Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has ignited a political storm within his party following remarks made during an international delegation visit, asserting that India crossed the Line of Control for the first time during the 2016 surgical strike on a terror base. This statement has drawn sharp criticism from fellow Congress leaders, who argue that it undermines the party’s historical military achievements.
Tharoor, leading one of seven multi-party delegations aimed at exposing Pakistan’s alleged support for terrorism post the Pahalgam attack, clarified that his comments specifically addressed reprisals for terrorist attacks, not previous wars. He emphasized that earlier Indian responses to terror attacks were restrained due to respect for the LoC and the International Border.
Despite this clarification, senior Congress figures like Pawan Khera and Udit Raj have publicly rebuked Tharoor. Khera referenced Tharoor’s own book, “The Paradoxical Prime Minister,” to challenge his current stance, while Raj accused him of echoing the BJP’s narrative, suggesting he be appointed as the “super spokesperson of the BJP.”
Tharoor responded to the criticism by labeling his detractors as “zealots” and stating that he has more important matters to focus on. He reiterated that his remarks were framed as a rhetorical tribute to India’s counter-terror operations and not an endorsement of the Modi government’s military decisions.
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