'India Comes First': Shashi Tharoor Responds to Congress Rift Reports and Operation Sindoor Stand

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said he has never violated the party line and that internal issues should be discussed within the Congress, not in public. Addressing reports of differences with party leaders, he said concerns would be raised privately.

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Shashi Tharoor rejects claims of breaking party line

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said he has never violated the Congress party’s stated positions in Parliament. He also made it clear that any differences within the party should be discussed internally and not through the media.

Responding to reports suggesting tensions between him and the party leadership, Tharoor said such matters are best handled within the organisation. He stressed that public speculation only creates unnecessary confusion.

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Reports of differences with party leadership

Some media reports have claimed that Tharoor is unhappy with the Congress leadership. These reports suggested that he felt sidelined at a recent party event in Kochi, where Congress leader Rahul Gandhi allegedly did not properly acknowledge his presence.

There was also speculation that certain state-level leaders were repeatedly trying to sideline him within the party.

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'Issues should be discussed in private,' says Tharoor

Speaking to News Agency PTI, Shashi Tharoor said he would raise his concerns directly with the party leadership in Delhi.

“All I can say is that there are issues which I need to take up with my own party leadership and not in a public forum,” he said. He added that he would get an opportunity during the Parliament session to clearly express his views and also hear the leadership’s perspective.

He said such discussions should be 'proper conversations' and not media debates.

'Seventeen years in Congress'

Tharoor reminded reporters that he has been with the Congress party for the past 17 years.

“Let’s not go too far,” he said, adding that any issues that may have arisen would be addressed in the right forum. He said he remains committed to resolving matters in an appropriate and respectful manner.

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Reason for missing party meeting explained

The Thiruvananthapuram MP said he had already informed the Congress leadership about his inability to attend a recent party meeting.

He explained that he wanted to attend a literature festival and that continuous travel had become difficult.

“Some reports about me might be true, while others could be false,” he said, urging people not to jump to conclusions.

Assurance of participation in Parliament

Tharoor said he would fully participate in all party activities during the Parliament session. He added that this would give him the chance to meet the party leadership in person and discuss matters directly.

He once again stressed that internal party issues should not be debated through news reports or public statements.

No comment on Kochi event

When asked directly about the alleged unfair treatment at the Kochi event, Tharoor said he would not comment on the matter.

He said he preferred to keep such discussions private and within the party framework.

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Literature festival and book exhibition

Tharoor also explained that one of the reasons for attending the literature festival was his wish to exhibit his book on Sree Narayana Guru.

Recalling an earlier incident, he said that he had once been unable to attend the Jaipur Literature Festival due to a political commitment, showing that he balances both literary and political responsibilities.

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Strong stand on Operation Sindoor

Earlier, during a session at the Kerala Literature Festival, Tharoor spoke about his position on Operation Sindoor. He said he had taken a strong stand and was “unapologetic” about it.

He explained that after the Pahalgam terror attack, he wrote a newspaper column as an observer, commentator and writer. In that column, he said the attack should not go unpunished and that a kinetic response was necessary.

Support for limited military action

Tharoor said India should not be dragged into a prolonged conflict with Pakistan. However, he said limited action targeting terrorist camps was justified.

He said he was surprised that the Indian government carried out exactly what he had suggested.

“How could I be expected to criticise it when I myself recommended it?” he asked. He said he supported Operation Sindoor fully, both during and after the operation.

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Reaction to multi-party delegation

Tharoor said that when the government sent him abroad as part of a multi-party delegation linked to Operation Sindoor, his party did not like it.

“You can speak to them and find out,” he said, without elaborating further.

India comes first, says Tharoor

Quoting India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Tharoor recalled the famous line: “Who lives if India dies.”

He said that when India’s security and global standing are at stake, national interest must come first.

He added that political parties may disagree, but when it comes to the nation, India must always prevail.

In April 2025, terrorists killed 26 people, mostly tourists, in a deadly attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. The incident shocked the nation.

In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, a precision military operation targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan.