New York: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, leading an all-party delegation to the United States, firmly dismissed the idea of third-party mediation in conflicts involving terrorism, stressing that there is “no equivalence” between terror perpetrators and their victims.
Responding to a question about potential U.S. mediation between India and Pakistan, Tharoor said India does not support such a proposal. “Mediation is not a term that we are particularly willing to entertain,” he noted, explaining that it implies a false equivalence. “There is no equivalence between terrorists and their victims, or between a country sheltering terrorism and a vibrant democracy striving for peace,” Tharoor asserted.
He acknowledged the diplomatic role of the United States, stating that while the Indian government appreciated calls from U.S. officials during past escalations, real impact could have come from pressure applied to those supporting terrorism. “That’s the side that needed persuading,” Tharoor said, referring to Pakistan. He added that his assumption about U.S. pressure on Islamabad was speculative, as he was not privy to the content of those conversations.
Tharoor also emphasized that India’s responses and communications were delivered through formal and credible channels, including briefings led by military and civil officers. Notably, he highlighted the diversity among those presenting India’s position specifically mentioning Muslim women officers to underline that the fight against terror is not a religious conflict but a united national effort. “This is not Hindu versus Muslim it is United India against terror,” he said.
The all-party Indian delegation includes representatives from multiple political parties, such as the BJP, Shiv Sena, TDP, LJP, and JMM, alongside former Indian Ambassador to the U.S. Taranjit Singh Sandhu. The delegation arrived in the U.S. following a visit to Brazil as part of a global outreach initiative to explain Operation Sindoor India’s diplomatic campaign to counter terrorism and disinformation in the aftermath of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
(Inputs From ANI)