The statement, made during an official all-party delegation visit to Panama, sparked significant backlash within his own party, the Indian National Congress (INC).
“For those zealots attacking my perceived ignorance of Indian bravery across the LoC: in the past,” Tharoor posted on X (formerly Twitter), adding, “I was clearly and explicitly discussing reprisals for terrorist attacks, not prior wars.”
He explained that his comments were preceded by a reference to various attacks that have occurred in recent years, “during which previous Indian responses were both restrained and constrained by our responsible respect for the LoC and the IB.”
The uproar began after Tharoor stated that India first breached the Line of Control (LoC) in September 2016 to conduct surgical strikes on terror launchpads following the Uri attack—a move he noted, “We had not done before,” not even during the Kargil war.
After a long and successful day in Panama, I have to wind up at midnight here with departure for Bogota, Colombia in six hours, so I don’t really have time for this — but anyway: For those zealots fulminating about my supposed ignorance of Indian valour across the LoC: in the…
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 29, 2025
“As usual, critics and trolls are welcome to distort my views and words as they see fit. I genuinely have better things to do,” Tharoor concluded, preparing to depart for Bogota, Colombia.
Congress members retaliate
Tharoor’s remarks were quickly disputed by Congress leaders, who labeled them “factually incorrect.” Congress Media and Publicity Department Chairman Pawan Khera and MP Udit Raj referenced past military actions, including the 1965 and 1971 wars, and covert strikes during the UPA era, to counter Tharoor’s claims.
Udit Raj criticized Tharoor, calling him a “super spokesperson of the BJP,” and accused him of undermining the Congress’s legacy. “My dear Shashi Tharoor, Alas! I could persuade PM Modi to name you as super spokesperson of BJP, even appointing you as foreign minister before returning to India,” he wrote on X.
Read more: ‘I will not be found wanting’: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on key role in India’s diplomatic outreach
“How could you denigrate the golden history of Congress by suggesting that before PM Modi, India never crossed the LOC and International border? In 1965, the Indian Army entered Pakistan at multiple points, catching the Pakistanis off guard in the Lahore sector. In 1971, India separated Pakistan in two,” he added.
My dear @ShashiTharoor
Alas! I could persuade PM Modi to declare you the super spokesperson of BJP, even naming you as foreign minister before landing in India. How could you denigrate the golden history of Congress by claiming that before PM Modi, India never crossed LOC… https://t.co/c88b8rX2bq
— Dr. Udit Raj (@Dr_Uditraj) May 28, 2025
Raj further remarked that during the UPA regime, several surgical strikes were made, but “no fanfare was employed to exploit them politically. How could you be so ungrateful to the party that supported you so much?”
Pawan Khera also presented archival evidence, including a 1965 photograph of Indian soldiers in Burki village, Lahore, and reposted a report by CNBC-TV18 that quoted former PM Manmohan Singh affirming similar strikes during the UPA, in addition to sharing a 2016 media report where S Jaishankar, then a foreign secretary, indicated that India had conducted surgical strikes previously, but it was made public for the first time at that time.
“Officers of 4 Sikh Regiment posing outside a captured Pakistani police station in Burki, Lahore District. This image is from the Battle of Burki (also known as the Battle of Lahore, 1965), a notable engagement during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, fought between Indian infantry units and Pakistani armoured forces,” Khera noted on X.
Officers of 4 Sikh Regiment posing outside a captured Pakistani police station in Burki, Lahore District.
This image is from the Battle of Burki (also known as the Battle of Lahore, 1965), a significant engagement during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, fought between Indian… pic.twitter.com/5lzUrA3aOw— Pawan Khera ???????? (@Pawankhera) May 28, 2025
Khera also expressed agreement with “that Tharoor” who discussed surgical strikes in his 2018 book, The Paradoxical Prime Minister’.
I agree with that Dr @ShashiTharoor who wrote about surgical strikes in his book in 2018 – ‘The Paradoxical Prime Minister’. #ReadingNow pic.twitter.com/hAhsfwH0JT
— Pawan Khera ???????? (@Pawankhera) May 29, 2025
BJP claims Rahul Gandhi orchestrating attacks on Tharoor
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) quickly seized on the division within Congress. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju questioned whether it was “forbidden to speak for the country” within the Congress, while party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that Rahul Gandhi had directed Udit Raj to target Tharoor for prioritizing national interests.
“What does the Congress party want & how much do they really care for the country? Should Indian MPs travel abroad and criticize India and its Prime Minister?,” Rijiju stated on X, quote-tweeting his previous remarks on the subject.
What does the Congress party want & How much do they really care for the country? Should the Indian MPs go to foreign nations and speak against India and its Prime Minister?
There’s a limit to political desperation! https://t.co/JiuYqpW2tN
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) May 28, 2025
Poonawalla told PTI, “Shashi Tharoor is being attacked at the behest of Rahul Gandhi because Tharoor placed India first, not the (Gandhi) family. He talked about national interest over party interest. He is being targeted because he prioritized national policy over vote bank politics.”
He further accused Congress of launching “missiles at its own leader” while staying silent on Pakistan’s provocations.
The BJP portrayed Tharoor’s comments as an instance of placing “India first,” contrasting it with what they referred to as the Congress’s “vote bank politics,” especially following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
Army’s statement and RTI response
Some historical records lend support to Tharoor’s technical framing. Following the 2016 Uri attack, the Indian Army had publicly stated that the September 2016 operation was the first publicly acknowledged strike across the LoC in retaliation for terrorism.
Read more: ‘This will disturb sleep of many’: PM Modi’s jibe at INDIA bloc as Shashi Tharoor, Kerala CM share a stage
Additionally, an RTI response and a 2019 statement by then Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh confirmed that prior cross-border actions had taken place but under different operational classifications and without the same political messaging.
“The Army does not have any data pertaining to surgical strikes carried out before September 29, 2016,” the 2018 RTI reply by the then Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) stated, as reported by News18.
Foreign policy blunder or internal power struggle?
The entire episode raises broader questions regarding the coherence of Congress’s messaging on national security and its response to terrorism.
Tharoor, an experienced diplomat and vocal parliamentarian, has often expressed views that blend insight with strategic clarity but has also been perceived as somewhat out of sync with the party’s combative stance lately.
Read more: Shashi Tharoor’s expulsion on the horizon? Congress in wait-and-watch mode
The timing of the controversy, set against international delegates’ tours aimed at fostering consensus against Pakistan’s alleged support for cross-border terrorism, adds another layer of diplomatic complexity.
While Tharoor’s focus aligns with characterizing India’s response to terrorism, the party’s opposition reflects discontent about acknowledging the BJP’s narrative. The controversy may also highlight deeper factionalism within Congress, as Tharoor is viewed as drifting away from the party’s position and occupying a more centrist stance.
