New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday praised an opposition politician for saying “the right things at the right place” after the MP called for colonial ruler Britain to make reparations to India in a speech at Oxford University.

Shashi Tharoor, a lawmaker from the Congress party, made an impassioned argument in favour of Britain providing India financial compensation for 200 years of colonial rule, becoming a hit on social media after the Oxford Union debating society posted his speech online last week.

“Tharoor’s speech reflected the feelings of patriotic Indians on the issue and showed what impression one can leave with effective arguments by saying the right things at the right place,” Modi said at an event in New Delhi’s parliament with Tharoor seated in the front row.

The 15-minute video of his speech to the Union has more than 1.2 million hits on YouTube and has been shared hundreds of times on Twitter and Facebook.

However, it was not clear whether Modi was making any formal call for reparation from England by praising Tharoor’s argument.

Shashi Tharoor in his turn told British newspaper The Guardian that he ‘was touched’ by Modi’s compliment as ‘gestures of respect across party lines are all too rare in our (Indian) politics’

Tharoor said in the 28 May debate, “India’s share of the world economy when Britain arrived on its shores was 23 percent. By the time the British left it was down to below four percent.”

“Why? Simply because India had been governed for the benefit of Britain. Britain’s rise for 200 years was financed by its depredations in India,” he said.

Tharoor added that Indians had “literally paid for our own oppression,” as by the end of the 19^th century they were the world’s biggest purchasers of British goods as well as providing employment for highly paid civil servants.

In an excellent display of oratorical skill, Tharoor also argued that Winston Churchill’s move to halt food supply to India had caused the Great Bengal Famine during the Second World War.

“I am very touched and grateful,” the 59-year-old said after the compliments on his oratory skills.

However, it was not clear whether Modi was making any formal call for reparation from England by praising Tharoor’s argument.