Congress Rift Widens Over Emergency Remarks: Tharoor-Tagore Bird Analogies Continue

In a fresh episode highlighting internal discord within the Congress party, MP #ManickamTagore took a pointed, if poetic, swipe at fellow Congressman #ShashiTharoor, subtly accusing him of echoing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) stance on the Emergency declared by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The clash underscores simmering tensions between the old guard and more independent voices within the party, particularly over issues of historical legacy and current political alignment.

 

On Thursday, Tagore, the Lok Sabha MP from Virudhunagar and the party’s whip in the lower house, posted a cryptic message on X (formerly Twitter), saying:

 

“When a colleague starts repeating BJP lines word for word, you begin to wonder — is the bird becoming a parrot? Mimicry is cute in birds, not in politics.”

 

The message, though devoid of names, was widely interpreted as being directed at #ShashiTharoor, following the publication of his article on the Emergency in the Malayalam daily Deepika. T

Tharoor, a Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and MP from Thiruvananthapuram, had written that while the Emergency was a dark chapter in Indian history, it is not enough to remember it — the lessons must also be deeply understood.

Tharoor wrote candidly about the period between June 25, 1975, and March 21, 1977, under #IndiraGandhi’s rule, noting that what began as efforts to impose discipline and restore order turned into grave violations of civil liberties.

He did not shy away from naming Sanjay Gandhi, Indira’s son, for leading coercive sterilisation campaigns and orchestrating slum demolitions in New Delhi that left thousands homeless.

In the article, Tharoor stressed:

“Democracy is not something to be taken lightly; it is a precious legacy that must be constantly nurtured and preserved… Let it serve as a lasting reminder to people everywhere.”

 

He also emphasized that today’s India is not the India of 1975, hinting at the importance of placing historical events in the right context while upholding democratic values in the present.

Tagore’s veiled retort raised eyebrows within political circles, particularly because it seemed to insinuate that Tharoor was aligning too closely with the #BJP narrative on the Emergency. The line “is the bird becoming a parrot?” was a clear reference to Tharoor’s eloquent and often metaphor-laden communication style, especially his recent fondness for avian analogies on social media.

 

This is not the first time the two leaders have locked metaphorical wings in public discourse. Just last month, they had engaged in what many dubbed a “bird battle” on X.

After Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge appeared to criticize Tharoor indirectly, suggesting that for some, it was “Modi first and country later”, Tharoor posted an image of a bird taking flight with the caption:

 

“Don’t ask permission to fly. The wings are yours. And the sky belongs to no one…”

That post was interpreted as a cryptic yet defiant declaration of independence by the Thiruvananthapuram MP. Tagore responded the next day with his avian-themed message:

 

“Birds don’t need clearance to rise… But today, even a free bird must watch the skies—hawks, vultures, and ‘eagles’ are always hunting. Freedom isn’t free, especially when the predators wear patriotism as feathers.”

He further drove home his point by sharing a chart detailing “hunters of the sky,” including eagles, hawks, owls, and vultures—implying that predators often disguise themselves as patriots.

The tension has only escalated with Tharoor’s recent writings that seemingly praise the government. In another article last month, he called the diplomatic outreach following Operation Sindoor a commendable example of “national resolve and effective communication.”

This article was amplified by the #PrimeMinister’sOffice itself on social media, causing ripples within the Congress party.

Tharoor’s public positions on sensitive issues like the Pahalgam terror attack and #IndiaPakistan relations have also diverged from the Congress party line, prompting whispers about his growing ideological distance from the leadership.

While Tharoor continues to maintain that his observations are guided by intellectual honesty and patriotism, party insiders view his tone as increasingly sympathetic to the ruling dispensation, especially at a time when unity within opposition ranks is crucial.

Whether these avian metaphors are mere linguistic duels or symbolic of a deeper ideological chasm within the Congress remains to be seen. What’s clear, however, is that #internaldiscord and mixed messaging are increasingly becoming challenges for a party already facing mounting electoral pressure.

The next move—on or off social media—may well determine whether this remains a skirmish in metaphor or escalates into a full-blown crisis within the Congress party.