New Delhi: As the Congress sharpens its attack on the Modi government over Operation Sindoor, internal rifts within the party have begun to surface, creating discomfort for the Opposition bloc during the high-stakes parliamentary debate.
Senior Congress MP and former Union Minister Manish Tewari stirred fresh controversy on Monday with a cryptic post on social media, referencing the iconic patriotic song “Hai Preet Jahan Ki Reet Sada…” from the film Purab Aur Pachhim.
“Bharat ka rehne waala hoon, Bharat ki baat sunata hoon. Jai Hind,” he wrote on X, along with a screenshot of a report questioning why he and Shashi Tharoor were excluded from the Congress’s list of speakers for the ongoing discussion in Parliament.
When asked by reporters outside Parliament about the post, Tewari responded with a pointed remark:
“There is a saying in English — ‘If you don’t understand my silence, you will never understand my words’.”
Both Tewari and Tharoor were part of official Indian delegations that traveled abroad as part of New Delhi’s diplomatic outreach following Operation Sindoor—India’s counter-terrorism response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Yet, their names are missing from the Congress’s chosen speakers for the debate. Amar Singh, another Congress MP who was part of such a delegation, is also absent from the list.
According to sources, Tewari reportedly expressed his desire to participate in the debate, but his request was denied. Party insiders suggest the leadership was concerned that MPs who were part of India’s diplomatic outreach might not adopt the aggressive posture the Congress wants to project during the debate.
Shashi Tharoor, widely known for his oratory and diplomatic acumen, has also not been given a speaking slot. When questioned by journalists, Tharoor replied with a smile, saying, “Maunvrat” — a vow of silence. Sources claim that Tharoor had refused to align fully with the party’s messaging and made it clear that he would not contradict his previous positions for political expediency.
This comes after months of visible tension between Tharoor and the Congress high command, particularly over his public statements following the Pahalgam attack and India’s retaliatory strikes.
Tharoor recently asserted that his “first loyalty lies with the nation,” adding that “parties are merely vehicles for building a better India.”
The BJP quickly capitalized on the visible dissent within the Congress ranks. Senior BJP leader Baijayant Jay Panda took a jab at the party, saying, “There are several leaders in Congress who can speak well. My friend Shashi Tharoor ji, who is an excellent speaker, is being silenced by his own party.”
As the Operation Sindoor debate continues, the exclusion of prominent Congress voices is drawing more attention than expected — not just for who is speaking, but who has been kept silent.
