Tharoor Clarifies LoC Remark Amid Party Backlash, Says Critics Twisting His Words

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday defended himself against criticism from within his own party—most notably from Udit Raj—over his recent remarks in Panama regarding the 2016 surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC).

While speaking during a multi-country diplomatic visit, Tharoor reportedly said that India crossed the LoC for the first time in 2016 to conduct a surgical strike on a terror base—something he described as unprecedented. The comment sparked backlash from Congress colleagues, who accused him of ignoring the country's military history and undermining the party's legacy.

Taking to social media, Tharoor clarified that his statement specifically referred to retaliatory strikes against terror attacks in recent years—not wars or earlier military operations. “Critics are welcome to distort my words, but I genuinely have better things to do,” Tharoor posted on X (formerly Twitter), citing his tight schedule while abroad.

“After a long and successful day in Panama, I have to depart for Bogota, Colombia in six hours,” he wrote, adding that he had explicitly mentioned the context of modern-day retaliatory strikes, not past military campaigns. Tharoor said previous Indian responses to cross-border terror had been marked by restraint, respecting the LoC and international boundaries.

Udit Raj, a Congress leader and former BJP MP, was among the most vocal critics. He accused Tharoor of echoing BJP talking points and sarcastically suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should appoint him as a “super spokesperson of the BJP” or even the foreign minister. “How could you denigrate the golden history of the Congress?” Raj asked in a post, pointing out that India had crossed the LoC in 1965, 1971, and during the UPA years.

He claimed that under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, multiple surgical strikes had taken place, even if they weren’t publicized for political gain. Raj's post was also shared by senior Congress leader Pawan Khera.

Khera added his own jab by posting an image of Indian soldiers from the 1965 Battle of Burki, which took place inside Pakistani territory, as further evidence against Tharoor’s claim. He also shared a media report quoting former PM Manmohan Singh saying that surgical strikes were conducted during the UPA tenure.

This isn’t the first time Tharoor and Raj have clashed. Last month, Raj criticized Tharoor over his comments following the Pahalgam terror attack, where Tharoor had said that no country has “100 percent foolproof intelligence.” Raj questioned Tharoor’s loyalty to the Congress and accused him of giving the BJP a free pass.

Tharoor hit back, saying Raj, as a former BJP MP, was "better qualified to understand who speaks for the BJP.”

Despite the internal storm, Tharoor continues to lead a multi-party delegation overseas, part of India's diplomatic outreach following Operation Sindoor.