Congress MP Manish Tewari on Tuesday shared a social media post featuring a patriotic verse about “Bharat ki baat” along with a news report discussing why he and fellow Congress leader Shashi Tharoor did not participate in the Lok Sabha debate on Operation Sindoor.
The post, subtle yet telling, appeared to signal Tewari’s quiet disagreement with the party’s decision.
The media report Tewari shared was headlined, “Spoke in favour of govt: Why Congress benched Shashi Tharoor, Manish Tewari during Operation Sindoor debate”.
It highlighted that none of the Congress MPs who were part of the Centre's multi-party diplomatic outreach following the Pahalgam terror attack, including Tewari and Tharoor had been selected by the party to speak in Parliament during the high-profile discussion.
Tewari, who represents Chandigarh in the Lok Sabha and is a vocal member of the party’s more articulate bench, shared the post with lyrics from the iconic Manoj Kumar film Purab Aur Paschim (1970). The lyrics, translated simply, says “Where love is part of our tradition, of that land I sing. I come from Bharat (India), it is Bharat's story that I sing.”
While Tewari did not directly comment on the issue, his choice of lyrics and timing left little doubt about his sentiment.
The move was widely seen as a veiled expression of disappointment over being sidelined during a crucial debate that he was well-placed to speak on, especially given his prior involvement in the government-backed delegations.
Tharoor, for his part, kept his response brief when questioned by reporters on Monday. With a smile, he simply said, “Maunvrat”, a vow of silence.
The Congress’ decision to leave both leaders off the speaker list has drawn attention, particularly because of their prominent roles in international outreach post-Operation Sindoor.
Their perceived endorsement of the government's actions during that period has reportedly caused unease within party ranks, possibly influencing the leadership’s choice.