Never violated party line, unapologetic over Operation Sindoor stance: Shashi Tharoor

Mangalore Today News Network

Kozhikode, Jan 24, 2026: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said he has never gone against the party’s official stand in Parliament, clarifying that his only principled public disagreement was on Operation Sindoor.

Speaking during a session at the Kerala Literature Festival here, Tharoor said he had taken a firm position on the issue and remained “unapologetic” about it.

His remarks come amid recent reports suggesting differences between Tharoor and the party leadership, with speculation that he is unhappy over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi allegedly not adequately acknowledging him at a recent event in Kochi, and over repeated attempts by state leaders to sideline him.

Explaining his stand, Tharoor said that as an observer and writer, he had penned a newspaper column after the Pahalgam incident, stating that it should not go unpunished and that a kinetic response was necessary.

He said that while India remains focused on development, it should not be drawn into a prolonged conflict with Pakistan, and that any action should be limited to targeting terrorist camps.

Tharoor added that he was surprised to see the Indian government act in exactly the manner he had suggested.

Referring to India’s national priorities, Tharoor recalled Jawaharlal Nehru’s famous question, “Who lives if India dies?”

“When India is at stake, when its security and its place in the world are involved, India comes first,” he said.

He added that while political parties may differ in their approaches as part of the democratic process, national interest must always take precedence.