Tharoor praises Modi's diplomacy, BJP uses it to corner Rahul on his birthday
Synopsis
On Rahul Gandhi's birthday, the BJP found an unlikely ally in Congress MP Shashi Tharoor — whose public praise for PM Modi's handling of the Indian sailor crisis at the G-7 Summit directly undercut Congress's own attack line. The episode lays bare a rare and politically damaging internal contradiction within the opposition.
Key Takeaways
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor publicly praised PM Modi's diplomatic stance on the safety of Indian sailors with US President Donald Trump at the G-7 Summit .
Three Indian sailors were killed in a US strike on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman , triggering a political row in India.
The BJP used Tharoor's remarks to challenge Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on his birthday, calling it an exposure of Congress's 'propaganda'.
BJP spokespersons Pradeep Bhandari and Shehzad Poonawalla both cited Tharoor to argue that even Congress leaders back Modi's foreign policy approach.
The Congress had accused the Modi government of staying silent and failing to confront Washington over the Strait of Hormuz incident.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday, 20 June seized on remarks by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's diplomatic stance on the safety of Indian sailors in the Persian Gulf, using them to publicly challenge Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi — on his birthday — over what the BJP called baseless propaganda against the government's foreign policy.
What Tharoor Said
Shashi Tharoor, speaking to reporters on Friday, said that PM Modi was right to raise the security of Indian sailors directly with US President Donald Trump during their meeting on the sidelines of the G-7 Summit, and that civilian sailors must not become collateral victims of wartime situations. 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi was particularly able to convey a message that we would all agree with, namely that commercial shipping should not be targeted in a war. These are civilian sailors, as you know, pretty much every ship, whatever country's flag is flying, has Indian crew on board,' Tharoor said.
He further noted that even if Americans claim they have no idea what crew is aboard a targeted vessel, these remain civilian ships with civilian crew, and a non-lethal approach should be found. Tharoor also acknowledged that Modi conveyed a fair message regarding the safety of seafarers in the shipping lanes of the Persian Gulf.
The Congress Criticism BJP Targeted
The Congress had been sharply critical of the Modi government following the killing of three Indian sailors in a recent US strike on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman. The party accused the government of staying silent and failing to confront Washington over what it termed American aggression in the Strait of Hormuz. Congress leaders had also mocked PM Modi over his meeting with Trump, suggesting he did not press India's concerns forcefully enough.
BJP's Birthday Jab at Rahul
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari cited Tharoor's comments as an internal contradiction within the Congress. 'Shashi Tharoor has exposed Rahul Gandhi. Congress leaders are praising the Narendra Modi govt's diplomacy,' Bhandari said. He added: 'When it comes to protecting India's national interest, PM Modi comes first; when it comes to speaking against India's national interest, Rahul Gandhi leaves everyone behind.'
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla framed the episode as an embarrassment for the Leader of Opposition, noting that Tharoor had effectively 'punctured' Rahul's claims rather than offered birthday congratulations. 'Tharoor didn't give a birthday gift to Rahul Gandhi yesterday; rather he punctured his propaganda against the Modi government's silence before the US President on the killing of Indian sailors in the Persian Gulf,' Poonawalla said. He added that Tharoor's remarks confirmed that PM Modi articulately presented India's position to Trump, stressing concern over the closure of shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz and the targeting of civilian sailors.
Background: Indian Sailors and the Gulf Crisis
The row is rooted in a broader geopolitical flashpoint. A US strike on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors — a development that drew widespread concern given that Indian nationals crew a significant share of global commercial shipping. The incident has heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy trade, and placed India in a diplomatically sensitive position between its ties with Washington and its obligations to protect citizens abroad.
What Comes Next
The BJP's move to weaponise Tharoor's remarks signals that the diplomatic row over Indian sailors in the Persian Gulf will remain a live political battleground. Whether the Congress recalibrates its attack line — or doubles down — will likely define the opposition's posture on India-US relations in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
But the deeper story is about the Congress's inability to hold a coherent line when its own credible voices break ranks. The Indian sailor deaths in the Gulf of Oman deserve more than a domestic point-scoring exercise from either side; the government's actual diplomatic outcomes — what protections were secured, what commitments extracted from Washington — remain unverified and unquantified. That accountability gap is what mainstream coverage is missing.
NationPress
20 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Shashi Tharoor say about PM Modi's diplomacy?
Tharoor said PM Modi was right to raise the security of Indian sailors with US President Donald Trump at the G-7 Summit, and that commercial shipping must not be targeted in war. He acknowledged that Modi conveyed a fair message on the safety of seafarers in the Persian Gulf shipping lanes.
Why did the BJP target Rahul Gandhi on his birthday?
The BJP used Tharoor's praise for Modi's diplomatic stance to argue that Congress's own leaders were contradicting Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the government. Spokespersons Pradeep Bhandari and Shehzad Poonawalla said Tharoor had 'punctured' Rahul's propaganda rather than offering birthday wishes.
What is the Congress's criticism of the Modi government over the Gulf crisis?
The Congress accused the Modi government of staying silent and not confronting the United States after three Indian sailors were killed in a US strike on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman. The party also mocked PM Modi's meeting with Trump, suggesting he did not raise India's concerns forcefully.
What happened to Indian sailors in the Gulf of Oman?
Three Indian sailors were killed in a US strike on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman, an incident that triggered political controversy in India over the government's response and its handling of relations with Washington amid the West Asia conflict.
Why does the Strait of Hormuz matter for India?
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global energy trade, and Indian nationals crew a significant portion of commercial ships transiting the region. Any military action targeting vessels there poses a direct threat to Indian lives and India's energy supply chains.
