A student asked Shashi Tharoor the ‘inevitable' Congress question. How the MP responded

The Print

20-07-2025

'Politics is, unfortunately or otherwise, in any democracy, it's about competition,' he says in the 2.36-minute video he shared on his X account. 'And as a result, when people like me say that we respect our parties, we have certain values and convictions that keep us in our parties, but we need to cooperate with other parties in the interest of national security… sometimes the parties feel that is disloyal to them. And that becomes a big problem.'
The Thiruvananthapuram MP said he had been steering clear of such political discussions in public but felt the 'inevitable question' by a high school student during an event in Kochi 'deserved a response'.
New Delhi: Amid his ongoing rift with his party, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has shared a video on social media in which he responds to a student's question about the differences.
'Which is your first loyalty? To my mind, the nation comes first. Parties are a means of making the nation better.'
Tharoor said political differences on economic policies, regulations or ideologies are all a part of democracy. 'Ultimately, we must all be committed to a better India, a safer India, an India whose borders are protected, whose territory is safe, whose people's well-being can be nurtured. And that is my commitment.'
The goal of national security should transcend party lines. 'Not just bipartisan, multi-partisan.'
Also Read: Kharge's 'Modi first' swipe at Tharoor. Congress MP responds 'wings are your, sky belongs to no one'
Friction after Operation Sindoor
His current public differences with the party began after India conducted Operation Sindoor against terrorists and terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the 22 April Pahalgam attack. Many in his party did not like his praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government for Operation Sindoor.
In Kochi today, I was asking inevitable question by a high school student. While I have been steering clear of such political discussions in public, I felt a student deserved a response: pic.twitter.com/AIUpDBl0Kf
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 19, 2025
Tharoor had said he appreciated the government's decisive response, even as his party later adopted a more critical tone. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge publicly rebuked Tharoor without naming him: 'For the Congress, it is country first, but for some people, it's Modi first.'
This came shortly after Tharoor had been chosen by the Modi government to head an international outreach delegation post-Operation Sindoor. Tharoor accepting the government offer was viewed by many in the Congress as a breach of party discipline. His name was not in the list the Congress had given to the government to represent the party in the delegations.
'As you know, if you're following the news, a lot of people have been very critical of me because of the stand I have taken supporting our armed forces and our government and what happened recently in our country and on our borders. But I will stand my ground because I believe this is the right thing for the country,' he says in the video. 'And when I speak of India, I speak for all Indians, not just those who may like my party.'
He then quoted first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's famous line which he is 'very fond of' quoting. 'Who lives if India dies? And that's a question to which there is no answer. India must come first. Then only can we all live,' he said.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: Emergency column puts Tharoor in firing line. Congress says 'decide which party you belong to'