Congress Says Tharoor Heard What Modi Never Said; MP Fires Back, Says 'I Stand By My Summary'

The controversy stemmed from Tharoor's reported remarks that Prime Minister Modi had conveyed a message on the protection of civilian sailors during discussions with the US president.

Tharoor said his comments were based on published reports and not on any personal interpretation.

Source : PTI

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Congress criticized Shashi Tharoor over remarks on PM Modi.
• Tharoor claimed Modi discussed civilian sailor protection with US.
• Congress dismissed Tharoor's remarks, questioning their basis.

A fresh row erupted within the Congress on Saturday after senior leader Shashi Tharoor's remarks regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi sparked criticism from his own party, prompting the Thiruvananthapuram MP to issue a detailed clarification and defend his comments.

For those who believe I “heard” words that @narendramodi never said at the G-7, I was merely alluding to widely published reports about his remarks. If you want to hear a report, here’s one:https://t.co/dWkVwhWY0N

Otherwise this was Google Gemini’s summary:

“At the G7…

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 20, 2026

The controversy began after Tharoor was reported as saying that Prime Minister Modi had conveyed a message regarding the protection of civilian sailors during interactions with the US president.

"It is important to convey the message that in wartime, civilian sailors on commercial ships should not be targets of combat. They are not soldiers, and that is the message PM Modi conveyed," Tharoor reportedly said.

Congress Takes A Swipe

Responding to questions on the remarks, Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera launched a sharp attack on Tharoor.

Khera said it appeared Tharoor's admiration for Prime Minister Modi had "transcended the physical world" and suggested that he now seemed capable of hearing what the prime minister had never even said.

The Congress leader also noted that he had not seen any reference in the India-US joint statement to the killing of three Indian sailors by the United States in the Gulf of Oman, challenging Donald Trump's repeated claims regarding halting Operation Sindoor, or the attack on the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena.

Tharoor Says Issue Was About Indian Sailors

Responding on X, Tharoor expressed surprise that his remarks had become the subject of a political controversy.

"Frankly, I find it extraordinary that a statement about protecting Indian civilian sailors is being twisted into a partisan political controversy. Three Indians lost their lives. My remarks were about the safety of our citizens and the principle that civilian seafarers should never be targets of military action."

He added, "If some people are more interested in scoring political points than addressing that concern, that says more about them than it does about me."

MP Shares Fresh Clarification

As criticism continued, Tharoor issued another post on X defending the basis of his remarks and rejecting suggestions that he had attributed words to the prime minister that were never spoken.

"For those who believe I 'heard' words that @narendramodi never said at the G-7, I was merely alluding to widely published reports about his remarks," Tharoor wrote.

Sharing a report and a summary generated by Google's Gemini, he said the reports described Modi's comments at the G7 Outreach Session in Evian, France, where the prime minister allegedly highlighted the need to protect civilian maritime workers and maintain secure global shipping routes.

According to the summary shared by Tharoor, Modi had stressed that the safety of seafarers was a global responsibility and had linked maritime disruptions in the Middle East to wider economic and human-security concerns.

The summary cited by Tharoor stated: "Several Indian civilians have also lost their lives. The safety of seafarers, who connect nations through global maritime trade, is our responsibility. We must ensure that sea routes remain secure and that seafarers can carry out their work without fear."

'I Stand By My Summary'

Tharoor said his comments were based on published reports and not on any personal interpretation.

"I read widely and retain what I read. I have never in my life been accused of misrepresenting or distorting any facts or statements and I stand by my summary of what I read in the print media bout these remarks, which were reportedly made when our PM was seated next to @realDonaldTrump," he wrote.

The exchange marks the latest public disagreement between Tharoor and sections of the Congress leadership, with the debate centring on his interpretation of reported remarks made by Prime Minister Modi regarding the safety of civilian sailors amid ongoing tensions in the Gulf region.