Daijiworld Media Network - Srinagar
Srinagar, Jun 22: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has come under criticism from within his own party after he acknowledged progress towards normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir following a meeting with Union Territory Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
Tharoor shared a photograph of his meeting with Sinha at Lok Bhavan in Srinagar and wrote on X that they discussed the situation in the region and the “encouraging progress towards normalcy”.
“When I arrived he was chatting to the President of the Kashmiri Writers’ Association and the Women’s Organisation — a positive outreach that I welcomed. Many challenges remain and much remains to be done, but I left the meeting feeling more positives than I have felt for a while,” Tharoor said.
His remarks drew criticism from Jammu and Kashmir Congress leaders. Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ravinder Sharma questioned Tharoor’s assessment and urged him to meet local people to understand the ground situation.
“People of Kashmir too were expecting you to meet them to have a better understanding of the ground realities. At least you could have spared some time to meet your own partymen fighting for statehood snatched from us seven years ago,” Sharma posted.
The latest controversy comes days after Tharoor faced criticism from Congress leaders over his reported comments praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The row erupted after Tharoor was reported to have said that Modi had clearly conveyed India’s position during interactions with US President Donald Trump regarding the deaths of three Indian sailors amid a US naval blockade.
Responding to the criticism, Tharoor said his comments were being given a political interpretation and that his remarks were focused on protecting Indian citizens.
“Frankly, I find it extraordinary that a statement about protecting Indian civilian sailors is being twisted into a partisan political controversy. Three Indians lost their lives. My remarks were about the safety of our citizens and the principle that civilian seafarers should never be targets of military action,” he said.