Padmavati row: Smriti Irani hits out at Shashi Tharoor for his 'maharaja' remarks

New Delhi: Union minister Smriti Irani on Thursday took a jibe at Congress leader Shashi Tharoor for his reported ‘maharaja’ comments amidst a row over period drama Padmavati. Tharoor had on Wednesday reportedly said the “so-called valourous maharajas” had scurried to accommodate themselves when the British “trampled” over their honour and were now after a filmmaker, claiming that prestige was at stake. Reacting to Tharoor’s remarks, Irani tweeted, “Did all the Maharajs (kings) kneel in front of the British? What will Jyotiraditya Scindia, Diggi Raja (Digvijaya Singh) and Amarinder Singh say on Shashi Tharoor’s comments?”

Congress leaders — Scindia, Digvijay Singh and AmarinderSingh — hail from royal families. However, on Wednesday, Tharoor had taken to Twitter to say, “I’m dismayed that some BJP supporters are claiming I attacked Rajput honour…I spoke about the Maharajahs who made their accommodations w/the (with the) British. I have never made a communal comment in my life.” As for specific concerns of the Rajput community, he said people’s sentiments must be respected in the interest of India’s diversity and harmony. “Rajput valour is part of our history and is not in question. BJP and its censors should take these concerns into account,” Tharoor said. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s movie Padmavati is witnessing protests with some groups alleging that it allegedly tampered with historical facts.