Communist Party of India (CPI) Secretary Binoy Viswam on Sunday took a sharp dig at Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor after he was named as the head of a multi-party delegation set to visit key partner countries. The delegations aim to communicate India’s message of zero tolerance against terrorism following Operation Sindoor.
Viswam questioned Tharoor’s role in the government-initiated move, insinuating that he might be aligning himself with the BJP.
“Rahul Gandhi’s concern about BJP sleeping cells inside Congress is not so simple. It seems that Shashi Tharoor is in search of his berth in that cell. BJP knows how to make use of such elements. For them, even the fight against terrorism is a hunt for party gains,” Viswam posted on X.
Tharoor was appointed to lead one of the seven groups of a multiparty delegation launched by the Central government on May 17. He responded to the appointment by saying that he would diligently fulfil his assigned responsibilities, adding that “the party leadership is entitled to its opinions,” but his own commitment remains steadfast.
The initiative has stirred controversy within the Congress party. Senior leader Jairam Ramesh criticized the government for not accepting all the names suggested by Congress, calling the decision “dishonest on the government’s part.” Meanwhile, Congress MP Manickam Tagore accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of sidelining the Opposition. He noted that prior to 2014, previous Prime Ministers had consulted the Leader of the Opposition before finalizing national delegations.
The government has stated that these all-party delegations are intended to showcase India’s national consensus and resolve in fighting terrorism. The goal is to convey the country’s firm stance on zero tolerance for terrorism to the global community.
This development also follows earlier remarks by Rahul Gandhi, who during his Samvaad program in Ahmedabad in March, suggested that some Congress leaders are disconnected from the public and “in cahoots” with the BJP. Gandhi pointed to internal weaknesses within the party, especially in Gujarat, where Congress has been out of power for nearly three decades.