Shashi Tharoor criticises 'frivolous' cases after Supreme Court's remarks on defamation suit

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday criticized the misuse of India's judicial system, stating that it has become overburdened with "frivolous" and "politically motivated cases." Tharoor made the remarks while speaking to reporters in Mumbai, arguing that in such instances, "the process itself becomes the punishment." His comments came after the Supreme Court reportedly advised a BJP leader to consider withdrawing a defamation case filed against him.

The defamation case in question was initiated by a BJP leader over a 2018 remark by Tharoor, where he had quoted a 2011 article containing a statement comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a "scorpion sitting on a Shivling." While hearing the matter, a Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices MM Sundresh and NK Singh, suggested closing the case, remarking that "administrators, political personalities and judges... have sufficiently thicker skin." Tharoor reiterated that he was simply quoting from a book and that such cases waste valuable judicial time.

During the same interaction, Tharoor also addressed his party colleague Rahul Gandhi's recent endorsement of Donald Trump's "dead economy" remark about India. He refused to comment directly on Gandhi's statement, saying the Leader of Opposition "may have had his own reasons," but emphasized the critical importance of maintaining a strong strategic and economic partnership with the United States. Tharoor noted that India cannot afford to lose or diminish its significant trade relationship with the US, which involves exporting around $90 billion worth of goods.