Shashi Tharoor Praises ‘Operation Sindoor’ as Symbolic Response to Terror Attack
- Posted on June 5, 2025
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- By Arijit Dutta
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Congress MP Shashi Tharoor praised India's "Operation Sindoor" as a powerful and symbolic response to terrorism, linking the name to the cultural and emotional weight of the Pahalgam attack. He dismissed Pakistan’s claims of victimhood and emphasized India’s firm stance against cross-border terror during a multi-party delegation visit to Washington.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, currently leading an all-party delegation to the United States, has lauded the naming of India’s recent military retaliation against Pakistan as “Operation Sindoor.” Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington DC, Tharoor called the name “brilliantly chosen,” emphasizing its deep symbolic resonance in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
Tharoor explained the cultural significance of sindoor, a vermilion mark traditionally worn by married Hindu women, linking it to the emotional impact of the terror strike. “That sindoor had essentially been wiped off the foreheads of 26 Indian women,” he said, highlighting how the attack left families shattered. Referring to a chilling detail from the attack, he recounted how a terrorist spared a woman, instructing her to return and "tell them what we’ve done."
Referring to the phrase "khoon ka badla khoon" (blood for blood), Tharoor remarked that this time it was “sindoor ka badla khoon,” a poetic reflection of avenging the loss of innocent lives. He drew attention to the symbolic power of the operation’s name, noting that sindoor and blood share a similar red hue.
Responding to Pakistani claims of also being a victim of terrorism, Tharoor countered sharply, questioning the country's long-standing tolerance for extremist elements. “You can't breed vipers in your backyard and expect them to bite only your neighbours,” he said, quoting Hillary Clinton.
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The Indian delegation, which includes representatives from various parties, is briefing US lawmakers and policy experts on India's evolving stance on cross-border terrorism and the recent strikes against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.