responsibility:- 'Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka Jaya he Bharat-bhagya-vidhata'," he added.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote: "This gentleman frequently indulges in satirising various cultures (first Northeast and now UP) with remarkably caustic words. He has succumbed to the beguiling whispers of lunacy, his mind adrift in the ethereal mists of derangement."