‘Want the world to understand that this is not a time for indifference but for mutual strength, solidarity’, says Shashi Tharoor

NEW YORK CITY: Leader of the all-party delegation, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, gave the message to the world that the Indian delegation has come forth to communicate that we will not be sitting quietly against the forces of evil which attacked India. He gave a call to the global community for standing together with mutual solidarity and strength against the menace of terrorism.

He delivered the remarks while speaking to the media outside the 9/11 Memorial.

Tharoor said that the visit to the 9/11 memorial is a solemn reminder of how, just like the US, India has been subjected to terrorism. “We ourselves in India have been subject to the same wounds that you are seeing the scars of today in this very moving memorial. We have come in a spirit of solidarity, we have come at the same time on a mission.”

The delegation, which is presently in the United States, will also visit Guyana, Panama, Brazil, and Colombia. Tharoor said, “In these countries we are hoping to be able to explain to the world how important it is for all of us to stand together against the scourge of terrorism. Just as the US showed such resolution and determination in the wake of 9/11, so too our country has stood up against the forces of evil who attacked us on the April 22. We hope that a lesson has been learned by those who perpetrated this attack and by those who finance, train, equip, and direct them. But we want to communicate to the world that we will not be sitting quietly if this is repeated. We want the world to understand that this is not a time for indifference, but for mutual strength and mutual solidarity, so that we can all unitedly stand up for the values that the United States has always cherished- the values of democracy, of human freedom, of diversity, of coexistence of people of different communities, none of which sadly is on the agenda of those who conducted such attacks.”

Speaking about how India has been subjected to terror acts time and again, Tharoor underlined that “Perpetrators of terror should indeed be brought to justice, and we are not going to stop our hunt for those who did this latest atrocity”.

He said, “We need to think about where these people are based, where they have safe havens, where they are trained, equipped, financed, guided, armed, and often directly directed. To perpetrate these horrors, and they too should be accountable for what they have been doing.”

Expressing his views on the sanctioning of terror organisations by the UN, Tharoor mentioned, “I think there are something like 52 individuals and organisations based in Pakistan that at one time or the other have been listed by the UN Sanctions Committee… There is something much more direct that needs to be done, and we are not going to confine ourselves only to listings, to diplomacy, to the production of international dossiers. We are also going to exercise our right to self-defence, which every country recognises”.

Speaking about his expectations from the Indian diaspora, Tharoor expressed confidence in their abilities to influence and shape the public opinion.

He said, “You are a very influential diaspora in this country. You are not just numerous. You are prosperous… You have an influential voice. You’re active in public life. You’re active in politics… We would like you to help sensitise public opinion and political opinion in this country about what is going on and how wrong it is, and certainly we would expect the diaspora to partake of the messaging that we are here to do… you are actually a force multiplier for us as well. We come and go, but you live here, and we want you certainly to please remind people around you of what the challenges are that India is facing”.

The all-party delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor comprises Shambhavi Chaudhary (Lok Janshakti Party), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha), G M Harish Balayagi (Telugu Desam Party), Shashank Mani Tripathi, Tejaswi Surya, Bhubaneswar K Lata (all from BJP), Mallikarjun Devda (Shiv Sena) and Former Indian Ambassador to the US,Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

The delegation will project India’s national consensus and firm stance on combating terrorism in all its forms. They will carry India’s strong message of zero tolerance against terrorism to the global community during their outreach. (ANI)