Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday rejected speculation of a rift with the party leadership, saying he has never violated the Congress’s stated positions in Parliament and that his only public disagreement in principle was over Operation Sindoor.
Speaking during a session at the Kerala Literature Festival in Kozhikode, Tharoor said he had taken a firm stand on the issue and remained “unapologetic” about his position.
His remarks come amid reports highlighting what have been described as “Tharoor’s differences with the party leadership”, including speculation that he is unhappy over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi not adequately acknowledging him at a recent event in Kochi and over alleged attempts by state leaders to sideline him.
Responding to questions on the issue, Tharoor said his record in Parliament reflects consistency with the party’s stated positions.
He explained that, as an observer and writer, he had penned a newspaper column after the Pahalgam incident, arguing that the attack should not go unpunished and that a kinetic response was necessary.
Tharoor said this was the only instance where he publicly expressed a difference in principle, stressing that he stood by the position he took at the time.
He said that while India is focused on development, it should not be dragged into a prolonged conflict with Pakistan, and that any action should be limited to targeting terrorist camps.
Tharoor said that to his surprise, the Indian government did exactly what he had recommended.
Tharoor said it was Jawaharlal Nehru who posed the famous question: "Who lives if India dies?" "When India is at stake, when India’s security and its place in the world are involved, India comes first," he said.
He added that political parties may have differences as part of the process of building a better India, but when national interests are involved, India must prevail.