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In what appears to be a critical moment in Shashi Tharoor’s relationship with the Congress Party, senior party leader Pawan Khera has responded to Tharoor’s recent remarks with a pointed reminder — drawn directly from Tharoor’s own past writings. Khera posted a highlighted excerpt from Tharoor's book The Paradoxical Prime Minister: Narendra Modi and His India, which criticized the current government's use of military actions for political gain.

In the highlighted passage, Tharoor accused the Narendra Modi-led government of “repeatedly using the army in its political propaganda.” He wrote, “The shameless exploitation of the 2016 surgical strikes' along the Line of Control with Pakistan, and of a military raid in hot pursuit of rebels in Myanmar, as party election tool — something the Congress had never done despite having authorized several such strikes earlier — marked particularly disgraceful dilution of the principle that national Security issues require both discretion and non-partisanship.”

Sharing the quote, Khera posted on social media, “I agree with what Dr Shashi Tharoor writes about surgical strikes in his book 'The Paradoxical Prime Minister'.”

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

This response came in the wake of Tharoor’s remarks made during a speech in Panama, where he appeared to praise the Modi government’s handling of terrorism, specifically referencing the surgical strikes. These comments did not sit well with the Congress leadership, particularly as they came at a time when the party has been strongly critical of the BJP's alleged politicisation of national security.

In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Khera pointed out that surgical strikes were also conducted during the tenure of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, and tagged Tharoor, indirectly reminding him of Congress’s own legacy in this area. Jairam Ramesh, Congress's communications chief, echoed the criticism with a poetic barb: “Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive...”

Tharoor, who is currently on a multi-nation diplomatic mission following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, seemed to acknowledge the internal criticism. After concluding a busy schedule in Panama, he posted on X: “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 past (sic).

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

“I was clearly and explicitly speaking only about reprisals for terrorist attacks and not about previous wars; & my remarks were preceded by a reference to the several attacks that have taken place in recent years alone, during which previous Indian responses were both restrained and constrained by our responsible respect for the LoC and the IB. But as usual, critics and trolls are welcome to distort my views and words as they see fit. I genuinely have better things to do. Goodnight,” he wrote.

Tharoor’s remarks in Panama had stirred the hornet’s nest. Speaking to a gathering in Panama City, he said: “What has changed in recent years is that the terrorists have also realised they will have a price to pay. On that, let there be no doubt. When, for the first time, India breached the Line of Control between India and Pakistan to conduct a surgical strike on a terror base, a launchpad — the Uri strike in September 2015. That was already something we had not done before.”

He continued, “Even during the Kargil War, we had not crossed the Line of Control; in Uri, we did, and then came the attack in Pulwama in January 2019. This time, we crossed not only the Line of Control but also the international border, and we struck the terrorist headquarters in Balakot. This time, we have gone beyond both of those. We have not only gone beyond the Line of Control and the international border. We have struck at the Punjabi heartland of Pakistan by hitting terror bases, training centres, terror headquarters in nine places.”

These comments drew a sharp rebuke from Congress leader Udit Raj, who accused Tharoor of siding with the BJP. “Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is the super spokesperson of the BJP. He doing Modi ji's chamchagiri (flattery) more than BJP leaders. Does he (Shashi Tharoor) even know what the earlier governments used to do? ... They (the Central government) are taking credit for the Indian Armed Forces. Shashi Tharoor has become the spokesperson for the publicity stunts of the BJP,” Raj said.

Soon after, senior Congress leaders Pawan Khera and Jairam Ramesh intensified their criticism, a clear indication that the party's high command was displeased with Tharoor’s comments.

Shashi Tharoor's journey within the Congress has often been tumultuous. Once a Union minister, he was stripped of the party spokesperson role in 2014 after he publicly praised Prime Minister Modi. In 2022, he joined a group of 23 senior Congress leaders who demanded internal reforms — a move seen as open dissent. Many from that group have since left the party. Later that year, he contested against Mallikarjun Kharge for the Congress presidency. While Kharge, supported by the Gandhi family, won handily, Tharoor’s 1,000-plus votes were considered a notable achievement.

 

Also Read: Congress accuses BJP of 'patchwork' diplomacy after Op Sindoor

In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, Tharoor has been speaking to various international platforms, drawing both praise and scrutiny. His articulate defence of India's actions has received positive attention abroad, but at home, the Congress leadership remains uneasy. Initially, the Congress had extended full support to the Centre's response to the Pahalgam attack. However, the tone shifted as the party began demanding transparency on the events surrounding the ceasefire and questioned the role of the United States in the diplomatic aftermath.

Behind closed doors, the Congress high command has reportedly delivered a stern message to Tharoor. At a meeting of senior leaders, a source present remarked, “We are a democratic party and people keep expressing their opinion, but this time, Tharoor has crossed the Lakshman Rekha.” The source added that the leadership had sent a “clear message” — party members should prioritise communicating the party's collective stance over expressing personal opinions.

In response, Tharoor clarified that he had made the controversial remarks in a personal capacity and reiterated that he is not an official spokesperson of the party.

Amid this internal friction, the government’s decision to appoint Tharoor as the head of one of the seven diplomatic delegations for global outreach has added another layer of complexity. The Congress has distanced itself from this appointment, saying it did not propose Tharoor’s name. Tharoor, for his part, accepted the assignment and said the party has every right to hold its view of his capabilities. He assured that he would carry out the responsibilities entrusted to him diligently.

 

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