Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor made a significant statement on Saturday, firmly asserting that he has never violated any of his party's official positions during parliamentary proceedings. The only exception, he noted, was his principled public disagreement concerning Operation Sindoor, a matter on which he continues to stand strong without apology.
Tharoor's Clarification at Kerala Literature Festival
Tharoor delivered these remarks while responding to audience questions at the Kerala Literature Festival held in Kozhikode. He emphasized that a thorough review of his public statements would reveal no instances of deviation from the Congress party's parliamentary stances. "If you look at any of my public statements on record, I at no stage violated any of the party's positions in Parliament," Tharoor stated clearly.
Unapologetic Stance on Operation Sindoor
The MP highlighted that Operation Sindoor was the sole issue where he publicly disagreed on principle. "The only issue on which there has been a public disagreement on principle has been about Operation Sindoor, where I did take a very strong stand. Let me say to all of you that I remain unapologetic about that," he declared. Tharoor elaborated that he had previously advocated for targeted actions against terrorism without escalating conflict with Pakistan, a recommendation he was pleased to see the government implement.
Addressing Reports of Party Discontent
Tharoor's comments came amidst media reports suggesting he was upset over not receiving adequate acknowledgment at the Congress party's Maha Panchayat programme in Kochi, which was attended by Rahul Gandhi. When questioned about skipping a key strategy meeting called by the national leadership ahead of state polls—a meeting attended by other senior Kerala leaders—Tharoor chose discretion.
"You have written various things in the media, and some would be true, some may not be, and it is not right for me to conduct a public discussion on it here," he responded. He clarified that he had informed the party leadership in advance about his prior commitment to the Kozhikode event, which he did not wish to cancel.
Refusal to Comment on Perceived Snub
When pressed about whether reports of a snub at the Ernakulam event were accurate, Tharoor maintained his silence. "You are saying that I was dissatisfied. I don't wish to add anything to that. My intention was to come here and I told the party leadership about it," he said, reiterating his preference for direct communication with party officials rather than public discourse.
Throughout the interaction, Tharoor underscored his commitment to expressing any concerns directly to the party leadership, avoiding media speculation. His appearance at the literature festival thus served as a platform to clarify his parliamentary loyalty while firmly defending his independent stance on national security matters.
