Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is once again in the middle of a political storm. His recent remarks praising the Narendra Modi government’s surgical strikes have not gone down well with his own party.
This has led to a sharp response from top Congress leaders, especially Pawan Khera, signaling a possible rift within the party.
Pawan Khera posted a photo on social media highlighting a passage from Tharoor’s own book, The Paradoxical Prime Minister, where Tharoor criticizes the Modi government for politicizing military actions like the 2016 surgical strikes.
I agree with that Dr @ShashiTharoor who wrote about surgical strikes in his book in 2018 – ‘The Paradoxical Prime Minister’. #ReadingNow pic.twitter.com/hAhsfwH0JT
— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) May 29, 2025
Khera’s caption was clear: he agreed with Tharoor’s original critique, contradicting Tharoor’s recent praise for Modi’s handling of counter-terrorism operations.
Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh took a poetic jab at Tharoor, calling out the “tangled web” of his changing statements.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Udit Raj accused Tharoor of being a BJP spokesperson disguised as a Congress leader. The party is clearly unhappy with Tharoor’s public stance.
Tharoor’s remarks came during a visit to Panama, where he highlighted how India’s surgical strikes crossed the Line of Control for the first time in 2015.
He emphasized the shift in India’s approach to terrorism—striking deeper into enemy territory after repeated attacks. This narrative conflicts with his own book, which criticized the Modi government for using military actions for political gain.
What’s especially ironic is that Tharoor has faced internal conflicts in Congress before. Removed as party spokesperson in 2014 for praising Modi, he later challenged the party president backed by the Gandhi family. His recent statements only add fuel to the fire, showing a man walking a thin line between personal views and party loyalty.
Despite the backlash, Tharoor continues his diplomatic duties, leading an Indian delegation abroad. The Congress high command insists he speaks only for himself, not the party.
After a long and successful day in Panama, i have to wind up at midnightvhere with departure for Bogota, Colombia in six hours, so I don’t really have time for this — but anyway: For those zealots fulminating about my supposed ignorance of Indian valour across the LoC: in tge…
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 29, 2025
Yet, the message is loud and clear: senior leaders want him to toe the party line, not sound like a Modi cheerleader.
This episode reveals a deeper tension in Congress — between those who want to stick to traditional party positions and others like Tharoor who sometimes break ranks. For voters, it’s a reminder that the opposition’s battle isn’t just against BJP but also within itself.
Also Read Shashi Tharoor’s Sharp Retort: ‘Have Better Things To Do’ Amid Congress Digs
