'Wings are yours': Tharoor posts cryptic message after Kharge's Modi snub

Congress chief Kharge criticised Tharoor for praising PM Modi in a recent article on Operation Sindoor; the MP responded with a poetic post, fuelling talk of internal dissent

Just hours after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge took a veiled swipe at Shashi Tharoor for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Thiruvananthapuram MP posted a cryptic message on X, interpreted as a subtle retort to internal criticism.

 

“Don't ask permission to fly. The wings are yours. And the sky belongs to no one,” Tharoor wrote, accompanied by an image of a bird in flight. 

Kharge’s jibe sparks intra-party tension

Kharge, responding to Tharoor’s recent article commending Modi’s diplomacy after Operation Sindoor, remarked, “It’s country first for us, but for some people, it’s Modi first.” The comment was seen as one of the sharpest rebukes from the Congress high command amid growing speculation of a rift.

 

Tharoor had written in The Hindu that Prime Minister Modi’s “energy, dynamism and willingness to engage” were valuable diplomatic assets, deserving broader support. The article drew attention after the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s subsequent military response, named Operation Sindoor. 

Congress distances itself from Tharoor’s praise

Though Tharoor later clarified at a Moscow event that his views were patriotic and not indicative of any political shift, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate reiterated that his opinion did not reflect the party’s official stance.

 

“It may be his own opinion; it is not the opinion of the Congress party,” Shrinate said, stressing that the party had consistently challenged the government’s narrative with evidence.

 

Kharge also remarked that Tharoor is highly fluent in English. "I can't read English well. His language is very good. That's why we have made him a Congress Working Committee member," he said in a press conference. 

Operation Sindoor stirs political friction

Congress initially supported the government’s retaliation against the Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians. However, it later shifted stance, demanding transparency over the ceasefire and questioning the role of the United States in its mediation.

 

Tharoor’s support for the government’s diplomatic handling — coupled with his nomination to lead a parliamentary delegation — deepened the perception of internal disagreement within the Opposition ranks.

Praise amid polarisation

Despite the internal criticism, Tharoor’s comments during a time of national crisis earned him praise from even his usual critics, who appreciated his willingness to put party politics aside.