Congress Working Committee member Shashi Tharoor slammed the circulation of cropped images of him with Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Monday (October 23), calling it "cheap politics". The Thiruvananthapuram MP clarified that he attended Moitra's birthday party, which was attended by approximately 15 people, including his sister.
He said he was being trolled by displaying the cropped version of the image taken during the function.
"This is just cheap politics. It was the birthday party of that child. Well, she is not a child, but for me, she is like one. That MP is around 20 years younger to me. It was her birthday party, in which around 15 people, including my sister, participated. Instead of showing the full image, they are spreading the cropped one," Tharoor told news agency PTI.
He said he doesn't give importance to such trolls and is busy working for the people.
"They are spreading it as a private meeting, but then who clicked the picture," Tharoor asked.
Moitra had earlier said that she was "most amused" to see some personal photos of her being circulated on social media by "the BJP's troll sena".
"I like green dress better on me than white blouse. And why bother cropping -- show rest of the folks at dinner as well. Bengal's women live a life. Not a lie," she had posted on social media platform X.
Earlier, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey accused the TMC MP of taking "bribes" from a businessman to ask questions in Parliament and urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to constitute an "inquiry committee" to look into the charges against her.
However, Moitra hit back at the BJP MP, saying she "welcomes any move against her after the Lok Sabha Speaker is finished dealing with pending charges against him (Dubey)."
"Am using all my ill-gotten cash & gifts to buy a college/university in which Degree Dubey can finally buy a real degree," Moitra said on X. Tagging the Lok Sabha Speaker, she said, "Finish the inquiries against him for false affidavits & then set up my inquiry committee".
The two MPs, known for their fiery parliamentary speeches and belligerent attacks on adversaries, have often exchanged blows over a host of issues over the years.