Row Over Shashi Tharoor’s Presence at Putin State Dinner Sparks Political Debate

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari on Friday questioned the Congress party’s objections to senior leader Shashi Tharoor attending the state dinner hosted in honour of Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasising that the government routinely seeks expertise from leaders across party lines for diplomatic initiatives.

Tharoor’s decision to participate in the Rashtrapati Bhavan dinner drew sharp criticism within Congress ranks, particularly as senior leaders— including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi—were reportedly not invited.

Citing the multi-party involvement in Operation Sindoor, Tiwari said, “The government has often relied on experienced individuals from various parties for foreign policy outreach. Shashi Tharoor is one such person. I don’t understand why the Congress leadership finds this problematic.”

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera countered that Tharoor should have recognised the political message behind what he termed a “selective invitation.”
“When my leaders are excluded while I am invited, one must question what message is being sent, who is sending it, and why we should participate,” Khera said, describing Tharoor’s acceptance as “surprising.” He added pointedly, “Everyone’s conscience speaks.”

Tharoor, however, maintained that he saw no reason to decline the invitation, though he acknowledged that the exclusion of Opposition leaders was “not appropriate.”
“I’m not aware of the criteria for issuing invitations, but I will attend. It is certainly not right that Opposition leaders were not invited,” he said.

Congress leaders confirmed that both Kharge and Rahul Gandhi were omitted from the guest list for the state dinner.

The controversy comes a day after Rahul Gandhi accused the Modi government of disregarding long-established protocol by excluding Opposition representatives during interactions with visiting foreign dignitaries. Government sources dismissed his claim as unfounded, pointing out that since assuming office as Leader of the Opposition on June 9, 2024, Gandhi has held meetings with at least four foreign heads of state, including former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

This is not the first instance this year where Tharoor has faced internal criticism. His participation in the government-led Operation Sindoor initiative had already drawn objections from some Congress colleagues. More recently, his attendance at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech on Lord Macaulay—and his favourable comments on it—also sparked unease within party circles.