Shashi Tharoor Selected for First Savarkar Award by Sangh-Affiliated HRDS India

New Delhi: In Kerala, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor—seen by critics as a bridge between the Congress and the Sangh Parivar—has been selected for the first Savarkar Award instituted by HRDS India, a Sangh-affiliated organisation. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will present the award to Tharoor at a ceremony in Delhi on Wednesday. Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will attend as chief guest.

Along with Tharoor, six others will also receive the inaugural award. The award is named after Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a controversial Hindutva ideologue who had sought clemency multiple times from the British and was once an accused in the Gandhi assassination case.

HRDS India has previously announced that Tharoor has expressed willingness to accept the award. However, it has been reported that the Congress leader won't be accepting the award. The organisation reportedly considered his recent remarks praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union government while selecting him.

Within the Congress’ Kerala unit, Tharoor’s perceived proximity to the Sangh Parivar is being viewed with encouragement. The state leadership is said to be hoping that Tharoor could help attract Sangh-leaning voters to the party.