‘Parting of ways’: Mani Shankar Aiyar, Shashi Tharoor clash in fiery open letter war | India News

New Delhi: A public spat broke out between Mani Shankar Iyer and Shashi Tharoor on Thursday, with the two exchanging sharply worded open letters on foreign policy, ideology and personal comments.The controversy began when Iyer wrote an open letter to Tharoor, published in Frontline magazine, criticizing his comments during a televised discussion on the ongoing conflict with Iran, Israel and the United States.In the letter, Iyer said he was “fundamentally shocked” by Tharoor’s comments and claimed that the issue bothered him so deeply that he woke up in the early hours of the morning to write the message.Recalling the Congress presidential election, Aiyar said he supported Tharoor’s candidature even though he knew he would lose to Mallikarjun Kharg. Aiyar also said that he publicly argued that Tharoor should be given an honorable place in the party hierarchy despite Kharg’s defeat.However, Iyer said he now regretted that support, accusing Tharoor of advocating a “maybe right” approach to international affairs and being overly cautious about criticizing the US because of the potential economic consequences for India.Iyer also questioned Tharoor’s position as chairman of 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 further criticized Tharoor’s past stand on the Sabarimala temple entry issue, saying his stand on temple restrictions on menstruating women had earlier raised doubts about his ideological alignment with the party.Concluding his letter, Iyer declared that their differences had reached a breaking point, characterizing it as a “parting of the ways”.Tharoor responded with an open letter of his own, published by NDTV on Thursday, rejecting Iyer’s allegations and defending his views.He says dissent is normal in a healthy democracy but criticizes Aiyar for questioning his motives and character.Tharoor said his views on international affairs stemmed from a “transparent nationalist perspective”, adding that geopolitical realities and economic consequences for India should not be seen as moral compromises but as responsible policymaking.“No generation has a monopoly on patriotism, not even on Gandhi’s or Nehru’s interpretations. True respect for their legacy lies in applying their values ​​wisely to the realities of our time,” he wrote.He dismissed Iyer’s comments about his foreign travel as baseless. Tharoor said his foreign trips, other than participating in an all-party delegation linked to Operation Sindoor, were taken 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.While acknowledging Aiyar’s support during the Congress presidential election, Tharoor said he too had defended Aiyar in the past, when the senior leader faced disciplinary action within the party.“I, too, supported you very strongly with the party “high command”, especially when you were expelled from its membership. I have no regrets that this injustice has been reversed,” Tharoor wrote.The MP from Thiruvananthapuram said that Aiyar’s claim of “parting ways” was absurd, arguing that the rift was already evident through repeated personal comments directed at him in recent months.