Flowers from foes, fire from friends -- this sums up what Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is going through these days. While the Thiruvananthapuram MP has drawn cheers from his critics for articulating India's position amid its ongoing tensions with Pakistan, his colleagues in the Grand Old Party don't appear to be happy with him.
The latest example came during a press conference by Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera yesterday. Asked about Mr Tharoor's remark that India would never allow third-party mediation in its bilateral issues with Pakistan, Mr Ramesh replied, "It is his opinion. When Tharoor saab speaks, it is not the party's opinion."
The Congress, which assured full support to the Centre in its action against those behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, has now asked the government to come clean on what led to the ceasefire and questioned what role the US played in it. The Indian leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, has not mentioned the US in statements following the ceasefire. Follow India Pakistan Ceasefire Live Updates here
"For the last few days, the Congress party is asking why US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire between India and Pakistan. This is happening for the first time. PM Modi does not say anything on this. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says that America's role was so important that it was because of them that this war stopped. External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar does not even answer this. We are continuously asking why PM Modi and the External Affairs Minister are not answering what the role of America is," Mr Ramesh asked.
Mr Tharoor, on the other hand, has praised the government's handling of the situation. "The government has taken care not to give the other side an opportunity to expand the conflict in the sense that they have only attacked identified terror bases and launchpads," he has said. In an interview, the four-time MP and former diplomat trashed claims that India may have let the US mediate on this issue and stressed that Pakistan reached out after some of India's hits shook Islamabad.
Earlier, Mr Tharoor made headlines for explaining India's position during interviews with international media. Among those who praised him is senior BJP leader Amit Malviya, who has latched on to Mr Ramesh's remarks to target the Congress.
"The Congress party has distanced itself from Shashi Tharoor's statement upholding India's sovereignty and its decision to defend itself against external aggression. It is ironic that Tharoor is perhaps the only Congress leader who made sense and stood with India in this situation," Mr Malviya said on X.
"Yet, the coterie around Rahul Gandhi - currently running the affairs of the Congress party - seems unwilling to acknowledge one of their senior-most MP, who even ran for the Congress president's post not too long ago. What a pity. This is what happens when small men, with an exaggerated sense of self-importance, come to occupy high offices in politically irrelevant parties," he said.
"Crossed The Lakshman Rekha"
While Shashi Tharoor's remarks may have endeared him to his critics, his party colleagues are not amused. According to a PTI report quoting sources, a section of Congress leaders feel the senior leader has crossed "Lakshman Rekha" this time. Lakshman Rekha, a metaphor originating in Ramayana, loosely means "boundary".
Senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K C Venugopal, Mr Ramesh, Mr Tharoor and Sachin Pilot, met at the party's headquarters yesterday.
"We are a democratic party and people keep expressing their opinion, but this time, Tharoor has crossed the Lakshman Rekha," a party source said. The sources said the leadership sent a "clear message" at the meeting that leaders must focus on amplifying the party's stand instead of expressing individual opinions.
Shashi Tharoor's Rocky Journey
Mr Tharoor's political journey with the Congress has been chequered with run-ins with the leadership. A former Union minister, Mr Tharoor was removed as the party's spokesperson in 2014 after he praised Prime Minister Modi in an article. In 2022, he was part of a rebellion by 23 senior party leaders that called for key organisational changes. Many of these leaders have since left Congress.
Later that year, Mr Tharoor contested against Mallikarjun Kharge for the party president's post. While Mr Kharge, who had the tacit support of the Gandhi family, won comfortably, Mr Tharoor got over 1,000 votes, an impressive feat for anyone taking on a "Gandhi-approved" candidate.
