Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has responded to Rahul Gandhi’s comment about Prime Minister Narendra Modi being intimidated by a phone call from former US President Donald Trump by saying that such criticism is a routine part of democratic politics. Speaking to news agency PTI, Tharoor, who is part of an all-party delegation visiting other countries to promote India’s position on terrorism after Operation Sindoor, said it is common in a democracy for parties to express differing views, raise concerns, and engage in criticism. He also clarified that their international outreach was not a political campaign.
Rahul Gandhi had on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of backing down during the India-Pakistan military conflict following a phone call from then US President Donald Trump. Speaking at a party convention in Bhopal, Gandhi contrasted Modi’s response with that of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who, he said, stood firm during the 1971 war even when the US deployed its Seventh Fleet. “A call came from Trump and Narendra Modi ji immediately surrendered – history is a witness, this is the character of BJP-RSS, they always bow down,” Rahul said.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had earlier dismissed claims that India’s military actions in Operation Sindoor were influenced by external pressure. His statement comes in response to remarks by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi surrendered under US pressure following a call from then-President Donald Trump. Addressing a press conference in Washington, Tharoor made it clear that India did not require foreign persuasion to halt its retaliatory strike on Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.
“India didn’t need persuading to stop. No one needed to tell us to stop,” Tharoor said. “We were telling them — the moment Pakistan stops, we are prepared to stop.
So if they, in turn, told the Pakistanis, ‘You better stop because the Indians are willing to stop,’ that’s a wonderful gesture on their part, but it doesn’t mean we surrendered.” Tharoor’s remarks were aimed at downplaying the suggestion that the US played a decisive mediating role in halting Operation Sindoor, which was launched by India in response to a brutal terror attack that killed 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir. Reiterating India’s peace-first policy, Tharoor further added, “We don’t desire war, we don’t seek it. But if it is thrust upon us, we will face it with courage.
Mahatma Gandhi taught us not to live in fear, and we will not live in fear.” He also reminded the media that India’s focus remains on economic progress and technological advancement. “We are focused on our economic development and our growth. We are focused on technology, pharmaceuticals — a whole range of activities that mark us out as a significant player in the global arena,” he said.
Tharoor called the terror attack in Pahalgam a tragic and frustrating distraction for India, especially at a time when the country is focusing on accelerating its economic and global rise. “This terrorist episode was a distraction. It was most unfortunate, and even frustrating, to have this inflicted upon us at a time when we were focusing on growth,” he added.
