In the course of a diplomatic mission to undertaking India’s zero-tolerance stance on terrorism, senior Congress chief Shashi Tharoor finds himself on the centre of a political storm inside his occasion for praising the Modi authorities’s army strikes in Pakistan underneath Operation Sindoor. Tharoor’s remarks, delivered throughout his tour of Brazil, Panama, and different nations, expose the divide within the Congress, which has accused the federal government of bypassing the occasion in these essential international delegations.
When requested about his occasion’s persevering with critique, Tharoor, main one of many seven Indian delegations despatched overseas, advised journalists in Brazil, “I feel it is a time now for us to concentrate on our mission. Undoubtedly, in a thriving democracy, there are certain to be feedback and criticisms, however I feel at this level we will’t afford to dwell on them. After we get again to India, little doubt we’ll have our probability to talk to our colleagues, critics, media there. However proper now we’re targeted on the nations we’re coming to and getting the message out to the individuals right here.”
#WATCH | Brasilia, Brazil: When requested about criticism and questions raised by Congress, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, “I feel it is a time now for us to concentrate on our mission. Undoubtedly, in a thriving democracy, there are certain to be feedback and criticisms, however I feel at… pic.twitter.com/24bKFJ3dM5
— ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2025
The four-time MP’s repeated reward for India’s “exact and calibrated” strikes on terror bases in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir has turned heads, particularly because the Congress management, feeling more and more marginalised, had not even beneficial his identify for the delegation. Congress had instructed leaders like Anand Sharma and Gaurav Gogoi, however the authorities handpicked Tharoor as a substitute.
His backing and endorsement of India’s army response to the Pahalgam terror assault on April 22 has not gone down effectively with sections of the Congress.
Chatting with the Indian-American group final week in New York, Tharoor stated, “I don’t work for the federal government, as you understand. I work for an opposition occasion. However I actually authored an op-ed in one in every of India’s main papers, the Indian Categorical, inside a few days, saying the time had come to hit arduous however hit good. And I’m happy to say that’s precisely what India did.”
In Panama, Tharoor underlined India’s readiness to hit again at terrorism: “What has modified in recent times is that the terrorists have additionally realised they are going to have a worth to pay. On that, let there be little doubt.” He pointed to India’s previous actions, noting, “We now have struck on the Punjabi heartland of Pakistan by hitting terror bases, coaching centres, terror headquarters in 9 locations.”
His feedback have drawn the ire of Congress colleagues again dwelling. Senior chief Jairam Ramesh labelled the federal government’s resolution to incorporate Tharoor and others within the delegations with out session as “regrettable” and an indication of “low cost political video games.” “The INC won’t stoop to the pathetic degree of the PM and the BJP,” Ramesh had stated in a put up on X days in the past, making it clear that Tharoor’s views didn’t symbolize the Congress line.
Even occasion spokesperson Pawan Khera joined the refrain just lately, sharing a essential excerpt from Tharoor’s e-book ‘The Paradoxical Prime Minister’ on social media to mock his present place.
After an extended and profitable day in Panama, i’ve to wind up at midnightvhere with departure for Bogota, Colombia in six hours, so I don’t actually have time for this — however anyway: For these zealots fulminating about my supposed ignorance of Indian valour throughout the LoC: in tge…
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 29, 2025
The Thiruvananthapuram MP responded dismissively, posting, “After an extended and profitable day in Panama, I’ve to wind up at midnight right here with departure for Bogota, Colombia in six hours, so I don’t actually have time for this… However anyway: For these zealots fulminating about my supposed ignorance of Indian valour… critics and trolls are welcome to distort my views and phrases as they see match. I genuinely have higher issues to do. Goodnight.”