Congress MP Shashi Tharoor hit back at his critics within the party on Thursday after facing backlash for praising the BJP-led Central government’s response to terrorism during a statement made in Panama. Tharoor clarified that his comments were being “distorted” and were specifically about retaliatory actions following recent terror attacks, not about past wars.
Responding via a post on X, Tharoor wrote, “For those zealots fulminating about my supposed ignorance of Indian valour across the LoC in the past, I was clearly and explicitly speaking only about reprisals for terrorist attacks and not about previous wars.”
He added that his remarks had followed references to a series of terror attacks in recent years, where Indian responses were previously restrained by respect for international borders. “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,” Tharoor concluded.
The controversy intensified after Congress leader Udit Raj accused Tharoor of glorifying Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “fake surgical strikes” and undermining the party’s legacy. He questioned whether Tharoor should be suspended, saying, “If he makes incorrect statements and tries to erase Congress’s history, then I am standing with Congress. I am not worried about personal gain; I am ready to sacrifice myself.”
Raj further stated, “He is trying to malign Congress by saying the party has done nothing. Defending, saying that security lapses happen everywhere, is a crime… The credit that the Army deserves should only go to the Army.”
Other party leaders, including Pawan Khera and Jairam Ramesh, echoed Raj’s criticism, highlighting growing internal discord.
Tharoor, currently leading a government-sponsored multi-party delegation to countries including the US, Guyana, and Panama, has faced criticism not only for his comments but also for being part of the delegation without formal nomination from the Congress party.
