Country first for us, Modi first for some: Mallikarjun Kharge speaks on Shashi Tharoor – ‘his English is good’

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said on June 25 that Shashi Tharoor was a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) due to his good language (English) skills. Responding to Tharoor's recent praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kharge said that while the Congress puts the nation first, for some, it's Modi first.

“I do not know how to read English. His (Tharoor's) language is good. That is why he is in the Congress Working Committee. We have been saying from day one that we are with the Indian Army. I said in Gulbarga too that nation comes first, party later. For some people, it is Modi first while for us it is nation first,” Kharge said, while addressing a press conference at the Congress party's Indira Bhawan office on June 25.

In an article published in The Hindu earlier this week, Congress MP Tharoor said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's energy, dynamism and willingness to engage remain a ‘prime asset’ for India on the global stage but deserve greater backing. Tharoor said the diplomatic outreach following "Operation Sindoor" was a moment of national resolve and effective communication.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi's energy, dynamism and willingness to engage remains a prime asset for India on the global stage but deserve greater backing,” Tharoor wrote.

Tharoor's praise for the prime minister comes at a time when the Congress has been consistently attacking the Modi government over its foreign policy. The Congress party even said that diplomacy was being "shattered" and the country stands "isolated" globally, more so after Pakistan's army chief General Asim Munir had a lunch meeting in Washington DC with US President Donald Trump a few days ago.

Tharoor's remarks irk Congress

These remarks, like some of his recent ones, have seemingly irked Tharoor's party and widened the growing cracks in his ties with its leadership. The article was shared by Prime Minister's Office on its social media handle too.

After India launched Operation Sindoor in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, Tharoor has been making comments on the India-Pakistan conflict and the diplomatic outreach that are at variance with the stand of the Congress. Tharoor has often drawn criticism from his own party and jibes aimed at him by Congress leaders for his stand.

Tharoor, who took the India case post Operation Sindoor in foreign countries while heading an all-party delegation earlier this month, has, with his remarks, seemingly riled his party for showing support for the Narendra Modi government over recent military actions across the border in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Kharge on Emergency

Kharge said on the occasion that ‘undeclared emergency’ prevailed in the country while accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of staging a Samvidhan Hatya Diwas "drama" to hide its governance failure.

Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his jibes on the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, he said a government which has no tolerance and does not allow fraternity and liberty to prosper has no right to lecture others.

Slamming Prime Minister Modi, Kharge said the Constitution is in danger because of him and his governance. The Congress chief also alleged that there is no freedom of expression and movement under the Modi government.

"Those (BJP-RSS) people who are talking of Samvidhan bachao are now raking up the Emergency after 50 years. It was something people had forgotten and they are now raking it up," he said.

The Congress' counter-offensive came after the prime minister said no Indian will ever forget the manner in which the spirit of the Constitution was violated during the Emergency. Prime Minister Modi affirmed his government's commitment to strengthening constitutional principles.

In a series of posts on X on the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, Modi said it was one of the darkest chapters in India's democratic history.

(With PTI inputs)