Chennai/New Delhi: Tamil Nadu BJP vice president Narayanan Thirupathy strongly criticised the Congress party’s reaction to the recent India-Pakistan ceasefire, stating that the party was politicising a sensitive national security decision. Thirupathy expressed support for senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s remarks, which he described as “mature and pragmatic.”
“I am really surprised that Congress is not listening to what Shashi Tharoor is saying. He is a senior leader and clearly said that India decided to have this understanding with Pakistan on our own terms to avoid war. But you (Congress) want to politicise everything,” Thirupathy told media.
Tharoor had earlier noted that the decision to cease hostilities aligned with India’s broader strategic aim of targeting terrorism without escalating to full-scale conflict, a sentiment echoed by several security analysts.
Political Symbolism and Ceasefire Violation
Meanwhile, the Congress party invoked former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s legacy, with posters reading “India Misses Indira” and “Indira Hona Aasan Nahi” placed outside the party headquarters. This comes in the wake of India launching Operation Sindoor on May 7, a precise military campaign targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK, in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
Congress leaders KC Venugopal, Pawan Khera, and Ashok Gehlot also shared tributes to Indira Gandhi on social media, drawing comparisons to her leadership during the 1971 Indo-Pak War.
However, soon after India agreed to the cessation of hostilities, Pakistani drones reportedly violated the ceasefire, prompting Indian air defence units to intercept them amidst a blackout in Srinagar.
Background: Operation Sindoor & Diplomatic Dynamics
The Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7, destroying nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. This was followed by a Director General of Military Operations (DGMO)-level call that led to the announcement of the cessation of hostilities across land, air, and sea.
The government has maintained that the ceasefire was not a result of external mediation but a strategic de-escalation decision on India’s terms.