Shashi Tharoor Reacts To Bilawal Bhutto's "Blood Will Flow" Remark

The nation has been demanding military action against Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack, and some visible military response is unavoidable, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has said as tensions soared between the two countries after the massacre of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir.

Calling it a "long pattern" seen over a quarter century, the former diplomat said that Pakistan always denies responsibility for terror attacks in India despite training and arming terrorists across the border.

"I think it's very clear that there is a pattern. People are encouraged, trained, armed, and often guided from across the border. Then Pakistan denies all responsibility. Eventually, responsibility is established and proven, including by foreign intelligence agencies," he told the news agency ANI.

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Mr Tharoor pointed out there was retaliation from the Indian side after the 2016 Uri attacks and 2019 Pulwama attacks, and suggested that this time, Pakistan might face a stricter response from India.

"After Uri, the government did a surgical strike across the border, and after Pulwama, there was the Balakot air strike. Today, I think we are going to see more than that. It is clear that while we have a range of options - diplomatic, economic, intelligence sharing, covert, and overt action. Some sort of visible military response is unavoidable," said the MP from Thiruvananthapuram.

"The nation is demanding it and expecting it. No one knows what it will be, where it will be, or when it will be. But I am convinced there will be some response," he added.

Mr Tharoor also responded to Pakistan Peoples Party chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's "blood will flow" remark over India suspending the Indus Water Treaty.  

"This is just inflammatory rhetoric. Pakistanis must understand they simply cannot kill Indians with impunity. We don't want to do anything to Pakistanis. But if they do something to us, then be prepared for a response. If blood is going to flow, it will flow possibly more on their side than ours," said Mr Tharoor.

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Tuesday's terror attack in the scenic meadows of Pahalgam, known as Mini Switzerland, was the deadliest since the scrapping of Article 370 in 2019. The role of a terror group linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba has emerged after the attack.

India and Pakistan's relations have soured further with the two countries resorting to retaliatory measures, including the cancellation of visas. Tensions have also soared along the Line of Control, with Pakistan regularly violating the ceasefire.

India has ended the Indus Water Treaty, while Pakistan, which has been repeatedly accused of being a "global epicentre of terrorism", has suspended all bilateral deals with India, including Simla agreement.