Delhi, 28 May (H.S.): Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's comments in Panama commending the Narendra Modi government's counter-terrorism approach have intensified tensions between him and the Congress party. While recognizing India's retaliatory strikes since 2016, his remarks drew a quick response from party colleague Pawan Khera, who shared a video of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh highlighting surgical strikes conducted during the UPA era.
Tharoor, leading a delegation to expose Pakistan's terror links, emphasized that India cannot continue to endure attacks without action, citing past incidents like the 2008 Mumbai attacks to illustrate the failure of prosecution against terrorists. He noted that terrorists now understand they will pay a price for their actions, marking a significant change. Tharoor referred specifically to India's surgical strike across the Line of Control post-Uri attack as a historic shift in policy, which may be interpreted as implying support for the current government's strategies.
During the Kargil War, India refrained from crossing the Line of Control (LoC), but following the Uri attack and subsequent avalanche of violence in Pulwama in January 2019, the situation escalated. India not only crossed the LoC but also the international border, targeting terrorist headquarters in Balakot. Recent airstrikes on May 7 targeted terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, serving as a response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 innocent lives.
Tharoor emphasized that Operation Sindoor avenged the lives lost, particularly those of women whose husbands were killed. However, Tharoor's comments have prompted a distancing from Congress leadership, with Jairam Ramesh asserting they do not reflect party views. While Congress offers support for the government's actions, internal dissent exists, with some leaders feeling Tharoor has crossed unacceptable boundaries, denoted as Lakshman Rekha.
Senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, convened at the party headquarters to address internal concerns.
Sources indicate that Shashi Tharoor has overstepped boundaries within the party by expressing personal opinions rather than aligning with collective views. This sentiment was reinforced in a meeting earlier this month emphasizing the need for solidarity in amplifying the party's stance. Tharoor, selected to lead an Indian delegation, was not among the candidates the Congress had recommended, adding to tensions.
In response, he acknowledged the leadership's right to their opinion about him. This triggered a strong backlash from Udit Raj, a former BJP member turned Congress colleague, who accused Tharoor of excessively flattering Prime Minister Modi and acting as a spokesperson for BJP's publicity efforts, questioning his awareness of historical government actions. The disagreement highlights internal strife within the Congress regarding individual expression and party unity.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
