'Nothing more to say': Shashi Tharoor on row over speech at IUML pro-Palestine rally

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was the chief guest of a Palestine solidarity rally in Kozhikode on Thursday. The rally was organised by the Indian Union Muslim League, an ally of the Congress. Tharoor's speech at the rally on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict dragged him into a fresh controversy as CPM criticised Tharoor calling Hamas attack on Israel a terrorist strike. "Tharoor is not a man who does not know the meaning of words. He is also not a person who was unaware that history had not begun on October 7," CPM leader M Swaraj alleged. Tharoor in reply said he is bemused that out of his 32-minute speech, only 25 seconds were highlighted to attack him. " If that’s all it takes to negate my support for the human rights of the Palestinian people, then I have nothing more to say," Tharoor said.

The Congress leader was caught in the same Israel-Palestine controversy as he earlier pointed out that PM Modi's first statement after Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel had no mention of Palestine. Tharoor was also criticised for not calling Hamas a terrorist organisation in a television interview -- which he said was consistent with India's approach to Hamas. The new controversy is over Tharoor calling Hamas terrorists at a pro-Palestine rally.

CPM leader Swaraj said Tharoor did an Israel solidarity meeting at the expense of the IUML.

The Congress in its official statement reaffirmed support for Palestine and condemned the Hamas' attack on Israel. India's official stand is that India condemns 'terror attack' and supports for the establishment of a "sovereign, independent and viable state of Palestine'.

IUML leader MK Muneer at the rally said Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose were also called terrorist in British history. “When Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose fought for the freedom of the country, it was recorded in British history as an act of terrorism and extremism. At Gaza, the fight of Palestine for freedom would be an act of terrorism in the eye of imperialistic forces. But the children at Gaza now say that they were now offering namaz not five times a day, but six times. The children say every day they have ‘janaza’ (funeral prayer). The fight of Palestine is freedom struggle and that of Israel is genocide. We are with that defence of Palestine. We should be able to differentiate between defence and attack,’’ Muneer said.