Operation Dost: CPI(M) MP John Brittas counters Shashi Tharoor over ‘Kerala aid to Turkey’ jibe

Congress Member of Parliament, Shashi Tharoor, who is also the chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, has sparked a row by criticising the CPI(M)-led Kerala government’s ₹10-crore aid to Turkey two years ago. 

Tharoor called the aid for the earthquake a ‘misplaced generosity’ by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan government in the backdrop of reports that Pakistan used Turkey-made drones during the conflict with India and the subsequent ‘boycott Turkey’ calls.

“I hope the government of Kerala reflects on its misplaced generosity, after seeing Turkey’s behaviour two years later! Not to mention that the people of Wayanad (just to take one Kerala example) could have used those ₹10 crores far better,” Tharoor wrote in a post on X.

CPI(M)’s Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas hit back and called Tharoor’s comments ‘selective amnesia’.

“Have great regards for Shashi Tharoor. But these comments are symptoms of selective amnesia. It is as amusing n puzzling why he had to belittle Kerala when he knows very well the Narendra Modi government itself had launched Operation Dost to help Turkey. Kerala bashing is unwarranted,” Brittas said in a post on X.

Brittas also shared a link to the WikiPedia page of ‘Operation Dost’ on one of X posts in the thread.

Both Tharoor and Brittas are members of the delegations on Operation Sindoor sent to various countries to rally global support for India’s war against terror emanating from Pakistan.

What is Operation Dost?

Tharoor, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, is leading a delegation visiting the US, Panama, Guyana, Brazil and Colombia. Brittas. Brittas, the CPI(M)’s Rajya Sabha Parliamentary Party leader, is a member of another multi-party team led by JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha, which left India for Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

‘Operation Dost’ was initiated by the Modi government in 2023 to send aid to Turkey and Syria in the aftermath of earthquake that hit the two countries. India had sent relief material, rescue personnel and other supplies, while the Kerala government had received a sanction from the Centre to send ₹10 crore aid to Turkey.

The Indian Army prepared its rescue teams with relief materials within 12 hours after disaster struck.