Shashi Tharoor declined Congress’ offer to speak on Operation Sindoor: party sources

The Congress asked party MP Shashi Tharoor if he was interested in speaking during the Operation Sindoor debate in Parliament but he declined and instead expressed a desire to speak on ‘The Indian Ports Bill, 2025’, party sources said on Monday (July 28, 2026).

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There has been speculation on whether Mr. Tharoor, who led the delegation to the U.S. among other countries, will be picked as a speaker by the Congress, given that his enthusiastic endorsement of the government’s action following the terror attack has soured his ties with the party.

Asked whether Mr. Tharoor was asked to speak during the debate, a senior Congress leader said, “It is a practice that senior leaders are asked whether they are interested in speaking on a major issue. Gaurav Gogoi and K. Suresh had reached out to him and asked if he was interested in speaking during the debate on Operation Sindoor, to which he said he is not interested and would like to speak on the Ports Bill.”

There was no immediate response from Mr. Tharoor on the assertion by the party sources.

‘Vow of silence’

Asked whether he would speak in Parliament on Operation Sindoor, the seasoned Lok Sabha MP had earlier quipped to the media that he is on a maun vrat (vow of silence).

Opposition parties have framed their public criticism of the government around alleged intelligence lapses behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 civilians killed, and U.S. President Donald Trump's claims of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly attacked the government’s foreign policy, claiming that India did not receive international support on Operation Sindoor and has cited Mr. Trump’s frequent mediation claims to target the ruling alliance. The government has rejected Mr. Trump’s claims.