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“Who lives if India dies?” Quoting this iconic line by Jawaharlal Nehru, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor made a passionate appeal for national unity over political loyalty, amid growing tensions within his own party.

Speaking at a public event in Kochi on Saturday, Tharoor underscored that India must always come first — above all party affiliations. His comments came in response to a high school student’s question about the criticism he’s faced from within the Congress for his cross-party outreach and vocal support of the government’s stance following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Tharoor’s Message: Put India First, Politics Later

“Put your differences aside when the nation is imperilled. India must come first, then only can we all live,” Tharoor said firmly, reinforcing his belief that national security should override partisan divides.

As a Congress Working Committee member and the MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor has taken a prominent role in international diplomacy. His leadership in an all-party delegation to countries like the United States — aimed at countering Pakistan’s narrative after Operation Sindoor — has, however, drawn fire from some within the Congress.

“Parties Are a Means, Not the Goal”

Doubling down on his position, Tharoor argued that political parties exist to serve the nation — not the other way around.

“To my mind, the nation comes first. Parties are a means of making the nation better,” he said. “Whichever party you belong to, the objective of that party is to create a better India in its way.”

In Kochi today, I was asking inevitable question by a high school student. While I have been steering clear of such political discussions in public, I felt a student deserved a response: pic.twitter.com/AIUpDBl0Kf

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 19, 2025

Internal Dissent: Kharge’s Indirect Swipe

Tharoor’s comments arrive against the backdrop of rising unease within the Congress over his perceived closeness to the government on matters of national interest. Last month, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge appeared to criticize Tharoor indirectly, stating:
“The Congress believes in putting the country first, but for some, it is Modi first and country later.”

Though Tharoor refrained from responding directly, his remarks appear to be a clear reaffirmation of his belief in cross-party cooperation on national issues.

Ideological Differences Shouldn’t Threaten Unity

In his speech, Tharoor acknowledged that differing views — capitalism vs socialism, or regulation vs free market — are natural in a democracy. But he cautioned against letting ideological divisions threaten India’s internal cohesion.

“Politics is… about competition. When people like me say we respect our parties… but we need to cooperate with other parties in the interest of national security, sometimes the parties feel this is disloyal. That becomes a big problem,” he explained.

Standing His Ground Amid Criticism

Despite facing internal backlash for aligning with the government’s messaging abroad, Tharoor stood his ground.

“A lot of people have been very critical of me because of the stand I’ve taken supporting our armed forces and our government… But I will stand my ground because I believe this is the right thing for the country,” he asserted.

When pressed by reporters on whether he was at odds with the Congress leadership, Tharoor remained tight-lipped. “I came to give two speeches,” he said, as quoted by PTI.

Kerala CM Buzz Met With Silence

On a separate note, Tharoor was also asked about a survey naming him the most preferred chief ministerial candidate for the Congress-led UDF in Kerala.

“Someone forwarded it to me and I did a salute as a reply,” he said with a smile. “I did not have anything more to say. I did not comment and I am not making any comment.”