Congress Slams Shashi Tharoor Over Remarks on PM Modi and Maritime Safety

The Congress party sharply criticized its own lawmaker, Shashi Tharoor, following his praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The public dispute erupted after Tharoor commended Modi’s diplomatic efforts regarding international maritime safety, prompting a swift and mocking rebuke from senior party leadership over the weekend.

The Congress on Saturday slammed party member Shashi Tharoor over his “admiration” for Narendra Modi, saying it appears to have transcended the physical world as he now seems capable of hearing what the prime minister never even said.

Tharoor, the party’s Thiruvananthapuram MP, however, said he found it extraordinary that a statement about protecting Indian civilian sailors was given a partisan twist.

The row was sparked by Tharoor’s reported remarks that “PM Modi made his point clear both in the public and private meetings with the president.”

He reportedly said, “It is important to convey the message that in wartime, civilian sailors on commercial ships should not be targets of combat. They are not soldiers, and that is the message PM Modi conveyed.”

Asked about the comments, Congress’ media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said at a press conference that he had not seen Tharoor’s statement but he had also not seen in the India-US joint statement a mention of the killing of three Indian sailors by the United States in the Gulf of Oman, challenging of Trump’s repeated claim on halting Operation Sindoor, and the attack on Iranian frigate IRIS Dena.

Tharoor on X responded, “Frankly, I find it extraordinary that a statement about protecting Indian civilian sailors is being twisted into a partisan political controversy. Three Indians lost their lives. My remarks were about the safety of our citizens and the principle that civilian seafarers should never be targets of military action.”

If some people are more interested in scoring political points than addressing that concern, that says more about them than it does about me, he said. Concern for Indian lives should unite us, not divide us, the former Union minister asserted.

Later, tagging a video clip of his own remarks at the presser, Khera on X said, “My senior colleague Dr Shashi Tharoor’s admiration for PM Modi appears to have transcended the limitations of the physical world. He now seems capable of hearing what Modi doesn’t even say.”

Khera said that according to the official MEA readout of the Modi-Trump meeting on the sidelines of the G7, there was no mention of the “cold-blooded killing” of three Indian sailors by the United States in the Gulf of Oman.

“This was the first Modi-Trump meeting after Operation Sindoor, yet there is no indication that Modi challenged Trump’s repeated claim — now made over 120 times — that he secured a ceasefire by threatening India with trade consequences,” the Congress leader said.

Future Outlook

The public disagreement underscores ongoing internal challenges within the Congress party regarding its messaging on foreign policy and national security. As opposition lawmakers navigate national interests versus party lines, future diplomatic interactions involving Prime Minister Modi will likely face intense scrutiny from both factions inside the party.

FAQs

Why did the Congress party criticize Shashi Tharoor?

The Congress party rebuked Shashi Tharoor after he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for supposedly advocating for the safety of civilian sailors during diplomatic meetings, a claim the party states is missing from official records.

What was Shashi Tharoor’s response to the criticism?

Tharoor defended his remarks by stating that the safety of Indian citizens and civilian seafarers should be a unifying national concern rather than a source of partisan political controversy.

What omissions did Pawan Khera highlight regarding the PM’s meetings?

Pawan Khera pointed out that official readouts lacked any mention of the killing of three Indian sailors in the Gulf of Oman or any pushback against Donald Trump’s claims regarding Operation Sindoor.