Congress on Thursday distanced itself from party spokesperson Shashi Tharoor's effusive praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi but he made it clear he was not his fan.
"The views expressed by Shashi Tharoor about Modi and the government are his personal views. As a party, it is too early for us to express these views. It is too early to comment on the functioning of the government," party spokesperson Shobha Oza told reporters.
Her comments came in response to a barrage of questions a day after Tharoor's praise appeared in a US news website in which he had among other things remarked that Modi was looking to turn himself from a "hate figure into an avatar of modernity and progress".
Oza steered clear of questions as to what could be the trigger for Tharoor, an articulate spokesperson, to praise Modi, who is seen by many in the party as the "most polarising politician" in the independent India.
She also parried questions on whether any action could be taken against Tharoor.
On his part, Tharoor told NDTV that he cannot be called a fan of Modi. "No, afraid you can't. I have been intrigued by the fact that the paraphrases of my piece I have seen in the Indian media looks like people don't actually read every word and every nuance," he said when asked if he could be called a 'Modi fan' now after his piece in the website.
