Thiruvananthapuram: Congress chief Shashi Tharoor has issued a clarification over his comment at a Palestine solidarity rally in which he stated that the October 7 assault on Israel was a terrorist strike, triggering backlash from the celebration’s ally in Kerala IUML and a few pro-Hamas teams on social media. Tharoor stated that he has at all times been with the individuals of Palestione. He had earlier referred to as Hamas a terrorist group whereas additionally condemning the continual bombing by Israel in Gaza as a part of its conflict in opposition to the outfit.
What did Tharoor say that led to backlash?
“This may well be one of the most significant political rallies we have seen in India and perhaps across the world in defence of human rights and in favour of peace. This is a rally for peace,” the Thiruvananthapuram MP had stated.
The IUML, a key ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala, organised an enormous rally in northern Kozhikode on Thursday (October 26) denouncing the reported indiscriminate killings of civilians in the Israeli assault on the Gaza strip.
Tharoor, who was the chief visitor, had referred to as the conflict “one of the most distressing human rights catastrophes” witnessed over the previous a number of days.
“For 19 days, the world has been seeing the worst human-rights tragedies. We are seeing the worst tragedy. Terrorists attacked Israel, Hamas is a terror group. Israel stopped offering meals, water and electrical energy to Gaza. We are condemning the bombing of Israel. We have at all times stood for a everlasting resolution to this disaster,” Tharoor had stated at an occasion held at Kozhikode, which was organised by the Indian Union Muslim League a day in the past.
In unequivocal phrases, the Congress chief had additionally condemned the assault carried out by Palestinian armed group, deemed a terror organisation by a number of nations, Hamas, and described it an “act of terror”.
“On October 7, terrorists attacked Israel and claimed 1,400 lives. Two hundred individuals were taken hostage. In response, Israel killed 6,000 people. The bombing continues,” Theroor had stated.
Huge backlash in opposition to Tharoor
CPI(M) chief and former MLA M Swaraj alleged that a few of Tharoor’s remarks had been pro-Israel and he didn’t admit that it was a “terrorist nation”.
Taking a dig at the Thiruvananthapuram MP, Swaraj stated what he had performed was an Israel solidarity assembly at the expense of the IUML.
LDF MLA Ok T Jaleel additionally criticised Tharoor and alleged his speech would give the impression that it was a pro-Israel rally.
Tharoor points clarification
When confronted with intense social media assault from pro-Hamas teams and a piece of Left activists, Tharoor issued a clarification and stated that he was at all times with the individuals of Palestine and he doesn’t agree with the propagation of only one sentence from his speech, which he made at the IUML rally.
“I have always been with the people of Palestine,” Tharoor stated in a brief video launched by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).
(With PTI inputs)
