New Delhi [India], June 26 (ANI): A day after Congress MP Shashi Tharoor shared a cryptic post signalling strained ties within the party, fellow Congress MP Manickam Tagore took a a pointed swipe at the Thiruvananthapuram MP, saying that 'even a free bird must watch the skies.'

Tagore's remarks came after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's veiled jibe at Tharoor, in which he said, 'Some people say Modi first, country later.' Shortly after, Tharoor posted on X a photo of a bird with the caption, 'Don't ask permission to fly. The wings are yours. And the sky belongs to no one.'

Responding to this, Tagore wrote on X, 'Don't ask permission to fly. Birds don't need clearance to rise... But in today even a free bird must watch the skies--hawks, vultures, and 'eagles' are always hunting. Freedom isn't free, especially when the predators wear patriotism as feathers.'

https://x.com/manickamtagore/status/1938161746298212371

These exchanges hint at the deepening unease between Tharoor and the party's top leadership. However, when asked about possible action against Tharoor, the Congress chief sought to downplay the issue. 'Whoever wants to write...whatever, can write. We don't want to pay attention to it. (Ham isme dimaag-khrabh nhi karna chahte). We have only one target that there should be unity in the country. The country stays safe, and we will keep on fighting for the country. We don't need to pay attention to what anyone is saying,' Kharge said.

When questioned if the party was reluctant to act against Tharoor, Kharge said, 'We are a party. Why would we be afraid? He is speaking according to his will. There is no need to repeat it again and again. We are concerned about saving the nation. If someone has other concerns, then you can ask him.'

Tharoor, who contested the Congress presidential election against Kharge in 2022, had earlier conveyed to the party that it should utilise his services or he would proceed independently.

Tharoor led an all-party parliamentary delegation to Guyana, Panama, Colombia, Brazil, and the United States, part of the Modi government's global outreach following Operation Sindoor in the wake of the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack.

Throor's remarks on the diplomatic efforts drew criticism within the party. In an article in The Hindu, he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'energy, dynamism and willingness to engage' as a 'prime asset for India on the global stage' -- comments that were amplified by the Prime Minister's Office in a post on X.

'Lok Sabha MP and former Union Minister Dr. @shashitharoor writes- Lessons from Operation Sindoor's global outreach,' PMO said in a post on X.

In the article, Tharoor wrote that the aftermath of the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack and India's resolute response through 'Operation Sindoor' presented a critical juncture for the nation's foreign policy. 'While the immediate military action was decisive, the subsequent diplomatic outreach was equally, if not more, vital in shaping global perceptions and consolidating international support,' he wrote.

Tharoor said his visit to five countries as part of global outreach offered him a unique vantage point from which to reflect on the lessons learned from this intensive period of public diplomacy.

He also praised the naming of 'Operation Sindoor' -- a move that some Congress leaders viewed as generous towards the government. Earlier, party leader Udit Raj had termed him a 'super spokesperson' of the BJP. Party leader Randeep Singh Surjewala had said what Thaoor had spoken on surgical strikes was factually incorrect.

Earlier this month, Tharoor had said that he had a difference of opinion with some in the party leadership, but added that Congress, its values, and its workers are dear to him. (ANI)