Tharoor on Indo-Pak conflict: Spoke as proud Indian, not as Congress spokesperson

Amid reports that a section of Congress leaders felt that he crossed the ‘Lakshman Rekha’, a metaphor originating in the Ramayana, roughly meaning ‘boundary’ with his comments on the India-Pakistan hostilities, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday (May 15) clarified that he made the remarks in his individual capacity as an "Indian and a proud citizen".

He added that his comments did not reflect the stand of the party.

Congress' stand

Tharoor has been making comments on the India-Pakistan conflict that are at variance with the party's stand, which has been questioning the government over US President Donald Trump's claims of mediating a ceasefire between the two countries.

Asked about Tharoor's comments in recent interviews being at odds with the party's stand, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said at a media briefing, "That is his opinion. When Mr. Tharoor speaks, it is his view and it is not the stand of the party."

The Thiruvananthapuram MP also said that he was not aware of reports claiming that a section of Congress leaders were of the opinion that he had crossed the ‘Lakshman Rekha’ through his series of comments on the India-Pakistan conflict following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Also Read: Shashi Tharoor’s 4 objections as Trump claims credit for India-Pak truce

‘People seek my opinion’

Tharoor said that people seek his opinion on such issues, thinking that he has knowledge of it, and added that he makes it very clear to them that this was his personal opinion made as a proud Indian citizen.

"I have made it very clear that I am not a spokesperson of party, I am not a spokesperson of the government, either. People seem to think that I have some knowledge about some of these subjects, so they come and ask my views. But I have made it very clear, sometimes explicitly and sometimes implicitly, that I am expressing my personal views as an Indian and as a proud citizen," said Tharoor.

Also Read: Tharoor slams trolls abusing foreign secretary Vikram Misri over Op Sindoor

‘No mention at CWC meet'

As for reports claiming that a section of Congress leaders feel that he had crossed the red line with his comments on the India-Pakistan conflict, Tharoor said that he was present at a closed-door meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) from 4.35 pm to 6.35 pm and no reference was made to the matter during that time.

"I don't know where this comes from,” said Tharoor, adding that if he gets informed about it by the party, he would react to it.

He also said that there was “not much point” in reacting to something which had not been officially confirmed to him.

Also Read: 'Uske fitrat...': Shashi Tharoor quotes poetry after Pakistan violates ceasefire

'It's his opinion'

A PTI report quoted Congress sources as saying that "We are a democratic party and people keep expressing their opinion, but this time, Tharoor has crossed the lakshman rekha."

The sources made the assertion after a meeting of senior leaders, including Tharoor, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretaries K C Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Sachin Pilot, among others, at its 24, Akbar Road office in New Delhi, the report added.

Earlier asked about Tharoor’s remark on India never slowing third-party mediation in bilateral ties with Pakistan, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "It is his opinion. When Tharoor saab speaks, it is not the party's opinion."

(With agency inputs)