NEW DELHI: Minutes after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge ’s veiled attack on party leader Shashi Tharoor for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi "a prime asset for India" globally, the Thiruvananthapuram MP on Wednesday put up a cryptic post on social media.
"Don't ask permission to fly. The wings are yours. And the sky belongs to no one," Tharoor posted on X.
The post came just minutes after Kharge, without naming Tharoor, said that "for some, Modi is first". Kharge was responding to a question on Tharoor’s recent article in The Hindu.
"I can’t read English, but his language is very good — that’s why we made him a member of the party’s working committee. But what I want to say is that all of us, the entire opposition, have come together and said we stand with our Army — our Army that is fighting — we are with them," Kharge said.
Read also: 'For some, Modi is first': Mallikarjun Kharge takes dig at Shashi Tharoor; remains mum on disciplinary action
"We say nation first, but some consider Modi first, country later. What can we do about that?" he asked.
Earlier, Tharoor had clarified that his article praising Prime Minister Modi’s diplomatic efforts under Operation Sindoor should not be misconstrued as an indication of him "leaping to join" the BJP.
“It is not a sign of my leaping to join the Prime Minister's party (the BJP), as some people unfortunately have been implying,” Tharoor said when asked about the article during an event.
“It is a statement of national unity , of national interest, and of standing up for India — which, to my mind, is fundamentally why I came back to India after 25 years of service at the UN. I did so to serve India, and I am very proud to have the opportunity to do so," Tharoor told news agency PTI.
In his article, Tharoor praised PM Modi’s “energy, dynamism and willingness to engage” as a key asset for India on the global stage, adding that it “deserves greater backing.” The Prime Minister’s Office later shared the article on X, triggering speculation about Tharoor’s growing distance from the Congress leadership. The timing raised eyebrows, as the Congress has been sharply critical of the Modi government’s foreign policy, accusing it of isolating India internationally.
“People always tend to see all this in the context of today’s news,” Tharoor said, after rumours began to gain ground. “It is an article in which I describe the success of this outreach mission, which, among other things, showcased the unity of all parties behind the matter of vital national interest," he said.
“So, I said the Prime Minister himself has demonstrated dynamism and energy in engaging with other countries. He has travelled to more countries than any Prime Minister and done so in order to take the message of India around the world,” he added.
Tharoor led a multi-party delegation to the United States and four other countries following the Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent military operation, aiming to convey India’s position to the international community.
"Don't ask permission to fly. The wings are yours. And the sky belongs to no one," Tharoor posted on X.
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 25, 2025
The post came just minutes after Kharge, without naming Tharoor, said that "for some, Modi is first". Kharge was responding to a question on Tharoor’s recent article in The Hindu.
"I can’t read English, but his language is very good — that’s why we made him a member of the party’s working committee. But what I want to say is that all of us, the entire opposition, have come together and said we stand with our Army — our Army that is fighting — we are with them," Kharge said.
Read also: 'For some, Modi is first': Mallikarjun Kharge takes dig at Shashi Tharoor; remains mum on disciplinary action
"We say nation first, but some consider Modi first, country later. What can we do about that?" he asked.
Earlier, Tharoor had clarified that his article praising Prime Minister Modi’s diplomatic efforts under Operation Sindoor should not be misconstrued as an indication of him "leaping to join" the BJP.
“It is not a sign of my leaping to join the Prime Minister's party (the BJP), as some people unfortunately have been implying,” Tharoor said when asked about the article during an event.
“It is a statement of national unity , of national interest, and of standing up for India — which, to my mind, is fundamentally why I came back to India after 25 years of service at the UN. I did so to serve India, and I am very proud to have the opportunity to do so," Tharoor told news agency PTI.
In his article, Tharoor praised PM Modi’s “energy, dynamism and willingness to engage” as a key asset for India on the global stage, adding that it “deserves greater backing.” The Prime Minister’s Office later shared the article on X, triggering speculation about Tharoor’s growing distance from the Congress leadership. The timing raised eyebrows, as the Congress has been sharply critical of the Modi government’s foreign policy, accusing it of isolating India internationally.
“People always tend to see all this in the context of today’s news,” Tharoor said, after rumours began to gain ground. “It is an article in which I describe the success of this outreach mission, which, among other things, showcased the unity of all parties behind the matter of vital national interest," he said.
“So, I said the Prime Minister himself has demonstrated dynamism and energy in engaging with other countries. He has travelled to more countries than any Prime Minister and done so in order to take the message of India around the world,” he added.
Tharoor led a multi-party delegation to the United States and four other countries following the Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent military operation, aiming to convey India’s position to the international community.
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