Shashi Tharoor Archives - National Times

12 Dec

Shashi Tharoor skips Rahul Gandhi-led meeting for Congress MPs, third time in a row

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaCongress, Shashi Tharoor

National Times Bureau :- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor skipped a meeting of the party’s Lok Sabha MPs chaired by Rahul Gandhi on Friday, raising fresh questions within the party about why he keeps missing important discussions. Party sources said Tharoor had informed the leadership beforehand, though the Congress chief whip said he didn’t know the reason for his absence. Tharoor, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram, has recently faced criticism for comments that some believe were too soft on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. He missed Friday’s meeting as well as several other Congress Lok Sabha meetings in recent weeks.…

05 Jun

Tharoor Asserts India Acted Alone in Operation Sindoor, Rejects Trump’s Mediation Claims

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaDonald Trump mediation, India-Pakistan, Operation Sindoor, Shashi Tharoor

New Delhi, June 5, 2025 — Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has strongly affirmed that India independently decided to conclude its military operations during Operation Sindoor, countering claims of foreign mediation, including from U.S. President Donald Trump. Tharoor stated that the country’s response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack was “measured, firm, and sovereign,” designed solely to dismantle terror infrastructure without provoking a wider conflict.Amid circulating narratives about diplomatic interventions, Tharoor clarified that no formal request or engagement was made with any third party for mediation between India and Pakistan. “India’s response was based on its own assessments and strategic…

31 May

India Secures Diplomatic Victory as Colombia Withdraws Statement Sympathizing with Pakistan

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaColombia withdrawal, Operation Sindoor, Shashi Tharoor

Bogotá/New Delhi, May 31, 2025: In a major diplomatic win for India, Colombia has officially withdrawn its earlier statement expressing condolences to Pakistan over casualties following India's precision strikes under Operation Sindoor. The retraction comes after strong intervention by an Indian all-party delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.The delegation, which included BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, met Colombia’s Vice Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio and conveyed India’s deep disappointment. They clarified that the May 7 Indian strike targeted only terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.…

30 May

Tharoor in Colombia: Indus Treaty Suspended Due to Pakistan’s Terror Complicity, India Exercising Self-Defence

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaIndus Waters Treaty Suspended, Operation Sindoor, Shashi Tharoor

Bogota (Colombia), May 30, 2025: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, leading a multiparty Indian delegation in Colombia, declared that the Indus Waters Treaty has been placed in abeyance by the Indian government as a justified response to Pakistan's sustained betrayal of goodwill through cross-border terrorism.Speaking in Bogota, Tharoor stated that the 1960 treaty, originally framed in a “spirit of goodwill and harmony,” has been persistently violated in essence due to Pakistan's state-sponsored terrorism over the last four decades. “India, despite being an upper riparian state, has adhered to the treaty's terms with generosity. But the time for unilateral goodwill has ended,”…

29 May

Congress Rift Widens: Shashi Tharoor Defends Remarks on Operation Sindoor, Hits Out at Party Critics

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, PoliticsCongress rift, Operation Sindoor, Shashi Tharoor, Udit Raj

New Delhi, May 29, 2025: Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has lashed out at critics within his own party, accusing them of "distorting" his remarks regarding India's cross-border reprisals under Operation Sindoor. The backlash came after Tharoor, part of an all-party international delegation, praised India's recent military response to terror attacks a move interpreted by some Congress leaders as endorsement of the BJP-led government.Taking to X (formerly Twitter) late Thursday night from Panama, Tharoor clarified that his comments focused solely on India's response to terrorism and not on previous wars. "I was clearly and explicitly speaking only about reprisals for…

28 May

BJP Defends Shashi Tharoor Amid Congress Criticism Over LoC Remarks

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, PoliticsBJP, Congress, Line of Control, Shashi Tharoor, Udit Raj

New Delhi, May 28, 2025: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come to the defense of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor following criticism from his own party, particularly from Congress leader Udit Raj. The controversy stems from Tharoor's recent statement made during an event in Panama, where he asserted that India had crossed the Line of Control (LoC) for the first time during the 2016 surgical strikes in Uri. Udit Raj took to social media platform X to express his disapproval, labeling Tharoor as a "BJP super spokesperson" and accusing him of diminishing the Congress party's historical military achievements. Raj highlighted…

17 May

Excluded by Congress, Tharoor Accepts Govt’s Offer to Head Operation Sindoor Delegation

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaAll-party Delegation, Operation Sindoor, Pahalgam terror attack, Shashi Tharoor

New Delhi, May 17, 2025 — In a major diplomatic initiative, the Indian government has announced a seven-member all-party delegation under Operation Sindoor to brief key international allies about India’s firm and calibrated response to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, particularly the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.Congress MP Shashi Tharoor will lead one of the delegations, a move that has stirred controversy within the Congress party. Tharoor's name did not figure in the original list submitted by Congress, which had recommended leaders like Salman Khurshid, Manish Tewari, Anand Sharma, and Jairam Ramesh. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh publicly criticized the decision,…

02 May

PM Modi’s Jibe at Vizhinjam Port Inauguration Sparks Political Ripples

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaPinarayi Vijayan, PM Modi, Shashi Tharoor, Vizhinjam Port

Thiruvananthapuram, May 2, 2025 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi sparked a political buzz on Thursday with a pointed remark during the inauguration of the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala. Sharing the stage with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, Modi commented that their presence together would cause “sleepless nights to many,” triggering sharp responses from opposition leaders.Addressing the event, the Prime Minister said, “The Chief Minister here is a strong pillar of the INDI alliance. Shashi Tharoor is also sitting here. Today’s event will take away the sleep of many.” The remark is widely seen as…

02 Mar

Rahul Gandhi Dismisses Rift Rumors, Says Kerala Congress Stands United

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsPoliticsKerala Congress unity, Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor

New Delhi, March 3, 2025 – Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has reaffirmed that the Congress leadership in Kerala is "united," amid speculation of a rift between the party and senior leader Shashi Tharoor.Gandhi shared a photo from a press conference held after a key meeting with the party’s top leadership in Delhi on February 28. "They stand as one, united by the light of purpose ahead," he captioned the post, adding the hashtag #TeamKerala. Congress Issues Warning Against Indiscipline The meeting, attended by Tharoor, Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, general secretary K.C. Venugopal, Wayanad MP…