Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday slammed the circulation of photos showing him with Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, saying it was “an act of cheap politics”, reported the Press Trust of India.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP said the photos were taken during Ms Moitra’s birthday party, which was attended by some 15 people, including his sister, and that the images had been cropped before they were uploaded online.
“This is just cheap politics. It was the birthday party of a child. Well, she is not a child, but to me, she is like one. That MP is around 20 years younger to me,” PTI cited Mr Tharoor as saying.
“It was her birthday party, in which around 15 people, including my sister, were part of. Instead of showing the full image, they are spreading the cropped one.”
Mr Tharoor added that he does not give importance to “such trolls” and is busy working for the people.
Last week, Ms Moitra had also reacted to the photos, saying she was amused at seeing her photos circulating on social media. She accused the “BJP’s troll sena” of being behind it.
“Most amused to see some personal photos of me being circulated on social media by BJP’s troll sena,” she wrote on X on Oct 15. “I like the green dress better than the white blouse.
“And why bother cropping? Show the rest of the folks at dinner as well. Bengal’s women live a life, not a lie.”
After one of the photos showed her holding a cigar, Ms Moitra clarified that she does not smoke and is allergic to smoking.
“I don’t smoke. I am severely allergic to cigarettes. I was just posing with a friend’s cigar for a laugh,” she posted in reply to a comment by a netizen.
The controversy comes amid the alleged cash-for-query row, in which Ms Moitra has been accused by a Supreme Court advocate and a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker of taking a “bribe” from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to raise questions against the Adani Group in Parliament.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who complained against her before the Lok Sabha Speaker, has sought her suspension from the House till the probe is completed.
Ms Moitra has denied the allegations, calling it a bid to silence her in Parliament.
The Trinamool MP said she was ready to face a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Indo-Asian News Service
