NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, widely recognised for his eloquence in English, drew widespread praise this week for speaking fluent French while strongly criticising Pakistan’s inclusion in an upcoming anti-terrorism conference organised by Russia. During a meeting in Moscow with Russian Liberal Democratic Party chairman Leonid Slutsky, Tharoor responded in French to Slutsky’s remarks regarding a proposed summit on combating terrorism. Slutsky had announced Russia’s plans to host a conference early next year involving the parliamentary heads of six countries: Turkey, Iran, Russia, India, Pakistan, and China. He emphasised the need for concrete action, not just discussion, on the issue of terrorism. In a striking moment, Tharoor replied in French, directly addressing the problem of Pakistan’s involvement. “There is a country that unfortunately provides a safe haven for these terrorist groups,” Tharoor said. “They have their headquarters, they train terrorists in their country, fund them, arm them, and send them to other nations. It’s difficult for us to ignore the fact that they enjoy patronage in Pakistan.” The video of Tharoor’s French-language exchange with Slutsky quickly went viral on social media, earning him praise for both his linguistic skill and diplomatic clarity.Following the meeting, Tharoor posted on X: “Good to renew my acquaintance with my Russian counterpart, Mr Slutsky, who had visited Parliament in New Delhi a few months ago with a Russian delegation. We exchanged views on regional peace, Operation Sindoor, and possible avenues of future parliamentary cooperation.” Tharoor has long been vocal about Pakistan’s links to terrorism and reiterated India’s concerns abroad while leading the Indian delegation under the government’s Operation Sindoor global outreach initiative.
