‘Freedom isn’t free’: Tagore’s hawk-eyed warning deepens Congress–Tharoor dissent buzz

New Delhi: The internal unease within the Congress Party has once again surfaced, this time through cryptic posts on social media by two senior Members of Parliament: Shashi Tharoor and Manickam Tagore.

Hours after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge took a sharp dig at Tharoor for his repeated praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Thiruvananthapuram MP responded with a subtle but unmistakable quote on X:

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

While Tharoor offered no direct mention of Kharge or the party, the post comes as he faces growing heat over comments made during India’s Operation Sindoor diplomacy tour, where he called Modi a “prime asset for India.” Kharge, speaking in Gulbarga, indirectly targeted Tharoor, saying:

“We said the country comes first. But for some people, Modi comes first.”

Shortly after Tharoor’s post, Manickam Tagore, MP from Virudhunagar and Congress Whip in Lok Sabha, added poetic weight to the ongoing storm with his own post:

“Don’t ask permission to fly. Birds don’t need clearance to rise…

But 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.”

The imagery of predators cloaked in nationalism appeared to echo concerns over rising authoritarianism, but also hinted at internal caution within the party. The metaphors—hawks, vultures, eagles—were widely interpreted as referencing both external political threats and internal surveillance or pressure.

While Tharoor has downplayed any suggestions of breaking away, his growing distance from the Congress brass is now publicly acknowledged. After leading the cross-party Operation Sindoor delegation, Tharoor met PM Modi and praised the government’s strategic coherence—further fuelling speculation.

Congress insiders have expressed concern that Tharoor’s public tone risks sending mixed signals, especially in an election year. However, Tharoor, who remains on the Congress Working Committee, insists his praise for the PM was “about India, not ideology.”

As the party attempts to project unity in the run-up to 2026, these veiled posts have reignited chatter over whether divergent views are being subtly suppressed—or are preparing for flight.