What led to Congress's Shashi Tharoor vs Udit Raj war of words? ‘This was unprecedented'
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's statement on India's cross-border strikes in Panama has triggered sharp criticism from within his own party. Tharoor on Thursday issued a clarification, saying his statement was twisted by 'zealots'.
In a post on 'X', Shashi Tharoor wrote, 'For those zealots fulminating about my supposed ignorance of Indian valour across the LoC in the past, I was clearly and explicitly speaking only about reprisals for terrorist attacks and not about previous wars.'
He added, 'My remarks were preceded by a reference to the several attacks that have taken place in recent years alone, during which previous Indian responses were both restrained and constrained by our responsible respect for the LoC and the IB (International Border).'
The Congress MP stirred an intra-party conflict with his recent remarks about India's cross-border military operations against terror bases in Pakistan while addressing leaders and diplomats in Panama.
Tharoor said, 'When, for the first time, India breached the Line of Control between India and Pakistan to conduct a surgical strike on a terror base, a launch pad – the Uri strike in September 2015 – that was already something we had not done before.' He emphasised that this was unprecedented, stating, 'Even during the Kargil War, we had not crossed the Line of Control.'
The Congress party criticised him for the statement, with party member Udit Raj sarcastically suggesting that he should be appointed as the "super spokesperson of the BJP."
Udit Raj fueled the controversy, accusing Shashi Tharoor of harming the party's image by downplaying Congress's role and praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'fake surgical strikes.'
"My dear Shashi Tharoor, Alas! I could prevail upon PM Modi to declare you as super spokesperson of BJP, even declaring (you) as foreign minister before landing in India. How could you denigrate the golden history of Congress by saying that before PM Modi, India never crossed LoC and International border."
"In 1965 Indian Army entered Pakistan at multiple points, which completely surprised the Pakistanis in the Lahore sector. In 1971, India tore Pakistan in two pieces and during UPA government several surgical strikes were unleashed but drum beating was not done to encash (it) politically," he said.
"How could you be so dishonest to the party which gave you so much," asked Raj.
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh later reposted Raj's criticism on 'X'.
When asked if Tharoor should be suspended from Congress, Raj said the decision lies with the party's working committee and leaders like Rahul Gandhi.
'If he makes incorrect statements and tries to erase Congress's history, then I am standing with Congress,' Raj added.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is currently leading a multi-party parliamentary delegation on an official visit to five countries, including the United States and Panama.
However, Tharoor was not among the names formally recommended by the Congress party to the government for inclusion in the outreach delegations.
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