‘Spoke as a proud Indian, not Congress representative’: Shashi Tharoor clarifies stand on India-Pak conflict remarks

Speaking to reporters, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said he shared his opinion as an Indian citizen.

“People seem to think that I have some of the knowledge, so they come and ask my views. But I have made it very clear, sometimes explicitly and sometimes implicitly, that I am expressing my personal views as an Indian and as a proud citizen,” Tharoor said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

When asked about reports that some party leaders felt he had crossed the “Lakshman Rekha” by diverging from the Congress line on Operation Sindoor and the subsequent ceasefire announcement, Tharoor said he was not aware of any such concerns being raised during the party meeting.

“I don’t know where this comes from. I was at a closed-door meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC). I was there till 6.35pm for the meeting that began at 4.30pm. And I must say that at that time, there was certainly no reference to any of this and no reference to me. If something happened thereafter, I am yet to be informed about it. So, when I am informed, I will react to it,” he said.

His response followed reports that, during the CWC meeting held on Wednesday, some Congress leaders alleged that Tharoor had crossed a line with his statements.

The phrase "Lakshman Rekha", borrowed from the Ramayana, is often used metaphorically to indicate a boundary that should not be crossed.

The meeting had been convened to discuss developments after the ceasefire announcement and related events, including US President Donald Trump’s declaration of the conflict’s end.

During the session, Jairam Ramesh reportedly cited Tharoor’s statements as diverging from the party’s line, according to PTI.