Will not comment on OP Sindoor debate; ‘maunvrat’: Shashi Tharoor

New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said on Monday that he will not comment on the “Operation Sindoor” debate, and he is observing a “maunavrat” (vow of silence), a video showed.

News 18 reported that though Congress leadership approached Tharoor to represent the party in the matter in the Lok Sabha, Tharoor declined the invitation.

There has been intense speculation on whether Tharoor, who led the delegation to the US among other countries, will be picked as a speaker by the Congress, given that his enthusiastic endorsement of the government's action following the terror attack has soured his ties with the party, PTI reported.

Asked whether Tharoor was asked to speak during the debate, a senior Congress functionary told PTI, "It is a practice that senior leaders are asked whether they are interested in speaking on a major issue. Gaurav Gogoi and K Suresh had reached out to him and asked if he was interested in speaking during the debate on Operation Sindoor, to which he said he is not interested and would like to speak on the ports bill."

There was no immediate response from Tharoor on the assertion by the party sources.

The first week of disruption in Parliament's Monsoon session is set to give way to a fiery debate on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor from Monday afternoon as the ruling alliance and the Opposition prepare to lock horns over the two issues, steeped in national security and foreign policy imperatives.

The BJP-led ruling National Democratic Alliance and opposition parties are expected to field their top guns during the discussion in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.