“Our message to Pakistan, if you react then we will also react”: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor

New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday highlighted India’s focus on development and restraint in the face of terrorism, conveying a clear message to Pakistan that India would respond if provoked, while sharing how India’s all-party delegation successfully conveyed India’s stance against terrorism to the world.

He underscored India’s mettle, stating that while India’s reach has been wide and expansive, Pakistan stands nowhere in comparison.

Speaking to the media after his return, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, “We said it firmly that from the beginning, our message to Pakistan was that if you react, then we will also react, and if you stop, then we will stop, too.”

The delegation’s message was well-received, with many interlocutors expressing respect for India’s restraint and understanding of the situation.

Tharoor said that the countries understood the message that India did not want to go to war. “India’s focus is vikas (development), the future of our people, and we are working towards that, and in the middle of this, these terrorists come and attack us. This is not right, and hence we responded.”

Tharoor highlighted the difference in diplomatic efforts between India and Pakistan, noting that India sent seven delegations while Pakistan sent only two.

“The way India has conveyed its message, Pakistan doesn’t even come close”. Tharoor added that while India sent seven delegations, Pakistan only sent two.

“We sent our message to many countries… Take the example that we were in Washington simultaneously. Look at the list of our appointments and see that there is no comparison (between India and Pakistan). So I think if you want to look at one side and the other side, Pakistan did not even come close.

Tharoor praised the diversity of the all-party delegation, reflecting India’s unity and strong diplomatic efforts. He expressed optimism about an upcoming meeting with Prime Minister Modi, saying, “We are very happy that PM Modi wants to meet us.”

Tharoor said about his delegation’s visit, “We were all very pleased with how the five countries went through to receive us. We had good results everywhere– high-quality meetings– president, prime minister, vice presidents, very senior interlocutors everywhere and at the same time they there was a complete understanding and support for a position on why this whole thing had been triggered off in Pahalgam, what our reaction had to be. In fact, many of the people we spoke to specifically expressed respect for the restraint we have shown in our reaction.”

Tharoor concluded that the delegation’s visit was a success, fulfilling its purpose of demonstrating India’s unity and delivering an effective message to government officials, legislators, think tanks, media, and the diaspora

“I would say that we have come out of this extreme well. As far as the government is concerned I think the purpose of sending MPs to both demonstrate the Unity of India across political lines and the same time to deliver an effective message to government officials, legislators think tanks and opinion makers as well as media and where appropriate, the diaspora, all of this was very thoroughly fulfilled so I would say that touchwood we have done what they used to do and that way coming home reasonably exhausted and reasonably happy,” he said.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor led the all-party delegation which includes Shambhavi Chaudhary (Lok Janshakti Party), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha), G M Harish Balayogi (Telugu Desam Party), Shashank Mani Tripathi, Tejaswi Surya, and Bhubaneswar Kalita (all from the BJP), Mallikarjun Devda (Shiv Sena), former Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, and Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora.

This diplomatic effort formed a part of India’s global outreach following Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam by Pakistan-sponsored militants that claimed 26 lives and injured several others.

Subsequently, the Indian Armed Forces carried out targeted strikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of over 100 terrorists linked to groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.