New Delhi: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor will lead one of seven all-party delegations to brief key countries on the recent India-Pakistan conflict. This comes despite his name being left out of the Congress party’s official recommendations for the diplomatic mission.
Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has said he is honoured to serve the country as part of a government-led diplomatic outreach on Operation Sindoor. He made the statement after being chosen by the Centre to lead one of seven MP delegations to brief foreign governments on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
The move is seen as significant, especially as Tharoor was not one of the four names recommended by the Congress for this outreach. The party had instead named Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.
Tharoor, however, played down the snub.
“When the nation needs my services, I am available,” he told reporters. “This has nothing to do with party politics. It’s about national unity in tough times.”
He emphasized the importance of showing a united front after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which prompted India’s Operation Sindoor.
Tharoor has recently praised the government’s response to the attack. He called the airstrikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir “calibrated” and “very, very calculated.” These remarks, according to Congress insiders, caused discomfort within party ranks.
A senior party leader, speaking anonymously, claimed Tharoor had “crossed the Lakshman Rekha” with his open support for the Modi government’s military actions.
Despite the backlash, Tharoor stood by his statements.
“I speak in my personal capacity. I am not a spokesperson for the party or the government,” he said.
Tharoor also revealed that he had informed the party leadership of his involvement in the mission. He said he assumed the Parliamentary Affairs Minister had also spoken with opposition leaders.
“I am honoured to have been entrusted with the responsibility,” Tharoor added. “I will carry it out as I have in every role I’ve taken, whether at the UN or in the Congress.”
The Congress has so far been cautious in its comments on military action. It has instead focused criticism on the Modi government’s handling of international diplomacy, including U.S. President Trump’s claim of mediating a ceasefire.
Tharoor’s inclusion by the government, despite not being backed by his own party, highlights growing tensions within the Congress on matters of national security and foreign policy.
Tags: #ShashiTharoor #OperationSindoor #Congress #IndiaPakistan #NationalUnity #ForeignPolicy #IndiaTerrorResponse
