“My senior colleague, Dr. Shashi Tharoor’s admiration for PM Modi seems to transcend the limits of the physical world. He can now hear things that Modi never even said,” Pawan Khera said.
Updated: June 22, 2026, 8:29 AM IST
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Congress leader Shashi Tharoor
New Delhi: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has been receiving continuous criticism from within his own party for praising the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Kashmir issue. In a post on X, Tharoor wrote, “In Srinagar! Had the privilege of an excellent meeting today at Raj Bhavan with Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha. We discussed the situation in the state and the encouraging progress being made toward restoring normalcy. When I arrived, he was interacting with representatives of the Kashmiri Writers’ Association and a women’s organization — a positive initiative that I welcomed.”
The controversy erupted after the state Congress chief spokesperson strongly criticized Tharoor and said, “The people of Kashmir were also hoping that you would meet them to gain a better understanding of the ground realities. At the very least, you could have taken some time to meet your own party workers who have been struggling to restore the statehood that was taken away seven years ago.”
Shashi Tharoor Had Earlier Drawn Flak for Praising PM Modi
It is important to note that this development comes a day after he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of concerns related to attacks on Indian civilian sailors during discussions with US President Donald Trump. Tharoor had said that PM Modi clearly conveyed India’s position during both public and private meetings with the US President.
“It is important to send the message that, during times of war, civilian sailors aboard commercial vessels should not become targets of conflict. They are not soldiers, and that is precisely the message Prime Minister Modi conveyed,” Tharoor said.
War of Words with Pawan Khera
Congress leader Pawan Khera launched a scathing attack on Tharoor following his remarks praising PM Modi. He questioned whether Prime Minister Modi had actually made such an intervention, noting that the issue was mentioned neither in the official India–US joint statement nor in the information released by the Ministry of External Affairs regarding the Modi–Trump meeting.
Taking a swipe at his own party colleague, Khera remarked:
“My senior colleague, Dr. Shashi Tharoor’s admiration for PM Modi seems to transcend the limits of the physical world. He can now hear things that Modi never even said.”
What Did Shashi Tharoor Say in Response?
Responding on Saturday, Tharoor defended his remarks:
“For those who believe I ‘heard’ words that PM Modi never uttered at the G7, let me clarify that I was merely referring to widely published reports about his comments. I read extensively, and I remember what I read.”
He further added:
“I have never been accused of misrepresenting any fact or statement or of distorting what was said. I stand by the summary I provided, which was based on what I read in the print media.”
