India Stands United Against Terrorism: Shashi Tharoor
In a recent address at the Indian consulate in New York, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor discussed India’s measured response to the devastating terror attack in Pahalgam and how the country came together to counter Pakistan’s state-sponsored terrorism. According to a report by Hindustan Times, Tharoor emphasised that India needed to respond strongly to the terror attack, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
Tharoor, who is leading an all-party delegation to the United States as part of India’s diplomatic outreach after Operation Sindoor and a military conflict with Pakistan, highlighted the fact that while he was in the Opposition, he believed that India needed to respond strongly and that is what it did. "I don’t work for the government, as you know. I work for an opposition party, but I myself authored an op-ed in one of India’s leading papers, within a couple of days, saying that the time had come to hit hard and hit smart, and I’m pleased to say that’s exactly what India did," said Tharoor, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
The Congress MP also visited the National September 11 Memorial in the US with his all-party delegation, which included JMM MP Sarfaraz Ahmad, BJP MPs Tejasvi Surya and Bhubaneswar Kalita, and TDP MP Ganti Harish Madhur. During his address, Tharoor stated that the Pahalgam terror attack, which was intended to divide people, ultimately brought Indians together, irrespective of their religion or any other divide. "There was an extraordinary amount of togetherness cutting across religious and other divides that people have tried to provoke. The message is very clear that there was a malign intent… India, sadly, had no reason to doubt where it came from," he said, as reported by Hindustan Times.
Tharoor also spoke about Operation Sindoor, which was launched by India on May 7 to avenge the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. The operation targeted nine terror sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). According to Hindustan Times, Tharoor highlighted how precise and calibrated strikes took place on "9 specific known terrorist bases, headquarters and launchpads. Those included those of the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke, Jaish-e-Mohammad in Bahawalpur, responsible amongst other things for the murder of Daniel Pearl." He added that India’s intent was not to escalate the situation, but to send a clear message that it would not tolerate terrorism.
The incident has brought to the forefront the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, with India accusing Pakistan of sponsoring terrorism. Tharoor’s comments come at a time when India and Pakistan are experiencing heightened tensions, with both countries engaging in a diplomatic outreach to garner international support. As per Hindustan Times, Tharoor’s visit to the US and his address at the Indian consulate in New York are seen as part of India’s efforts to build international support and pressure Pakistan to take action against terrorist groups operating from its soil.
In conclusion, Tharoor’s address at the Indian consulate in New York highlights India’s strong stance against terrorism and its determination to take a proactive approach to counter Pakistan’s state-sponsored terrorism. As reported by Hindustan Times, Tharoor’s comments reflect the Indian government’s commitment to taking all necessary measures to protect its citizens and maintain peace and stability in the region. The incident serves as a reminder of the complex and often fraught relationship between India and Pakistan, and the need for continued diplomatic efforts to address the issue of terrorism.
