Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has “crossed the Lakshman rekha” with his repeated comments on the India-Pakistan conflict, senior party sources said on Wednesday, signaling internal discontent over the high-profile MP’s remarks.
The assertion came during a closed-door meeting at the Congress headquarters in Delhi, attended by top leaders, including former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, general secretaries K C Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and senior leader Sachin Pilot. The meeting was reportedly called to strategise the party’s response to the escalating India-Pakistan tensions and to ensure a unified voice on national security issues.
While the Congress leadership did not explicitly name Tharoor, sources indicated that the message from the party’s top brass was clear – this is a time for amplifying the party’s collective stand, not for airing individual critiques. “We are a democratic party and people keep expressing their opinion, but this time, Tharoor has crossed the Lakshman rekha,” a senior party source said, emphasising that such high-stakes moments demand disciplined messaging.
The internal pushback against Tharoor follows his pointed criticism of former US President Donald Trump’s recent statement on the India-Pakistan standoff. In a May 12 post on X, Tharoor had described Trump’s comments as “disappointing for India in four important ways,” arguing that they:
Create a false equivalence – Tharoor said the remarks equated “the victim and the perpetrator,” ignoring the US’ past recognition of Pakistan’s links to cross-border terrorism.
Offer an unearned negotiating platform – He argued that India “will never negotiate with a terrorist gun pointed at its head,” rejecting any legitimacy for Pakistan’s demands.
Internationalise the Kashmir issue – Tharoor pointed out that such statements risked “internationalising” the Kashmir dispute, a core objective of the militants, undermining India’s consistent position that the matter is an internal one.
Re-hyphenate India and Pakistan – He noted that Trump’s framing reversed decades of diplomatic progress, where US presidents, starting with Bill Clinton in 2000, avoided clubbing their India visits with Pakistan, recognising the distinct global stature of the two nations.
Tharoor said, “At a time of conflict, I spoke as an Indian. I never pretended to speak for anyone else. I am not a spokesperson for the party or the government. Whatever I have said, blame it on me individually — and that’s fine.” In his remarks, Tharoor reiterated his unwavering support for the government’s actions against terrorism, particularly in light of the recent Pahalgam terror attack. He stated, “Terrorism has to be resisted, on that the country is united. Even on Pahalgam, the government has identified at least three, possibly four, of the five perpetrators, and they have vowed they will go after these people whenever, wherever they can get them. And I’m 100 per cent supporting the government in making such a decision.”
While Tharoor’s remarks found support from unexpected quarters, including BJP leaders, his party appeared less enthusiastic. The Congress clarified that his views did not represent the party’s official stance.
Responding to Shashi Tharoor’s statement that India would never accept third-party mediation in its bilateral issues with Pakistan, the Congress party clarified that the remark reflected his personal opinion and not the official position of the party.
