Expressing disappointment over Colombia's condolences for the lives lost in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said there can no equivalence between those who dispatch terrorists and those who defend themselves.
Mr Tharoor, along with a delegation comprising of MPs, is in Colombia as part of the government's global outreach to to convey India's strong resolve to fight terrorism. "We were a little disappointed in the reaction of the Colombian government, which apparently expressed heartfelt condolences on the loss of lives in Pakistan after the Indian strikes, rather than sympathising with the victims of terrorism," he said.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP reiterated that New Delhi has concrete proof that Pakistan-sponsored terror was behind the April 22 Pahalgam attack in which 26 civilians were massacred. "We are only exercising our right of self-defence. We're very happy to talk to Colombia in some detail about the circumstances. Just as Colombia has endured many terror attacks, so have we in India. We have endured a very large number of attacks for almost four decades, " he said.
Mr Tharoor also acknowledged that China supplies 81 per cent of all Pakistani defence equipment, while also mentioning the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. "Defence is a polite word, Pakistani military equipment. Much of it is not for defence but for attack. Our quarrel is with the perpetration of terror against us," he said.
The delegation led by Mr Tharoor arrived in Colombia on Thursday after visiting Panama and Guyana. During the course of their stay in Bogota, the delegation will be interacting with the Members of Congress, Ministers and other key interlocutors in think tanks and media. The delegation includes Sarfraz Ahmad (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha), G M Harish Balayogi (Telugu Desam Party), Shashank Mani Tripathi (BJP), Bhubaneswar Kalita (BJP), Milind Deora (Shiv Sena), Tejasvi Surya (BJP), and former ambassador of India to US Taranjit Singh Sandhu.
The group is one of the seven multi-party delegations India has tasked to visit 33 global capitals to reach out to the international community after the Pahalgam terror attack.
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 lives. India carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7, following which Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to the Pakistani actions.
The on-ground hostilities ended with an understanding of stopping the military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10.
