Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday reaffirmed his belief that national interest must take precedence over party politics. Quoting former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Tharoor said, “Who lives if India dies?” — underscoring the need for unity in times of national crisis.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP was speaking in Kochi when a high school student asked about the criticism he has faced from within the Congress party for his cross-party outreach and nationalistic stance, particularly following the Pahalgam terror attack.
“Put your differences aside when the nation is imperilled. India must come first, then only can we all live,” Tharoor responded. Emphasising that political parties are tools to serve the country, he added, “To my mind, the nation comes first. Parties are a means of making the nation better. Whichever party you belong to, the goal is to create a better India.”
Tharoor’s comments come amid backlash over his leadership in an all-party delegation to countries like the U.S. to highlight India’s stance on Pakistan’s terror links after the Pahalgam attack and during Operation Sindoor. His effort to present a united national front drew criticism from some within the Congress, who viewed it as aligning too closely with the ruling party.
Last month, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge appeared to indirectly criticise Tharoor, saying, “For the Congress, it’s country first. For some, it’s Modi first, country later.”
Addressing the divide, Tharoor remarked, “Politics is about competition. But when people like me say we respect our parties and also want to cooperate with others for national security, some see that as disloyalty. That becomes a big problem.”
Tharoor stood firm on his stance: “I’ve been criticised for supporting our armed forces and government, but I’ll stand my ground. This is the right thing for the country.”
When asked about any differences with the Congress high command, Tharoor declined to comment, saying, “I came to give two speeches.”
Asked about a recent survey naming him as the most preferred chief ministerial candidate for the Congress-led UDF in Kerala, Tharoor kept it light. “Someone forwarded it to me and I did a salute in reply. I’m not making any comment,” he said.