‘Part of the way’: Sharp open letter war between Mani Shankar Aiyar, Shashi Tharoor. india news
New Delhi: Mani Shankar Aiyar and Shashi Tharoor erupted into a public spat on Thursday, with the two exchanging sharply worded open letters on foreign policy, ideology and personal comments.The confrontation began when Aiyar wrote an open letter to Tharoor, published in Frontline magazine, criticizing his comments during a televised discussion on the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States.In the letter, Aiyar said he was “extremely shocked” by Tharoor’s comments and claimed that the issue had troubled him so much that he woke up in the morning 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 that he argued publicly that Kharge should give Tharoor a respectable position in the party hierarchy despite his defeat.However, Aiyar said he now regretted that support, accusing Tharoor of supporting a “might make right” approach to international affairs and being overly cautious about criticizing the United States because of the potential economic consequences for India.Aiyar also questioned Tharoor’s position as Chairman of the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, arguing that deferring foreign policy decisions to the government undermined the purpose of the role.The veteran Congress leader also criticized Tharoor’s previous stance on the issue of entry into the Sabarimala temple and said his position on temple restrictions on menstruating women had earlier raised doubts about his ideological affiliation with the party.Concluding his letter, Aiyar declared that their differences had reached breaking point, adding that this marked a “parting of ways”.Tharoor responded with an open letter of his own, published by NDTV on Thursday, rejecting Aiyar’s allegations and defending his views.He said dissent was natural in a healthy democracy, but criticized Aiyar for questioning his intentions and character.Tharoor said that his views on international affairs come from a “clearly nationalist perspective”, adding that geopolitical realities and economic consequences for India should be seen not as a moral compromise but as a basis for responsible policy making.“No generation has a monopoly on patriotism, nor on the interpretation of Gandhi or Nehru. The true tribute to his legacy lies in intelligently applying his values to the realities of our times,” he wrote.He also rejected Aiyar’s comments regarding his foreign travel, calling them baseless. Tharoor said that except for participation in an all-party delegation associated with Operation Sindoor, his foreign trips were undertaken in a personal capacity and were not arranged or funded by the government.Responding to criticism on the Sabarimala issue, Tharoor said he supported the official stand of the Congress party and had earlier explained his position in detail.Acknowledging Aiyar’s support during the Congress president election, Tharoor said he too had defended Aiyar in the past when the veteran leader faced disciplinary action within the party.Tharoor wrote, “I also 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.”The Thiruvananthapuram MP said Aiyar’s claim of “parting of ways” was disingenuous, arguing that the separation had already become clear through repeated personal comments made to him in recent months.


