Congress MP Manish Tewari was not given time to speak in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Operation Sindoor debate. Sources confirmed, “Manish Tewari wanted to speak in Lok Sabha,” but “no time given despite request.”
This incident surfaced as the Congress attempted to criticise the Modi government in Parliament. Tewari, a former Union Minister and MP from Chandigarh, posted a screenshot of a news report on X, highlighting why he and fellow MP Shashi Tharoor were excluded. He captioned it with a patriotic song: “Bharat ka rehne waala hoon, Bharat ki baat sunata hoon. Jai Hind.”
है प्रीत जहां की रीत सदा
मैं गीत वहां के गाता हूं
भारत का रहने वाला हूं
भारत की बात सुनाता हूं
Hai preet jahaan ki reet sada
Main geet wahaan ke gaata hoon
Bharat ka rehne waala hoon
Bharat ki baat sunata hoon
– Jai Hind pic.twitter.com/tP5VjiH2aD
— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) July 29, 2025
Key Congress Voices Missing from Operation Sindoor Debate
Congress faced fresh internal criticism after senior MPs like Shashi Tharoor and Manish Tewari were missing from the list of speakers on Operation Sindoor. Both leaders were part of international delegations that represented India after the Pahalgam terror attack. Despite their involvement, the party did not include them in the Parliament debate. Fatehgarh Sahib MP Amar Singh, also part of a delegation, was not listed either. Veteran Congress leaders like Anand Sharma and Salman Khurshid participated in these delegations but were not considered since they are no longer sitting MPs.
Shashi Tharoor Says He Took a ‘Vow of Silence’
Shashi Tharoor responded to media questions outside Parliament about his absence from the debate. When asked why he wasn’t speaking, he simply said “maunvrat,” meaning a vow of silence. Sources informed NDTV that Tharoor refused to contradict his earlier public statements just to follow party messaging. He reportedly told party leaders he would not reverse his stand on Operation Sindoor. His decision comes after months of disagreement with the party leadership over his public remarks on the Pahalgam attack and India’s military response. Tharoor has repeatedly said, “My first loyalty lies with the nation.”
Congress Faces Unease as Internal Rifts Go Public
The silence of key leaders like Tharoor and Tewari has caused visible discomfort within the Congress party. Party insiders suggested a growing rift between senior MPs and the leadership following Operation Sindoor. Tharoor recently remarked, “Parties are a means of making the nation better. So to my mind, whichever party you belong to, the objective of that party is to create a better India in its own way.” His absence during a high-stakes national security debate sparked discussions within political circles and raised questions about internal communication in the Congress.
BJP Criticises Congress for Blocking Tharoor’s Speech
The BJP quickly seized the moment to attack the Congress. BJP leader Baijayant Jay Panda criticised the Opposition party for sidelining capable speakers. “There are several leaders in your (Congress) party who can speak well… My friend Shashi Tharoor Ji, who is a good speaker, is not allowed to speak by his party,” he said. BJP leaders have claimed that internal disagreement and lack of coordination are weakening the Opposition’s position on national security issues. The Congress has not officially responded to the BJP’s comments or the absence of Tharoor and Tewari from the speaker list.
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