India, May 29 -- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's statement on India's cross-border strikes in Panama has triggered sharp criticism from within his own party. Tharoor on Thursday issued a clarification, saying his statement was twisted by "zealots".

In a post on 'X', Shashi Tharoor wrote, "For those zealots fulminating about my supposed ignorance of Indian valour across the LoC in the past, I was clearly and explicitly speaking only about reprisals for terrorist attacks and not about previous wars."

He added, "My remarks were preceded by a reference to the several attacks that have taken place in recent years alone, during which previous Indian responses were both restrained and constrained by our responsible respect for the LoC and the IB ...