Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has come under fire from within his own party for stating that India had never crossed the Line of Control (LoC) prior to the 2015 surgical strikes under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

While addressing the Indian diaspora at the Indian Embassy in Panama on Wednesday, Tharoor said, “What has changed in recent years is that terrorists have realised they will pay a price. For the first time, India breached the LoC to conduct a surgical strike on a terror launch pad in September 2015—something we had not done before. Even during Kargil, we did not cross the LoC. Later, after Pulwama in 2019, we went beyond the LoC and international border, striking Balakot and terror bases in Pakistan’s Punjabi heartland.”

The remarks were made before an audience of around 300 people and quickly drew sharp criticism from fellow Congress leader and former MP Udit Raj, who accused Tharoor of undermining the Congress’s legacy.

In a post on social media, Udit Raj wrote, “Alas! I could prevail upon PM Modi to declare you as the BJP’s super spokesperson, even naming you foreign minister before landing in India. How could you denigrate Congress’s golden history by claiming India never crossed the LoC before Modi?”

Raj also referenced past military operations, stating, “In 1965, the Indian Army entered Pakistan at multiple points, surprising them in Lahore. In 1971, we split Pakistan into two. Even during the UPA government, surgical strikes occurred—but we didn’t beat drums for political gain. How could you be so dishonest to the party that gave you so much?”