Tharoor praises Putin dinner; Congress slams leadership exclusion

• Shashi Tharoor described the Rashtrapati Bhavan banquet for Russian President Vladimir Putin as "warm and engaging."
• The Congress party questioned the exclusion of its top leadership, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, from the guest list.
• Tharoor, who attended, enjoyed interactions with members of the Russian delegation.
• The banquet concluded Putin's two-day India visit, which included discussions on deepening cooperation in various strategic areas.
• Pawan Khera criticized the government for a breach of protocol and questioned Congress members who accepted such invitations.

Why It Matters: The story reveals political friction over diplomatic protocol and India's foreign relations.