Congress leader Shashi Tharoor joined Opposition protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Monday. He shared verses from a famous poem and said, "this government will go." These remarks followed Saturday’s agitation where many demanded Kumar’s resignation. Tharoor previously supported the government, making his recent criticism a significant political shift.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has added his voice to the growing Opposition criticism amid protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. Invoking the iconic Hindi poem Janatantra Ka Janma by Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar', Tharoor on Monday shared verses from the poem, including the famous line, "Singhasan khali karo, janata aati hai (Vacate the throne, the people are coming)". In a separate post, he amplified Rahul Gandhi's remarks that "this government will go", adding a political edge to his intervention.
Tharoor's posts came as the Opposition INDIA bloc prepared to march through the national capital against alleged police violence and attacks by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers on students and women during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest demanding Kumar's resignation on Saturday (October 10).
While the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress has been holding protests for the past week, Tharoor has largely remained on the sidelines and has not been seen actively participating in the agitation. His latest remarks are significant given that the bureaucrat-turned-politician has supported the BJP-led government's position on several issues, including amplifying its stance on Operation Sindoor, India's four-day military confrontation with Pakistan in May 2025.