Congress Leader Udit Raj Slams Shashi Tharoor Over LoC Remarks, Says 'PM Modi Should Make Him BJP's Super Spokesperson'

In a fresh internal rift within the Congress, senior party leader Udit Raj on Wednesday (29 May) launched a sharp attack on fellow party MP Shashi Tharoor over his comments on India’s cross-border military strikes. Raj accused Tharoor of downplaying Congress-era military achievements and aligning too closely with the BJP's narrative.

The controversy erupted after Tharoor, speaking in Panama City during the Operation Sindoor outreach, described the 2016 Uri surgical strike as “the first time India breached the Line of Control (LoC)” to hit a terror base in Pakistan.

Responding on social media platform X (former Twitter), Udit Raj wrote:

“Alas! I could prevail upon PM Modi to declare you as super spokesperson of BJP… How could you denigrate the golden history of Congress by saying that before PM Modi, India never crossed LoC and international border?”

Raj further cited historical instances of cross-border military action, including the 1965 and 1971 wars, and covert operations conducted during the UPA era.

"In 1965 Indian Army entered Pakistan at multiple points, which completely surprised the Pakistanis in the Lahore sector. In 1971 , India tore Pakistan in two pieces and during UPA Govt several surgical strikes were unleashed but drum beating was not done to encash politically . How could you be so dishonest to the party which gave you so much ?," he wrote.

Tharoor’s remarks come amid a major diplomatic and military outreach effort to speak about Operation Sindoor, where all-party delegations, are highlighting India’s firm response to terrorism following the Pahalgam attack.

The operation involved India striking multiple terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

While praising India’s evolving counter-terror posture, Tharoor said, “This time, we crossed not only the Line of Control but also the international border… and we struck the terrorist headquarters in Balakot.”

The exchange marks yet another flashpoint in Congress's internal discourse, as leaders debate how to position the party’s legacy on national security amid an assertive military doctrine under the Modi government.