The BJP and the Congress traded barbs on Wednesday over Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor,  who is leading a multi-party delegation as part of a global outreach programme,  praising the government’s response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Congress leader Udit Raj launched a fresh attack on Tharoor, calling him ‘a super spokesperson of the BJP’ while the saffron party spokesperson, Shehzad Poonawalla, defended Tharoor and accused the Congress of hypocrisy.

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Udit Raj, in his X post, said, ”My dear @ShashiTharoor Alas! I could prevail upon PM Modi to declare you as super spokesperson of BJP, even declaring as foreign minister before landing in India. How could you denigrate the golden history of Congress by saying that before PM Modi , India never crossed LOC and International border.”

He said in 1965, the Indian Army entered Pakistan at multiple points, which completely surprised the Pakistanis in the Lahore sector. ”In 1971, India tore Pakistan in two pieces, and during the UPA government, several surgical strikes were unleashed, but drum beating was not done to encash politically. How could you be so dishonest to the party that gave you so much?”

BJP spokesperson Poonawalla strongly criticised Udit Raj for calling Tharoor the “super spokesperson of the BJP”. He questioned why the Congress was seemingly agitated by Tharoor’s comments, which, according to him, reflected national interest rather than partisan politics.

Poonawalla alleged that Rahul Gandhi had instructed Udit Raj to criticise Tharoor.

In his post on X, the BJP leader said, ”For Congress, anyone who puts India first, Desh Hit above Dal Hit and Parivar Hit, Is persona non grata. Now, Udit Raj, on instructions of Rahul Gandhi, is abusing Shashi Tharoor as Shashi busted Rahul’s lies on mediation & busted Pak narrative. Shameful.”

He further said, “This is not about party politics. Tharoor is discussing national policy, not party ideology. There is nothing wrong with his statement. If praising the Indian Army and calling out Pakistan’s actions makes someone anti-Congress, then the party needs to introspect.”

“Now, if Congress has a problem with anyone standing up for India or criticising Pakistan, then what does that say about them,” he asked.

The controversy erupted after Tharoor made remarks during a visit to Panama. Speaking on India’s evolving security policy, Tharoor said in recent years, India’s stance on terrorism had changed and that terrorists now understand they will face consequences for their actions. “I don’t work for the government, as you know. I work for an Opposition party, but I myself authored an op-ed in one of India’s leading papers, within a couple of days, saying that the time had come to hit hard and hit smart, and I’m pleased to say that’s exactly what India did,” Tharoor said while speaking about Operation Sindoor in the US.