The Congress party’s attempt to corner the government during the discussion on Operation Sindoor backfired on Tuesday evening, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a pointed and layered attack on the party during his response in Parliament. Instead of being on the defensive, PM Modi used the opportunity to highlight the Congress party’s historical baggage, internal divisions, and perceived discomfort with the government's diplomatic successes.
In his speech, the Prime Minister referred to the all-party delegations sent abroad as part of the Operation Sindoor outreach, subtly taking aim at internal dissent within the Congress. He remarked that "some were stopped from speaking in Parliament" and that "those who consider themselves sons of Congress become unhappy if you praise India." Though he did not mention names, his comments were widely seen as veiled references to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, whose strained relations with the party’s leadership have been making headlines.
Tharoor, a former diplomat and Under-Secretary-General at the United Nations, had not been selected by the Congress for the all-party delegations formed by the government. However, in a surprising move, the BJP-led government invited him to lead the delegation to the United States and a few other countries. This not only signaled a bipartisan approach by the Centre but also deepened the visible rift between Tharoor and his party, especially after he publicly appreciated the government’s initiative.
Though the Congress did not explicitly bar Tharoor from being part of the outreach, his participation and supportive remarks reportedly contributed to further strain in his relationship with the party leadership.
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Ahead of the parliamentary discussion, there was intense speculation over whether Tharoor would be allowed to speak. Ultimately, he did not. Sources later revealed that the Thiruvananthapuram MP had been asked by the party whether he was interested in participating in the debate, but he declined.
Another Congress leader, Manish Tewari, a former Union Minister and sitting MP from Chandigarh, who was also excluded from the Operation Sindoor delegations, hinted at his disappointment with a cryptic post on X (formerly Twitter), "Hai preet jahaan ki reet sada, main geet wahaan ke gaata hoon, Bharat ka rehne waala hoon, Bharat ki baat sunata hoon. Jai Hind."
When questioned about the post, Tewari said, “There is a saying in English, ‘If you don't understand my silence, you will never understand my words.’” PM Modi’s comments, combined with the visible unease among certain Congress leaders, highlighted not just the government’s confidence over Operation Sindoor but also the ongoing internal challenges facing the opposition party.
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