Congress MP Shashi Tharoor responded sharply on Thursday to criticisms from party colleagues, including Congress leader Udit Raj, who accused him of distorting statements regarding India’s evolving counter-terrorism operations for “vested interests.” Tharoor, while traveling from Panama to Bogotá, Colombia, as part of India’s global outreach mission for Operation Sindoor, clarified that his comments focused on consequences for terrorist attacks rather than historical military actions.
Tensions escalated when Tharoor praised the Modi government’s zero-tolerance policy on terrorism while in Panama. This prompted Udit Raj and some party leaders to label him as a ‘super spokesperson’ for the BJP. In a response on social media platform X, Tharoor stated, “For those zealots fulminating about my supposed ignorance of Indian valour across the LoC… I was clearly and explicitly speaking only about reprisals for terrorist attacks and not about previous wars.”
Tharoor further dismissed what he termed “critics and trolls,” suggesting they could distort his views while he had “better things to do.” He noted that his earlier remarks related to several recent terrorist attacks, emphasizing that India’s past responses were cautious out of respect for the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border.
The controversy arose after Tharoor asserted that India’s approach to terrorism had shifted in recent years, suggesting that militants now realize they will face repercussions for their acts. This assertion did not sit well with some of his party members, who accused him of belittling the Congress party’s historical achievements.
Udit Raj claimed that Tharoor’s comments denigrated Congress’s ‘golden history,’ asserting that India had engaged in significant military actions long before the current government. He recalled, “In 1965, the Indian Army entered Pakistan at multiple points, surprising the Pakistanis in the Lahore sector. In 1971, India split Pakistan into two, and the UPA government conducted several surgical strikes without politicizing them. How could you be so dishonest to the party that gave you so much?” This sentiment was echoed by Congress leader Pawan Khera, who supported Udit Raj’s criticisms through social media.
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2025/05/29/have-better-things-to-do-tharoors-retort-to-cong-leaders-super-spokesperson-swipe/
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Publish Date: 2025-05-29 12:27:00
