Not surrender: Shashi Tharoor praises PM on Iran war, BJP amplifies remark
India Today
Shashi Tharoor again deviated from the Congress line to praise PM Modi's diplomatic approach to the Middle East turmoil. The MP asserted that the government's 'restraint' reflected strength, not weakness.
The BJP on Friday shared a clip of Shashi Tharoor in which the Congress MP is seen defending the Centre's handling of the Middle East conflict to deflate the opposition's criticism. In the interview, Tharoor asserted that the Narendra Modi government's "restraint" amid the turmoil in the Gulf due to the Iran war reflected strength, not weakness.
"Frankly, even if I were advising a Congress government, my advice to them would be to act with restraint. Restraint is not surrender, it's a strength, a way of showing that we know what our interests are, and will act first and foremost to protect them," Tharoor said, moving away from toeing the party line.
“ , ’ , .”* Congress MP pic.twitter.com/ryMeNYZhtB— BJP (@BJP4India) March 20, 2026
The BJP was quick to amplify Tharoor's remarks. "Shashi Tharoor praises Modi government's diplomacy. At a time of global tension, India's balanced and mature approach stands out," the BJP tweeted.
During the initial phase of the war, India maintained a cautious silence and did not condemn the US-Israel strikes on Iran. In fact, India refrained from taking sides as the conflict escalated.
However, as the war dragged on, energy supplies dwindled after Iran effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world's oil and gas passes.
A Delhi court granted 10-day interim bail to activist Sharjeel Imam, an accused in the 2020 Delhi riots case. He walked out of jail on Friday after nearly six years in jail.
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The police have taken Sohail Malik and Mehak (Sane Iram), the two masterminds, along with four others, into their custody.
A clip of devotees being pushed in the sanctum of Deoghar's Baidyanath Dham made BJP MP Nishikant Dubey slam the Hemant Soren government. However, it has triggered a larger debate on the treatment meted out to common people and the privilege given to VIPs.
The incident dates back to February 18, 2017, when Jitesh Kumar Gandhi attempted to withdraw Rs 10,000 from a State Bank of India ATM but received neither cash nor a transaction receipt. However, his account was debited.
The court imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Chhatrapal, while sentencing him to life imprisonment. The case underlined the importance of decisive eyewitness accounts like the mother's testimony in securing timely convictions.
The case relates to the killing of Umesh Kolhe on June 21, 2022, allegedly in retaliation for social media posts supporting former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma following her controversial remarks. Initially registered as a murder case, the investigation was later transferred to the NIA.
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Maharashtra has formed an SIT led by IPS Tejaswini Satpute to probe sexual abuse allegations against Ashok Kharat, with an extortion link emerging and assets worth Rs 200 crore under scrutiny.
The three friends were part of a group of 12 people, all from Pune, who were returning from a Jammu and Leh-Ladakh trip. The remaining friends were in two other cars and were at a toll plaza at the time of the incident.
People in Duna village of Jharkhand's Latehar district blamed the man for the death of a woman in a road accident, alleging that he had caused it through sorcery.