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Congress Tensions Resurface as Khera Takes Aim at Tharoor
Pawan Khera's recent comments aimed at Shashi Tharoor have reignited tensions within the Congress party. Khera mocked Tharoor's admiration for Prime Minister Modi, suggesting that the MP can hear things that Modi has not said. He remarked,
“Perhaps the rest of us are constrained by ordinary human senses. For devotees of the ‘Maha-Maanav Modi’, the less he says, the more they hear.”This jibe came in response to Tharoor's earlier statements defending Indian sailors amid a humanitarian crisis.
Tharoor expressed his frustration over critics politicizing the tragic loss of three Indian sailors, stating,
“Frankly, I find it extraordinary that a statement about protecting Indian civilian sailors is being twisted into a partisan political controversy.”He emphasized the need for unity in the face of such losses, arguing that civilian seafarers should not be treated as combatants in conflicts.
The backdrop of this dispute involves the U.S. strikes on commercial vessels earlier this month, which resulted in the deaths of Indian crew members. The Indian government has actively communicated its concerns to U.S. authorities following these incidents. Tharoor, who chairs the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, had earlier praised the government's diplomatic responses, a stance that has drawn criticism from within Congress.
Strained relations between Tharoor and other party members have been apparent for some time, particularly since his participation in discussions about India's foreign policy. Despite several meetings with Congress leadership, attempts to reconcile Tharoor's views with the party line have proven unsuccessful. A senior party figure noted,
“The issues have been discussed more than once, but the differences remain.”This discord culminates in public disavowals of Tharoor’s statements, highlighting an ongoing struggle for cohesion within the party.
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