Senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor has come under fire from the party’s central leadership for repeatedly expressing opinions on the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict that contradict the official party stance. Tharoor was issued a stern warning during a meeting of senior Congress leaders held in Delhi on Wednesday, which he also attended.
According to sources, the leadership conveyed that this was not the time for interpretations and stressed the importance of publicly upholding the party’s voice. The matter was raised after Tharoor made several public statements supporting the India’s military actions, which were seen as not aligning with the Congress’s historical and diplomatic approach.
Tharoor had previously questioned the Congress’s reference to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s decisive stand during the 1971 conflict with Pakistan, arguing that the situation in 2025 is vastly different. “There are many differences between now and 1971,” Tharoor remarked. His comment reportedly irked party veterans and was a key trigger for Wednesday’s reprimand.
In a statement following the recent Operation Sindoor, a strike on terrorist camps across the border,Tharoor praised the Indian armed forces, calling the operation “strong and well-planned.” He went further, saying, “Exactly what I had advocated last week: hit hard, hit smart. I applaud the government and stand solidly with our armed forces.” Tharoor also asserted that India never wanted a prolonged conflict, adding, “India wanted to teach the terrorists a lesson, and I believe that lesson has been taught”. The Congress leadership viewed this as undermining the party’s carefully crafted foreign policy positions.
Further aggravating internal tensions was Tharoor’s recent appearance alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Vizhinjam Port inauguration in Kerala, where he shared the stage and participated in the event in its entirety. This came despite the Congress party and Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan officially boycotting the function. Tharoor’s consistent praise of Modi’s foreign policy, often seen as antagonistic to the views held by Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi.
With this series of public deviations, questions are now being raised about Tharoor’s future within the Congress. While no formal action has yet been announced, Wednesday’s warning indicates that the party leadership is growing increasingly impatient with Tharoor’s stance.
