BJP MP Questions Congress’s Silence on Shashi Tharoor Amidst National Debate

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During a crucial Lok Sabha debate on “Operation Sindoor” on Monday, July 28, 2025, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Baijayant Panda took a pointed jab at the Congress party, suggesting they were “not allowing” their prominent leader, Shashi Tharoor, to speak. The remark came as Parliament discussed India’s decisive military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, an issue on which Tharoor had previously expressed strong support for the government’s stance, leading to speculation about internal party dynamics.

Panda, while participating in the special discussion on “India’s strong, successful, and decisive Operation Sindoor in response to the terror attack in Pahalgam,” highlighted Tharoor’s oratorical skills. “You have several leaders who could speak well on Operation Sindoor. I was listening to my friend, the honourable Shashi Tharoor Ji, speak very well,” Panda stated. He then added a critical observation: “Though it’s a different matter that, for some time now, his party leadership hasn’t been allowing him to speak, I was very pleased to see that no one could stop him from speaking in the national interest.” Tharoor was reportedly seen smiling in the background as Panda commented.

The BJP MP’s comments underscore a perceived rift within the Congress party regarding its stance on national security matters, particularly “Operation Sindoor.” Tharoor had been part of an all-party delegation, formed by the government, that engaged in diplomatic outreach abroad to articulate India’s position on counter-terrorism following the Pahalgam attack. His public statements of support for the government’s actions were seen by some as diverging from the Congress party’s more critical line, which has focused on alleged intelligence lapses and the international fallout from the strikes.

Sources within the Congress party confirmed that Tharoor had declined an offer from party leaders to speak during the debate, reportedly stating he preferred to speak on “The Indian Ports Bill, 2025,” and that he could not contradict his publicly stated position on “Operation Sindoor” for party messaging. When queried by reporters earlier in the day about whether he would speak on the operation, Tharoor cryptically responded, “Maun vrat, maun vrat” (vow of silence).

The exchange highlights the political maneuvering surrounding critical national security issues, with the BJP leveraging perceived internal disagreements within the opposition. The incident emphasizes the complexities of party discipline versus individual expression, particularly for high-profile figures, in the arena of parliamentary debate.