Congress MP and candidate from Thiruvananthapuram constituency Shashi Tharoor landed in a controversy over the word “squeamish” that he used in a tweet on his visit to a fish market in the Kerala capital last week as part of his election campaign.
(Photo: Twitter/@ShashiTharoor)
Congress MP and candidate from Thiruvananthapuram constituency Shashi Tharoor landed in a controversy over the word “squeamish” that he used in a tweet on his visit to a fish market in the Kerala capital last week as part of his election campaign.
After visiting a fish market in Thiruvananthapuram the other day, Tharoor had tweeted, “Found a lot of enthusiasm at the fish market even for a squeamishly vegetarian MP.”
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Found a lot of enthusiasm at the fish market, even for a squeamishly vegetarian MP! pic.twitter.com/QspH08if8Q
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 27, 2019
He had posted a few photographs at the fish market, one of them showing Tharoor holding a fish covered with paper to avoid direct contact with the fish. Finding fault with the word “squeamish”, the CPI-M and the BJP alleged that Tharoor had insulted the fishermen community and demanded an apology.
The CPI-M has accused Tharoor of insulting fishermen, who had saved thousands of people during last year’s flood in the state. CPI-M leader M Vijayakumar said Tharoor’s comments “expose his approach towards the working class”.
BJP leader and former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan demanded that Tharoor withdraw the comment, which he claimed insults fishermen folk.
“Tharoor has found that fishermen and fish are disgusting. Thousands of fishermen in Thiruvananthapuram are living in nauseating circumstances ~ they are living in such a situation due to Tharoor’s failure, as he could do little for them. Tharoor should say whether the votes of fishermen are also causing him nausea,” Kummanam said fishermen took out marches in Kochi, Kollam and Kozhikode protesting against the tweet.
Responding to the allegation, Tharoor said, “By describing myself as a squeamish vegetarian, I have made fun of myself and it was never intended to humiliate anyone. Despite being a vegetarian, the fisherwomen have shown so much affection towards me. That is what I have tried to convey through the tweet.”
The former Union minister claimed that his words had been “deliberately twisted” to show that he had insulted the fishermen folk.
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