Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress candidate for Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor has a penchant for using grandiose words and elitist manners. However, one of his tweet two days back have elicited the wrong response from the audience.
After visiting a fish market in Thiruvananthapuram to canvass for votes from the workers and fish vendors there, he tweeted that he found lot of enthusiasm from the people even though he felt ‘squeamish’ about being there because he was a vegetarian.
His revulsion for the smell of fish and the environment of fish market has raised questions of his commitment to the people from whom he is seeking votes. The fisher community has raised strong objections against his tweet saying that it insulted them and their labour.
He was also photographed holding a fish with a paper so that the fish won’t come in direct contact with his hand.
BJP candidate of Thiruvananthapuram and former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan said, “Tharoor has found that fishermen and fish are disgusting. Thousands of fishermen in Thiruvananthpuram 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 must say whether the votes for fishermen are also causing him nausea.”
Many political and cultural leaders have come forward against Tharoor’s insensitive comments. The fishing community of Kerala are seen as heroes and saviours in the State after their selfless and committed work during the great floods last year.
Shashi Tharoor is currently an accused in the involvement of the death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar.
