Shashi Tharoor Clarifies His India-Pakistan Remarks Were Personal, Not Congress' Views: 'To My Mind...'

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor clarified on Thursday that his recent remarks on the India-Pakistan conflict were made in a personal capacity - as "an Indian and a proud citizen" - and did not reflect the official position of the Congress party.

Speaking to the press, the Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala said he was unaware of reports suggesting that some within his party believed he had crossed the "Lakshman Rekha" - a metaphor from the Ramayana often used to denote overstepping boundaries - through his repeated public commentary on the matter.

Photo Credit: PTI

"People seem to think I have knowledge on some of these subjects. So they come and ask me my views. And I make it very clear, sometimes explicitly and sometimes implicitly, that I am expressing my personal views as an Indian, as a proud citizen," Tharoor told reporters.

When asked about concerns reportedly raised by certain Congress leaders, he responded, "I don't know where this comes from. I was at a closed-door meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC). I was there till 6.35pm for the meeting that began at 4.30pm. And I must say that at that time, there was certainly no reference to any of this and no reference to me. If something happened thereafter, I am yet to be informed about it. So when I am informed, I will react to it."

He continued, "I don't see much point in reacting to something of which there has been no official communication to me of any kind, nor any discussion that I was a part of."

Sources claim that during the CWC meeting held the day before, some leaders expressed concern that Tharoor had overstepped the "Lakshman Rekha" with his remarks. One of them said, "We are a democratic party and people keep expressing their opinion, but this time, Tharoor has crossed the Lakshman Rekha."

Tharoor defended his interventions, stating, "To my mind, it was merely a contribution to a very important national discourse at a time when, frankly, it was important for us to rally around the flag, especially internationally."

He added that there was a "relative lack of our point of view being heard, particularly in Europe, the Middle East, the US and so on."

He explained that when international media approached him, "I felt it was my duty to give my point of view that I believe accurately reflects my understanding anyway of what India believes and stands for and would have done."

Clarifying further, he said he had no access to any classified information and was simply expressing his opinion.

"I am giving my personal opinion as somebody who has been witnessing and watching world affairs from close waters for a very long time. That's about it. People are entirely welcome to reject my point of view - that is my point of view, that's all, to which I believe I am entitled," he stated.

He also agreed with Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh's comment that Tharoor is not responsible for party communications. "He is correct. He is absolutely correct. I made it clear I am not a spokesperson of the party. I am not a spokesperson of the government either," he affirmed.

Tharoor recalled that the Congress party had shown full support to the government amid the conflict with Pakistan. "Don't forget that my own party had declared complete solidarity with the government and the armed forces at the beginning of this conflict..." he noted.

At a previous press briefing, Jairam Ramesh had said about Tharoor's comments: "That is his opinion. When Tharoor speaks, it is his view and it is not the stand of the party."

Tharoor had drawn attention for explaining India's stance in interviews with international outlets, which even earned him praise from senior BJP leader Amit Malviya.

The Congress MP had also commended the government's response, stating, "I have no doubts that a meticulously planned operation like this came out of a sophisticated military headquarters. It's not some random, crazy doing something," referring to Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack - a move that has heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.