New Delhi:
Flowers from the enemy, fire from friends – tells that Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is passing through these days. While the Thiruvananthapuram MP has drawn cheers from his critics to make India’s position artistic amidst the ongoing tension with Pakistan, his colleagues at the Grand Old Party are not happy with him.
The latest example came yesterday during a press conference by Congress leaders Jeram Ramesh and Pawan Khera. Asked about Mr. Tharoor’s remarks that India would never allow third party mediation in its bilateral issues with Pakistan, Mr. Ramesh replied, “This is his opinion. When Tharoor Saab speaks, it is not the party’s opinion.”
The Congress, who, assured the Center full support in its action against those behind the Pahgam terror attack on 22 April, has now asked the government to be clean on what happened due to the ceasefire and questioned what the US has played in it. The Indian leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Foreign Minister’s Jaishankar, has not mentioned America in the statements after the ceasefire.
“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 says nothing on it. US state secretary Marco Rubio says that America’s role was so important that it was not even a war.” Is, “Mr. Ramesh asked.
On the other hand, Mr. Tharoor has praised the government’s position. He said, “The government has taken care that the other party does not give the opportunity to expand the struggle in the sense that they only attacked the identified terrorist bases and launchpads,” he said. In an interview, four -time MP and former diplomat claimed that India allowed the US to mediate the issue and insisted that some of India’s hits shook Islamabad.
Earlier, Mr. Tharoor made headlines to convince India’s situation during an interview with international media. Those who praised him are BJP leader Amit Malviya, who has paid attention to Mr. Ramesh’s remarks to target the Congress.
“The Congress party has removed himself from Shashi Tharoor’s statement from its decision to maintain India’s sovereignty and defend itself against external aggression. It is ironic that Tharoor is perhaps the only Congress leader who understood and stood up with India in this situation,” Mr. Malavia said on X.
“Nevertheless, the Kotri around Rahul Gandhi – is currently running the matters of the Congress party – not ready to accept one of its most senior MPs who ran for the post of Congress President long ago. It is not a mercy. It is when young men come with an exaggerated sense of self -affection, asked to capture high offices in political form.”
“Laxman crossed Rekha”
While Shashi Tharoor’s remarks may have inspired him to his critics, his party colleagues have not been amazed. According to a PTI report quoting sources, a part of Congress leaders feel that the senior leader has crossed the “Laxman Rekha” this time. The Lakshman Rekha, a metaphor produced in the Ramayana, is loosely “border”.
Senior Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal, Mr. Ramesh, Shri Tharoor and Sachin Pilot met at the party’s headquarters yesterday.
A party source said, “We are a Democratic party and people keep expressing their opinion, but this time, Tharoor has crossed Laxman Rekha.” Sources said that the leadership sent a “clear message” to the meeting that the leaders should focus on increasing the party stand rather than expressing personal opinion.
Rocky trip to Shashi Tharoor
Mr. Tharoor’s political journey with the Congress has been seen with the leadership with a run-in. A former Union Minister, Mr. Tharoor, was removed as a party spokesperson in 2014 after praising Prime Minister Modi in an article in 2014. In 2022, he was part of a rebellion by 23 senior party leaders who called for major organizational changes. Many of these leaders have left the Congress.
Later that year, Mr. Tharoor contested against Mallikrajun Kharge for the post of party president. While Mr. Kharge, who had silent support from the Gandhi family, won comfortably, Mr. Tharoor got more than 1,000 votes, an impressive achievement for anyone who takes a “Gandhi-oriented” candidate.
