NEW DELHI: In a sharp rejoinder to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s recent comments on dynastic politics, party General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal on Thursday said he “feels sorry for people who make such comments” and sought an explanation from Tharoor over his remarks.
Venugopal’s response came days after Tharoor, in an article for international media outlet Project Syndicate, argued that dynastic politics across party lines poses a “grave threat” to Indian democracy and urged India to trade “dynasty for meritocracy”.
Speaking to reporters in the national capital, Venugopal defended the Nehru-Gandhi family, saying they have made immense sacrifices for the country. “I feel sorry for those who made such remarks. Everyone knows that former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives for the nation. Members of the Gandhi family have even declined offers to become prime minister. Calling it a family rule cannot be justified,” he said.
“Tharoor must explain the reason for making such comments.”
Tharoor’s remarks have reportedly irked sections of the Congress leadership, with several party figures publicly criticising him for targeting the Gandhi family.
In his article, titled “Indian Politics Are a Family Business”, Tharoor wrote that while the Nehru-Gandhi family has been synonymous with the Congress, dynastic succession is pervasive across the political spectrum.
“When political power is determined by lineage rather than ability, commitment, or grassroots engagement, the quality of governance suffers,” he wrote.
Tharoor noted that India’s political parties are “largely personality-driven, with few exceptions,” and argued that the Nehru-Gandhi legacy — from Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi to Rajiv Gandhi and the current generation of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra — has both shaped India’s democracy and reinforced the idea of leadership as a birthright.
This idea has penetrated Indian politics across every party, in every region, and at every level,” Tharoor said. He also said Indian political parties are largely personality-driven, with a few exceptions.
The BJP seized upon Tharoor’s comments, describing his piece as an “insightful” critique of how Indian politics has become a family enterprise. Congress leaders, however, pushed back. Senior leader Udit Raj argued that dynastic patterns were not unique to politics.
“A doctor’s son becomes a doctor; a businessman’s child continues in business — politics is no exception,” he said. “From Naidu to Pawar, DMK to Mamata, Mayawati to Amit Shah’s son — there are many such examples. The problem is that opportunities often remain confined to families.”
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari also defended the Gandhi family, calling them paragons of sacrifice and service.
“Nehru was the most capable prime minister this country has seen. Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi both laid down their lives for the nation. If someone calls the Gandhi family a dynasty, which other family in India has shown such sacrifice and dedication? Was it the BJP?” he asked.