"It was very important for us to rally around flag": Shashi Tharoor clarifies his stance on Op Sindoor

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], May 15 (ANI): Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday clarified his stance on Operation Sindoor, emphasising that his views were personal and not representative of the party's opinion.
He highlighted the importance of rallying around the national flag, particularly in the US, Europe, and the Middle East, to contribute to the national conversation, especially internationally, where India's perspective was underrepresented.
Tharoor emphasised that his opinions were individual and not reflective of the Congress party's stance.
"I made it very clear that I am expressing my personal views. It was really a contribution to the national discourse, at a time when it was very important for us to rally around the flag, especially internationally. There was a relative lack of our point of view being heard, particularly in the US, Europe, and the Middle East...," said Tharoor.

This comes after the Congress party distanced itself from party MP Shashi Tharoor's remarks on the Operation Sindoor and understanding between India and Pakistan.
He claimed to have received no communication from the party regarding his views, only seeing media reports.
"People are entirely free to reject my point of view. I have received no communication from the party; all I am seeing is media reports...," added the Congress leader.
Tharoor affirmed that he spoke as an Indian and the views he expressed were his personal, adding that he is neither a spokesperson of the party nor the government.
"...At this time, at a time of conflict, I spoke as an Indian. I never pretended to speak for anyone else. I am not a spokesperson for the party. I am not the government spokesperson. Whatever I have said, you may agree or disagree with that, blame it on me individually, and that's fine..." said Tharoor on Congress party's reported remarks - 'Lakshman Rekha' and 'not party's opinion' over his stance regarding Operation Sindoor and India-Pakistan understanding.
On Wednesday, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh had said, "It is his opinion. What Shashi Tharoor speaks is not the opinion of the party."
Reacting on this, Tharoor endorsed Jairam Ramesh's remarks, reiterating that he is not a spokesman of the party. He noted that his party - Congress, had already declared complete solidarity with the government and the armed forces at the beginning of India-Pakistan 'conflict' and with that spirit, he also expressed his support.
Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, the Congress MP said, "But he's correct. He's absolutely correct. I very clear I'm not a spokesman of the party. I'm not a spokesman of the government either... People seem to think I have some knowledge about some of these subjects, and so they come and ask me my views. I make it very clear, sometimes explicitly, sometimes implicitly, that I'm expressing my personal views as an Indian, as a proud citizen, and certainly don't forget that my own party had declared complete solidarity with the government and the armed forces at the beginning of this conflict and that spirit. I also expressed that support...."
Furthermore, Congress MP Tharoor refuted the reports which had claimed that Congress leaders in the meeting of Congress Working Committee (CWC) had said that Tharoor has "crossed Lakshman Rekha' over his stance regarding Operation Sindoor and India-Pakistan understanding.
Tharoor said, "I don't know where it came from. I was in the meeting, a closed-door meeting, with the leaders of the Congress Working Committee (CWC). I was there till 6.35 pm for the meeting that began at 4.30. And I must say that in that time there was certainly no reference to any of this, and no reference to me. Now, if something happened thereafter, I am yet to be informed of it. So when I'm informed I will react, I don't see much point in reacting to something of which has been no official communication to me of any kind, nor any discussion of which I was a part."
Tharoor has been praising the Centre's handling of Operation Sindoor. Tharoor had also welcomed the understanding between India and Pakistan to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air and emphasised the importance of 'peace.'
However, Congress, which had extended support to the Centre in its action against those behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, has now questioned the BJP-led Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on United States President Donald Trump's claims of mediating between the India and Pakistan on the cessation of hostilities.
India launched Operation Sindoor in response to last month's Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. India's precision strikes in Pakistan and PoJK on May 7 killed over 100 terrorists. (ANI)