Tharoor speaks wisely, Siddu caught with his foot in his mouth

Congress leaders appear to be at odds over their stance on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah blaming security failures for the Pahalgam massacre, while senior MP Shashi Tharoor voiced support for the Centre’s plans for a strong response.

Under pressure from the BJP after Pakistani TV channels celebrated his remark that “war with Pakistan is not an option,” Siddaramaiah denied making such a comment.

Sensing that his tone-deaf statement could carry a heavy political cost amid public outrage over the Pahalgam attack, Siddaramaiah fell back on a familiar tactic: blaming the media. “I just said war is not the solution. Protection should have been given to the tourists. Whose responsibility is this? I said there has been a failure,” the Congress leader clarified. He added, “There was a failure of intelligence. The Government of India didn’t provide sufficient security. As for war, if it is inevitable, we must go to war.”

His remarks on 26 April prompted a sharp response from the BJP, which branded him “Pakistan Ratna.”

Not all Congress leaders, however, seemed eager to engage in a blame game. Tharoor said, “After Uri, the government carried out a surgical strike across the border, and after Pulwama, there was the Balakot air strike. Today, I believe we will see even more than that. It is clear we have a range of options — diplomatic, economic, intelligence-sharing, covert, and overt actions. Some sort of visible military response is unavoidable.”

The Thiruvananthapuram MP appeared to back the Modi government’s resolve to punish Pakistan, saying, “The nation is demanding and expecting it. No one knows what the response will be, where it will happen, or when. But I am convinced there will be a response.”

Responding to Pakistan Peoples’ Party chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s inflammatory “blood will flow” comment over India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, Tharoor said, “They must understand they cannot kill Indians with impunity. We do not wish harm upon Pakistanis, but if they attack us, they should be prepared for a response. If blood is going to flow, it will likely flow more on their side than ours.”

Following an all-party meeting on 24 April to discuss the terror attack, Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also expressed full support for government action.

“All parties condemned the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam,” Gandhi said. “We have given the government full support to take any action it deems necessary.”

Indian politicsKashmirNews BriefPahalgamShashi TharoorSiddaramaiahterror attackWeb Exclusive