New Delhi : Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s recent praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday delivered a sharp rebuke, saying, “It’s country first for us, but for some people, it’s Modi first.” This marks the strongest public snub yet from the party leadership directed at Tharoor.
The criticism comes in the wake of Tharoor’s article published in The Hindu, where he described Prime Minister Modi’s energy, dynamism, and global engagement as a prime asset for India that deserved broader support. His remarks, made after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, sparked internal criticism and further strained his ties with the Congress leadership.
Responding to the growing speculation, Tharoor, while attending an event in Moscow, clarified that his article should not be seen as a sign of him leaping to join” the BJP. He insisted his statements were driven by national interest and a call for unity, she said. Addressing the issue today, Kharge took a subtle swipe at Tharoor’s eloquence. He is very fluent in English. I can’t read English well. His language is very good. That’s why we made him a member of the Congress Working Committee,” he remarked.
Kharge further pointed out that in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 innocent lives, the entire Opposition had stood firmly with the Army. We said the country comes first, the party later. But some people feel Modi comes first, the country later. What can we do? he said.
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