Shashi Tharoor’s Cryptic Post Amid Congress Rift: “Don’t Ask Permission to Fly”

Tharoor’s Cryptic Quote Fuels Congress Chatter: “Wings Don’t Need Permission to Fly”

Hours after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge appeared to take a swipe at Shashi Tharoor over his recent praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Thiruvananthapuram MP fired off a cryptic message on social media—adding fuel to the ongoing speculation about internal fissures within the grand old party.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Tharoor shared a pointed motivational quote:
“Don’t ask permission to fly. The wings are yours, and the sky belongs to no one.”

While Tharoor didn’t name anyone, the post has been widely interpreted as a subtle retort to party critics and a signal of personal independence amid growing unease within Congress ranks.

Earlier, Kharge had publicly criticized Tharoor, stating:
“Shashi Tharoor’s language is very good. That’s why he’s in the Congress Working Committee. But while we said ‘country first’ during Operation Sindoor, some people seem to say ‘Modi first, country later’. What should we do in such a case?”

The remark was a clear reference to Tharoor’s comments during a recent international outreach trip under Operation Sindoor, in which he called Modi a “prime asset for India” on the global stage. His remarks drew sharp backlash from within the party—particularly from those still wary of blurring lines with the BJP’s messaging.

Tharoor, for his part, has pushed back against the criticism, saying his words were misinterpreted and distorted by “critics and trolls.” He stressed that his intent was to present a united Indian front overseas, not to signal any ideological shift.
“I have better things to do,” he remarked, brushing off the storm as manufactured outrage.

The veteran MP, who led one of the seven cross-party delegations sent abroad to clarify India’s electoral outcomes, met with PM Modi on June 11 following the trip. He has since acknowledged ideological differences with some colleagues but has denied any rift with the party’s leadership or base.

Still, the timing and tone of Tharoor’s quote have reignited speculation around his position in a party grappling with internal contradictions and an uncertain path forward. Whether the message was a mere assertion of individuality or a hint of something deeper remains to be seen—but the buzz around it is unmistakable.