NEW DELHI: The news of Shashi Tharoor to lead a delegation of MPs on India's outreach program over Operation Sindoor may not have surprised many, including the Congress leader and his party. In the last two weeks, Tharoor has been one of the vocal supporters of the Narendra Modi government on the India-Pakistan standoff. So much so, that the Congress was forced to officially announce that Tharoor's statements were his own views and not the official stand of the party.
There is absolutely no doubt that Tharoor, who is a former diplomat and has a rich experience in international relations, is one of the best persons to lead India's diplomacy offensive against Pakistan on Operation Sindoor.
But when Congress suggested four names for the job, Tharoor's name was missing.
The government, however, went ahead and named a seven-member delegation that included Tharoor, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Sanjay Kumar Jha, and Supriya Sule, among others.
Following the announcement, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh lashed out at the government saying that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi had suggested the names of Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, Raja Brar, and Anand Sharma, none of whom made it to the final list.
This sparked a sharp response from the BJP. Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused the Congress of internal hypocrisy. “So Jairam Ramesh opposes his own Congress colleague Shashi Tharoor for being chosen to lead a Parliamentary delegation!” he posted on X. “Why does Rahul Gandhi oppose every individual who speaks for India, even in his own party?”
BJP’s Amit Malviya also took a dig, suggesting the Congress leadership was uncomfortable with anyone who overshadowed the party’s ‘high command’.
Meanwhile, Tharoor welcomed the government's decision clearly stating that to his mind, "this has nothing to do with party politics".
"When the nation needs my services, I am available and I'm available for my country. To my mind, this has nothing to do with party politics. It's all to do with what our country has been through in recent times and the need for us to present a united front ... It is a good reflection of national unity at a time when unity is important," the Congress MP said.
His collegue Jairam Ramesh, however, in veiled jibe said, "Congress mein hona aur Congress ka hona mein zameen-aasmaan ka antar hai (There is a difference between being in the Congress and of the Congress)."
In the recent past, Tharoor’s unflinching support for the government during the India-Pakistan standoff has raised eyebrows within his party. His statements have been so in line with the government that critics say he’s behaving more like a BJP spokesperson than an opposition MP.
While the Congress has expressed support for the armed forces and Operation Sindoor in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, it has also raised questions on Trump's claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. The government has said that the ceasefire was initiated by Pakistan's DGMO.
However, Tharoor has publically dismissed Trump's claims, in sharp contrast to party's stand. "I see it as a particular politician wanting to take credit for something and I can see that the government of India probably said - let them take the credit if they want to," Tharoor said. The Congress MP also praised the government's messaging on the issue.
When some Congress leaders tried to draw parallels with the 1971 war and Indira Gandhi’s leadership, Tharoor distanced himself from that narrative too.
"Today's Pakistan is a different situation. Their military capability and the potential damage they can inflict are different. Bangladesh was a moral cause — this is not the same. A war today would be long and bloody. Is that India’s top priority? No, it isn’t," Tharoor said.
This isn’t the first time Tharoor has found himself at odds with the Congress over his praise for Prime Minister Modi government’s foreign policy. Earlier, Tharoor admitted that he was "left with egg on the face" for opposing India's stance when the Russia-Ukraine war broke out in 2022. The former UN diplomat-turned-politician also praised the outcome of PM Modi's meeting with Trump at the White House.
In February, Tharoor posted a selfie with Union minister Piyush Goyal and praised the government for reviving the long-stalled free trade agreement (FTA) with the UK. The Thiruvananthapuram MP had also praised the government for its 'Vaccine Maitri' initiative, which facilitated the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines to several countries.
Earlier this month, as PM Modi shared stage with Tharoor during inauguration of Vizhinjam port in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, PM also took a swipe at Congress saying, “ Aaj ka event bahut logon ki need kharab kar dega (Today’s event is going to disturb the sleep of many)."
Tharoor’s inclusion in Operation Sindoor outreach surely reflects his diplomatic stature and global credibility, but it also highlights a departure from party's stand. The Congress, like any other opposition party, would want its representative to support the government as far as fight against terror is concerned but not give clean chit or justify almost all government policies as Tharoor has done in the last one week.
