Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said that politics in a democracy inevitably involves competition, but added that efforts at cross-party cooperation are sometimes misinterpreted as disloyalty. Tharoor was speaking at an event in Kochi, where he responded to a question from a high school student regarding his current relationship with the Congress party leadership. The question came in the context of Tharoor recently leading an all-party delegation to the Americas following the Pahalgam terror attack and the launch of Operation Sindoor.
"Politics is fundamentally about competition,” Tharoor said. “When people like me say that while we respect our parties, we also believe in cooperating with other parties in the interest of national security, it is sometimes seen as disloyalty. That becomes a major problem.”
Referring to the criticism he has faced for supporting the armed forces and the government's actions during times of national crisis, Tharoor stood firm in his position. “A lot of people have been very critical of me for the stance I’ve taken—supporting our armed forces and our government during critical times. But I will continue to stand my ground because I believe it is the right thing to do for the country,” he said.
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He reiterated that for him, the nation will always take precedence over party lines. “To my mind, the nation comes first. Political parties are merely instruments to serve and improve the nation,” Tharoor said. “Every party—regardless of whether it advocates capitalism or socialism, more regulation or less—ultimately wants to build a better India in its own way.”
Urging all political parties to remain united in times of national crisis, Tharoor invoked the words of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, “Who lives if India dies?” He stressed the importance of setting aside partisan differences when the country’s security and integrity are under threat.
Later, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the event, Tharoor reaffirmed his long-held personal belief in prioritising the nation above everything else. “My philosophy has always been ‘nation first,’” he told the press, according to news agencies. Tharoor also mentioned that his return to India was driven by a desire to serve the nation in whatever capacity he could, whether through politics or other avenues. When asked whether he had any issues with the Congress high command, Tharoor declined to comment. “I am not here to discuss any political matters or problems,” he said, as reported in national media.
Also Read: Tharoor says 'nation first', parties can create better India
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