Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: A public spat erupted between Mani Shankar Aiyar and Shashi Tharoor on Thursday, with both exchanging sharply-worded open letters over foreign policy, ideology and personal remarks.The confrontation began when Aiyar wrote an open letter to Tharoor, published in Frontline magazine, criticising his comments during a television discussion on the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.In the letter, Aiyar said he was “shocked to the core” by Tharoor’s remarks and claimed the issue had disturbed him so deeply that he woke up in the early hours to write the message.Recalling the Congress presidential election, Aiyar said he had supported Tharoor’s candidature even though he knew he would lose to Mallikarjun Kharge. Aiyar also said he publicly argued that Kharge should grant Tharoor an honourable place in the party hierarchy despite his defeat.However, Aiyar said he now regretted that support, accusing Tharoor of endorsing a “might is right” approach in international affairs and of being overly cautious about criticising the United States due to possible economic consequences for India.Aiyar also questioned Tharoor’s position as chairman of Parliament’s Standing Committee on External Affairs, arguing that deferring foreign policy decisions to the government undermined the purpose of the role.The veteran Congress leader further criticised Tharoor’s past stance on the Sabarimala Temple entry issue, saying his position on the temple’s restrictions on menstruating women had earlier raised doubts about his ideological alignment with the party.Concluding his letter, Aiyar declared that their differences had reached a breaking point, saying it marked a “parting of ways”.Tharoor responded with an open letter of his own on Thursday, published by NDTV, rejecting Aiyar’s accusations and defending his views.He said disagreement was natural in a healthy democracy but criticised Aiyar for questioning his motives and character.Tharoor said his views on international affairs stem from a “clear nationalist perspective”, adding that weighing geopolitical realities and economic consequences for India should not be viewed as a moral compromise but as responsible policymaking.“No generation holds a monopoly over patriotism, nor over the interpretation of Gandhi or Nehru. The true tribute to their legacy lies in applying their values wisely to the realities of our time,” he wrote.He also rejected Aiyar’s remarks regarding his foreign travel, calling them baseless. Tharoor said his trips abroad, except for participation in an all-party delegation linked to Operation Sindoor, were undertaken in a personal capacity and were not arranged or funded by the government.Responding to criticism over the Sabarimala issue, Tharoor said he had supported the Congress party’s official stand and had previously explained his position in detail.While acknowledging Aiyar’s support during the Congress presidential election, Tharoor said he too had defended Aiyar in the past, including when the veteran leader faced disciplinary action within the party.“I, too, supported you very strongly with the “high command” of the party, especially when you were suspended from its membership. I have no regrets that that injustice has been reversed,” Tharoor wrote.The Thiruvananthpuram MP said Aiyar’s claim of a “parting of ways” was disingenuous, arguing that the break had already become evident through repeated personal remarks directed at him in recent months.