There is absolutely no doubt that Tharoor, who is a former diplomat and has a rich experience in international relations, is one of the best persons to lead India's diplomacy offensive against Pakistan on Operation Sindoor.
But when Congress suggested four names for the job, Tharoor's name was missing.
The government, however, went ahead and named a seven-member delegation that included Tharoor, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Sanjay Kumar Jha, and Supriya Sule, among others.
Following the announcement, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh lashed out at the government saying that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi had suggested the names of Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, Raja Brar, and Anand Sharma, none of whom made it to the final list.
This sparked a sharp response from the BJP. Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused the Congress of internal hypocrisy. “So Jairam Ramesh opposes his own Congress colleague Shashi Tharoor for being chosen to lead a Parliamentary delegation!” he posted on X. “Why does Rahul Gandhi oppose every individual who speaks for India, even in his own party?”
BJP’s Amit Malviya also took a dig, suggesting the Congress leadership was uncomfortable with anyone who overshadowed the party’s ‘high command’.
Meanwhile, Tharoor welcomed the government's decision clearly stating that to his mind, "this has nothing to do with party politics".
"When the nation needs my services, I am available and I'm available for my country. To my mind, this has nothing to do with party politics. It's all to do with what our country has been through in recent times and the need for us to present a united front ... It is a good reflection of national unity at a time when unity is important," the Congress MP said.
#WATCH | Thiruvanthapuram | "Certainly, when the nation needs my services, I am available and I'm available for my country. To my mind, this has nothing to do with party politics. It's all to do with what our country has been through in recent times and the need for us to present… pic.twitter.com/1vIJKkMoaW
— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2025
His collegue Jairam Ramesh, however, in veiled jibe said, "Congress mein hona aur Congress ka hona mein zameen-aasmaan ka antar hai (There is a difference between being in the Congress and of the Congress)."
In the recent past, Tharoor’s unflinching support for the government during the India-Pakistan standoff has raised eyebrows within his party. His statements have been so in line with the government that critics say he’s behaving more like a BJP spokesperson than an opposition MP.
While the Congress has expressed support for the armed forces and Operation Sindoor in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, it has also raised questions on Trump's claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. The government has said that the ceasefire was initiated by Pakistan's DGMO.
However, Tharoor has publically dismissed Trump's claims, in sharp contrast to party's stand. "I see it as a particular politician wanting to take credit for something and I can see that the government of India probably said - let them take the credit if they want to," Tharoor said. The Congress MP also praised the government's messaging on the issue.
When some Congress leaders tried to draw parallels with the 1971 war and Indira Gandhi’s leadership, Tharoor distanced himself from that narrative too.
"Today's Pakistan is a different situation. Their military capability and the potential damage they can inflict are different. Bangladesh was a moral cause — this is not the same. A war today would be long and bloody. Is that India’s top priority? No, it isn’t," Tharoor said.
This isn’t the first time Tharoor has found himself at odds with the Congress over his praise for Prime Minister Modi government’s foreign policy. Earlier, Tharoor admitted that he was "left with egg on the face" for opposing India's stance when the Russia-Ukraine war broke out in 2022. The former UN diplomat-turned-politician also praised the outcome of PM Modi's meeting with Trump at the White House.
In February, Tharoor posted a selfie with Union minister Piyush Goyal and praised the government for reviving the long-stalled free trade agreement (FTA) with the UK. The Thiruvananthapuram MP had also praised the government for its 'Vaccine Maitri' initiative, which facilitated the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines to several countries.
Earlier this month, as PM Modi shared stage with Tharoor during inauguration of Vizhinjam port in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, PM also took a swipe at Congress saying, “ Aaj ka event bahut logon ki need kharab kar dega (Today’s event is going to disturb the sleep of many)."
Tharoor’s inclusion in Operation Sindoor outreach surely reflects his diplomatic stature and global credibility, but it also highlights a departure from party's stand. The Congress, like any other opposition party, would want its representative to support the government as far as fight against terror is concerned but not give clean chit or justify almost all government policies as Tharoor has done in the last one week.
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