India’s Congress party squanders chance to lead on national security narrative

In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s response through Operation Sindoor, the Congress party at first seemed to have learnt lessons from the past and threw its weight behind the government. But since then, the principal opposition party has unravelled and done what it is best at — shooting itself in the foot. The manner in which the Congress has gone out of its way to undermine the delegation of MPs visiting different countries reflects inner-party differences and churlishness. The party leadership has not hidden the fact that they did not want Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor to be part of the delegations, and there has been very public criticism of him by senior Congress leaders who have even said he was acting like a BJP spokesman.

Putting political differences aside, Tharoor has taken a statesmanlike approach in showing a united front to the world — something the Congress could have used to its political advantage. Instead, the party has likened the MPs to terrorists. In the words of Jairam Ramesh, the Pahalgam terrorists are roaming around (since they haven’t been caught), and the MPs are roaming around too. An astonishing statement by any account.

It’s no secret that ever since Shashi Tharoor threw his hat in the ring for the Congress President’s post, he has been in the doghouse with the party leadership for daring to have ambition. Tharoor is a fine spokesman for his party and the values it stands for. He is also a fine spokesman for India, articulating the country’s concerns on terrorism bluntly and clearly to an audience that often equates India with Pakistan in the same breath. With his diplomatic experience in the West, Tharoor brings a different kind of credibility to the table.

Yet, bogged down by internal rifts, the Congress can’t seem to get its messaging on Operation Sindoor right. First, they accused Foreign Minister Jaishankar of being an “informer.” The latest is a frontal attack on the Prime Minister by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who has accused Narendra Modi of surrendering to Pakistan at the behest of US President Donald Trump.

The problem is not with criticising the government for security failures. In fact, questions about any lapses are vital in a democracy and must be asked. Which is why the opposition’s demand for a special session of Parliament on this is legitimate and necessary. The problem is the way the Congress frames the narrative around national security issues. The fact is, national security is a huge political issue and something the BJP has worked to its advantage after Pulwama and the Balakot strikes of 2019. That time, the Congress lost the plot and let Modi seize the narrative. The BJP went on to win the Lok Sabha polls resoundingly only months later.

This time, the Congress had a chance to present a more united front while also asking tough questions about security lapses at the right time. They started right, but now they have squandered the chance. The Congress could have taken a leaf out of the Trinamool Congress’ notebook. Mamata Banerjee is certainly no friend of the BJP, but her MP Abhishek Banerjee was part of one of the MP delegations and won praise for his strong stand on terrorism. Even Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Poonch to meet families affected by shelling came after the Trinamool Congress took the lead and went there first.

I repeat, none of this is to say the government should be absolved of scrutiny. So far, the Modi government has strongly resisted calls for a special Parliament session to discuss the Pahalgam attack and its aftermath. For transparency in a democracy, it is important that all such issues are discussed threadbare — even the most uncomfortable ones. Hiding behind the garb of national security does not cut any ice. No one is asking for security secrets to be spilled. But basic questions about security lapses must be addressed so that this never happens again. The BJP paints those who ask questions as “anti-national,” but they have no business handing out nationalism certificates.

Politics is driven by narratives and perceptions. The Congress would do well to read the room and calibrate its responses more smartly.