'There was no need to ask us to stop': Shashi Tharoor reacts to Rahul Gandhi's 'Narender, surrender' jibe at PM; watch video
Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor (R)
NEW DELHI: Congress MP
Shashi Tharoor
offered a measured response to party colleague
Rahul Gandhi
's controversial "Narender, surrender" jibe at Prime Minister
Narendra Modi
, asserting that domestic political differences should not overshadow India's unified stance abroad.
Speaking in Washington, where he is leading an all-party parliamentary delegation, Tharoor diplomatically navigated questions about Gandhi's remarks that accused PM Modi of capitulating to US President Donald Trump during a the recent standoff.
'In a democracy, and this is normal, parties will contend, criticism will be expressed, demands will be made, points of view will be laid out. We are not here on a party political mission.
We are here as representatives of a united India,' Tharoor said.
'I often point out to my interlocutors that we have five political parties amongst my seven MPs. We have three religions, we have got seven states... it's an incredible cross section reflective of India's diversity. There is an old saying that our political differences stop at the edge of the border. Once you cross the border, you are an Indian and your other allegiances come second,' he added.
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Tharoor dismissed concerns over intra-party criticism overshadowing the delegation's mission. 'I think, frankly, when one is doing the nation's service, I don't think one needs to worry too much about these things,' he said. Referring to a recent statement by fellow Congress leader Salman Khurshid, Tharoor added, 'I noticed that my friend Salman Khurshid has asked the question, 'Is it so difficult to be a patriot in our country these days?' And I think anybody who considers that working in the national interest is some sort of anti-party activity really needs to question themselves rather than us.
I honestly feel at this point in time that we are focused on a mission here, and we don't really need to spend too much time worrying about what is said or not said in the heat of the moment by various individuals. Because for us, the focus really is on this much larger and more important message.'
On the matter of US mediation in India-Pakistan tensions, Tharoor reiterated India's firm stance. 'I am not necessarily having to address this issue because I am not here to stir up any sort of complication with the White House.
We have enormous respect for the American presidency,' he said. 'I think we don't know exactly what his folks said to Pakistan. We didn't need persuading by anybody. We were clear — there was no need to ask us to stop because we had said: you hit us, we will hit back, and if they will stop, we will stop.
We said that on the first day, we said that on the last day. They may have talked to Pakistan, but that is between them and Pakistan.'
Tharoor's remarks come after Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a rally in Bhopal, alleged that Prime Minister Modi had acted on a cue from US President Donald Trump during a military standoff. 'As soon as Trump signalled from there, picked up the phone and said, 'what are you doing Modi ji? Narender, surrender'...and Modi ji obeyed Trump's orders with 'Ji Huzoor',' LoP had said.
Former Congress president also invoked the memory of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, saying, 'Back then a phone call had not come but the US had sent its 7th fleet, weapons, and an aircraft carrier, but Indira Gandhi didn't surrender and said she would go by national interest.'
He further alleged that the BJP and RSS were habituated to 'writing surrender letters' since India's independence.
The BJP, in response, accused Gandhi of insulting the armed forces and undermining the success of
Operation Sindoor
with his comments.
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