A political firestorm has erupted within the Congress party after veteran MP Shashi Tharoor praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic approach regarding the deaths of three Indian sailors. Tharoor had publicly credited the Prime Minister for firmly addressing the safety of civilian seafarers during talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. However, this move drew sharp criticism from his own party colleagues, including spokesperson Pawan Khera, who accused Tharoor of being a "devotee" of the Prime Minister and claiming he "heard what was never said," as official government records contained no mention of such an exchange.

The controversy quickly transcended internal party lines, with the BJP seizing the opportunity to highlight a growing rift within Congress. While BJP spokespeople used the incident to contrast the Prime Minister’s perceived nationalism with Rahul Gandhi’s rhetoric, Tharoor remained steadfast in his defense. He dismissed the backlash as a manufactured political dispute, arguing that the protection of Indian lives should remain a non-partisan priority. He reiterated that civilian sailors—who are non-combatants—must not be treated as military targets, emphasizing that his goal was to highlight a humanitarian necessity rather than to endorse any specific political agenda.