New Delhi, May 29: The Congress has decided not to pursue disciplinary action against senior leader Shashi Tharoor for now, following his controversial remarks on Operation Sindoor. Party sources say Tharoor’s subsequent clarification has tempered the issue, prompting the leadership to hold back despite vocal objections from within.
“There is no need to escalate the matter further,” said a party insider, reflecting the high command’s view after Tharoor’s latest social media response.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Tharoor appeared defiant amid mounting backlash. “Critics and trolls are free to distort my views. I have better things to do,” he wrote, describing it as a message “after a long and successful day in Panama.” He added, “I still have time for those zealots fulminating about my supposed ignorance of Indian valour across the LoC.”
Tharoor’s remarks on India’s precision strikes—Operation Sindoor—have drawn sharp criticism from party colleagues. Udit Raj accused him of acting as a “super spokesperson” for the BJP’s “publicity stunts,” while senior leaders Pawan Khera and Jairam Ramesh took swipes, pointing out that India had previously carried out cross-border strikes under earlier governments.
This isn’t the first time Tharoor has drawn fire from within the party. His previous tensions with the Kerala unit also ended without disciplinary consequences, largely due to the leadership’s focus on upcoming assembly elections at the time.
Still, the central leadership’s displeasure has been subtly conveyed. Tharoor was excluded from the Congress’s list of recommended names for the Centre’s 33-nation outreach to explain Operation Sindoor.
Instead, his inclusion on that international delegation came directly from the central government, a move that has not gone unnoticed within the Congress. The party has privately communicated its disapproval of Tharoor’s nomination, further underscoring the strain in relations.
For now, the Congress appears to be walking a fine line—disapproving of Tharoor’s positioning, yet unwilling to deepen internal discord.
