Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said that he has never violated the party’s stated stand in Parliament. The Thiruvananthapuram MP said his only public difference of opinion on principle was over ‘Operation Sindoor’. Speaking during a session at the Kerala Literature Festival, Tharoor said he had taken a strong stance on the issue and had “no regrets”.
Tharoor’s statement comes amid recent reports that there are “differences between Tharoor and the party leadership”. There is speculation that Tharoor is “sad” that Rahul Gandhi did not take his name despite his presence on the stage at a recent event in Kochi, and that state leaders are repeatedly trying to “sideline” him.
What did Shashi Tharoor say about Pahalgam attack?
Clearing his position, the Congress MP said that as an observer and writer, he had written a column in a newspaper after the Pahalgam incident, in which he had said that revenge should be taken and concrete action should be taken. He said that since India is focused on development, it should not get into a long-term conflict with Pakistan, and any action should be limited to targeting terrorist camps.
Shashi Tharoor mentioned Nehru
The Congress MP said he was surprised to learn that the Indian government did exactly what he had suggested. Tharoor said it was the country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who asked the question, “If India ceases to exist, who will be left?” He further said, “When India is at stake, when India’s security and its place in the world are at stake, India comes first.”
When it comes to national interest, India is paramount: Tharoor
The Congress MP said there may be differences between political parties in the process of building a better India, but when it comes to national interest, India should always be paramount.