A day after Congress leader Shashi Tharoor posted a cryptic message amid his ongoing tensions with the Congress, party leader Manickam Tagore took a veiled swipe at the Thiruvananthapuram MP, sharpening the rift between the senior parliamentarian and his party. In a pointed remark on Thursday, Tagore said, “Even a free bird must watch the skies,” echoing growing discomfort within Congress over Tharoor’s recent statements and actions.
Tagore’s comment followed an earlier remark by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who indirectly criticised Tharoor without naming him. Kharge had said that while the Congress always puts the nation first, “for some people, Modi is first.” The comment came in the backdrop of Tharoor’s increasing public praise for the Prime Minister, raising eyebrows within party ranks.
Shortly after Kharge’s remark, Tharoor took to social media and posted a cryptic message on X, formerly Twitter. Sharing an image of a bird in flight, he wrote, “Don’t ask permission to fly. The wings are yours, and the sky belongs to no one.” The poetic message was widely interpreted as a metaphorical response to those questioning his recent political positioning.
The following day, Tagore responded with a carefully worded jibe that appeared to target Tharoor without naming him directly. He posted, “Don’t ask permission to fly. Birds don’t need clearance to rise. But today, even a free bird must watch the skies — hawks, vultures, and 'eagles' are always hunting. Freedom isn’t free, especially when the predators wear patriotism as feathers.” The statement was seen as a clear warning that political freedom comes with scrutiny and consequences.
The friction between Tharoor and the Congress intensified after he was nominated by the central government to lead an all-party delegation abroad as part of India’s diplomatic outreach under Operation Sindoor, which counters Pakistan’s narrative on the global stage. Following this assignment, Tharoor repeatedly praised the government's handling of the mission and even lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi — a move that has not gone down well with the Congress leadership.
In a widely discussed opinion column published last week in The Hindu, Tharoor referred to Prime Minister Modi as a “prime asset for India,” citing his “energy, dynamism and willingness to engage” on the global stage. He wrote, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi's energy, dynamism and willingness to engage remains a prime asset for India on the global stage, but deserves greater backing.”
Also Read: Tharoor praises PM Modi's outreach under Operation Sindoor
Given his public distance from the Congress line on a number of issues, his remarks sparked intense speculation that he might be getting ready to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, Tharoor swiftly denied any such intent. He explained that his commendation of the government in relation to Operation Sindoor was a show of support for India's diplomatic endeavours and national unity rather than a sign of party switching.
Despite the clarification, the Congress MP continued to face criticism from his party colleagues, particularly after he seemed to praise the Modi government's handling of the current situation while ignoring the UPA government's previous military efforts, including surgical strikes. In a forceful response to the criticism, Tharoor charged that "critics and trolls" were distorting his opinions. He maintained that he had "better things to do" than interact with people who were misrepresenting his statements.
Tharoor tried to minimise the situation by claiming that he had no significant disagreements with the Congress leadership or the party's grassroots cadre, but this most recent controversy also occurs days after he publicly acknowledged his differences with the leadership. However, his frequent endorsements of the Modi administration and his apparent discomfiture with the Congress party line have stoked more conjecture regarding his potential political future.
Also Read: Kharge swipes at Tharoor's praise of Modi; MP posts cryptic quote
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