Kumar Bahukhandi
Shashi Tharoor and Rahul Gandhi -Photo-PTI
While the BJP levelled exaggerated allegations against Rahul Gandhi, such as calling him a Pakistani agent, Tharoor gave a factual and diplomatic response, exposing the weakness in Rahul’s statement. The BJP’s attacks were meant to garner votes, but Tharoor’s response weakened Rahul’s argument without making personal attacks.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been continuously attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the India-Pakistan ceasefire after Operation Sindoor. But on June 4, 2025, Rahul Gandhi crossed all limits. He claimed that PM Modi surrendered under the pressure of US President Donald Trump. Not only this, his style of saying all this was so bad that it seemed as if a person from an enemy country was speaking. While addressing the workers in Madhya Pradesh on June 3, Rahul Gandhi said, “I have come to know the BJP and RSS people very well. If you pressurize them a little, they run away in fear.” Rahul further said, Trump called from there and gestured that what are you doing Modi ji? Narendra, surrender. And by saying ‘yes sir’, Modi ji followed Trump’s gesture. Rahul Gandhi accused BJP and RSS of bowing down under pressure while comparing with the strong leadership of Indira Gandhi during the 1971 war. Obviously, this statement was bound to cause controversy in political circles. BJP has strongly criticized Rahul Gandhi, calling it treason and an insult to the Indian Army.
But what was special in the meantime was that senior Congress leader and MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor gave his reaction on this statement of Rahul Gandhi. Tharoor not only cornered Rahul Gandhi for his statement but also put forth his point on this issue in a much better way than the BJP leaders. Tharoor, who is leading an all-party delegation to the US to present India’s side after Operation Sindoor, clarified that there was no third party mediation in ending the war between India and Pakistan.
Rahul Gandhi’s Narendra surrender statement
Rahul Gandhi said in his statement that as per the claims of Donald Trump, who claimed his role in the India-Pakistan ceasefire, PM Modi surrendered to Trump. Comparing it with Indira Gandhi’s leadership in the 1971 war, Rahul said that the Congress led the country strongly without ever bowing to external pressure. This statement prompted the BJP to go on the offensive, with BJP president JP Nadda calling it treasonous and saying that Rahul Gandhi had insulted the valour and courage of the Indian Army. Nadda claimed that in Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army penetrated 300 km into Pakistan, destroyed 11 airports, demolished 9 terror camps, and killed over 150 terrorists.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra also hit out at Rahul Gandhi, saying that he should trust the DGMO, the Ministry of External Affairs, and even Congress’ own leaders like Shashi Tharoor, Manish Tewari, and Salman Khurshid, who clarified that there was no mediation. The controversy deepened further with the BJP calling Rahul Gandhi an agent of Pakistan.
Shashi Tharoor’s measured response
Shashi Tharoor, who was leading an all-party delegation to Washington DC to put forth India’s point of view, said in response to a question on Rahul Gandhi’s statement, “India did not need any third party mediation. We never asked for anything from anyone.” Referring to Donald Trump’s claims, he said that India did not need anyone’s advice to stop, and when Pakistan started talking about a ceasefire, India also responded. Tharoor also added that India is ready to use force in the future, if there are terrorist attacks from Pakistan. We have no problem talking to Pakistanis in their language of terrorism. We will use the language of force, and no third party is needed for this.
A female journalist asked Shashi Tharoor that your party is constantly asking questions in India. Just yesterday, your party leader Rahul Gandhi said that PM Modi surrendered in front of Trump? In response to this question, Shashi Tharoor said that we have immense faith in the US President, we respect the US President, we can say about ourselves that we did not specifically ask anyone to mediate.
This response of Tharoor was not only diplomatic, but it was a subtle way of rejecting Rahul Gandhi’s statement. While BJP made direct and sharp attacks on Rahul Gandhi, Tharoor neither took Rahul’s name in his statement nor criticized him directly. Instead, he put forward the facts and underlined India’s independent policy and strong stand.
How did Tharoor corner Rahul better than BJP?
The BJP targeted Rahul Gandhi’s statement with harsh words like treason and insult to the army, which is part of their usual aggressive political style. On the other hand, Tharoor rejected Rahul’s surrender claim without naming him. His response had a mature and intellectual approach, which proved to be more effective than the BJP’s. Because it was neither aggressive nor personal. Tharoor focused on facts and India’s diplomatic position, which made his point more credible and respectable.
Tharoor, in his statement, prioritised India’s national interests and made it clear that India’s policy is independent and strong. This stance was different from the allegations of the BJP, which was trying to gain political mileage by targeting Rahul Gandhi personally. Tharoor showed that he is capable of defending India’s stance without completely deviating from the party line. This is also consistent with his earlier comments, where he put national interests above party politics, such as his statements during the Uri surgical strike in 2016.
While the BJP made emotional and exaggerated allegations of Rahul Gandhi being a Pakistani agent, Tharoor exposed the weakness of Rahul’s statement by giving a factual and diplomatic response. BJP’s attacks were meant to provoke a section of the public, but Tharoor’s response weakened Rahul’s argument without making personal attacks, he showed that India’s policy was independent and not a result of any external pressure, thereby weakening Rahul’s claim of surrender
