'Why so touchy?': SC to BJP leader on Tharoor's 2018 'scorpion' remark

The Supreme Court questioned the BJP leader's defamation case against Shashi Tharoor, noting that public figures must have 'thick skin' and urging closure of the matter

The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday urged Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajiv Babbar to consider withdrawing the defamation case filed against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor for his 2018 remark comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a scorpion, Bar and Bench reported.

 

A Bench comprising Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh remarked during the hearing, “Let us close all these things. Why get so touchy about all this? This way, administrators and judges come in the same group and have thick skin.”

 

The observation came as the court heard Tharoor’s appeal challenging a Delhi High Court decision that had refused to quash the defamation proceedings.

 

 

'Remark not Tharoor’s own', says counsel

 

The controversy stems from a statement made by Tharoor at the Bangalore Literature Festival in November 2018, where he had said: “Modi is a scorpion sitting on a Shivling.”

 

Rajiv Babbar subsequently filed a complaint, stating that Tharoor’s words had hurt his religious sentiments. He described the remark as “intolerable abuse” and “absolute vilification” of beliefs held by millions.   

 

“I am a devotee of Lord Shiva... However, the accused (Tharoor) completely disregarded the sentiments of crores of Shiva devotees and made the statement which hurt the sentiments of all Lord Shiva devotees, both in India and outside the country,” the complaint stated.

 

Tharoor has clarified that the statement was not originally his. His counsel pointed out that he was quoting former Gujarat minister Gordhan Zadaphia, whose remark had been publicly circulated years earlier, including in a 2012 Caravan magazine article.

 

Delhi HC refused to quash proceedings

 

In August last year, the Delhi High Court ruled that Tharoor’s comment was defamatory and tarnished the image of Prime Minister Modi, the BJP, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The court called the statement “despicable and deplorable,” especially when directed at a sitting Prime Minister. Tharoor then moved the Supreme Court.   

   

In September 2024, the apex court stayed trial court proceedings. The Bench noted that the statement did not originate with Tharoor and appeared metaphorical — possibly alluding to Modi’s perceived political invincibility.

 

The judges questioned why a symbolic reference should trigger offence and issued notices to the complainant BJP leader and the Delhi government, putting the case on hold.