Doha (Qatar), May 26 (ANI): Congress MP Manish Tewari, part of the Supriya Sule-led all-party delegation, highlighted India's civilizational values and firm stance against terrorism on Monday.

Speaking to ANI after the delegation's interactions in Doha, Tewari emphasised India's rich cultural heritage and warned that the country would respond firmly to any terror threats, particularly those originating from its western neighbour.

'India is a very ancient civilisation with a rich culture and heritage. It is a country where people of every religion and race live together in brotherhood and communal harmony,' Tewari said.

He stressed that while India is rooted in peace and pluralism, it remains resolute in the face of terrorism. 'But if terrorist attacks are carried out against us, especially from our western neighbour, and terrorism is encouraged, then India will respond decisively,' the Congress MP said.

Tewari also warned against any attempt by Pakistan to use nuclear blackmail to support terrorism. 'There is a nuclear balance. If anyone thinks that by taking advantage of this, terrorism against India can be encouraged, it is not going to work,' he said.

Speaking after they met with Qatari leaders, Tewari said, 'We have had extremely productive and constructive meetings with our interlocutors. The message from India is very clear -- we are a civilisation going back five thousand years, multicultural, multi-religious, and multi-ethnic, where the Constitution respects the rights of all citizens.'

He added, 'If India is repeatedly and relentlessly subjected to terrorism emanating from our western neighbour, then India reserves the right to respond with the full spectrum of measures available, proportionate and in a non-escalatory manner.'

In a strong message to those enabling terrorism, the Congress MP said, 'Those who shelter these terrorists, train them, give them weapons and send them across the border -- India will not differentiate between the terrorist and the terrorist handler.'

'The basic principle is that terrorism and dialogue cannot go together. Blood and water cannot flow together. And most importantly, as a responsible country, India will take whatever steps are appropriate to protect its citizens, unity, integrity and sovereignty,' he said.

Following the delegation's meeting with Qatar's Sheikha Hamda bint Hassan Al Sulaiti, Tewari reiterated that the interaction conveyed a strong and clear message -- that India is a 5,000-year-old civilisational continuum and a melting pot of diverse cultures.

He added that while India respects pluralism and peace, it will not tolerate any kind of proxy war from Pakistan and reserves the right to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

According to a release from the Embassy of India in Doha, the multi-party delegation arrived in Qatar on May 24 and held meetings with the Qatari dignitaries at the Shura Council and members of the academic think tank community of the country.

The delegation also paid a floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi in the Indian Embassy premises in Doha.

'The multi-party Indian delegation, which is on a visit to Qatar from May 24-26, 2025, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, held fruitful interactions with Qatari dignitaries at the Shura Council as well as members of the academic and think-tank community in Qatar today. The delegation started its day by paying floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the Indian Embassy premises. The members recalled that India is a land of Gautam Buddha and Gandhi, who spread the message of peace and non-violence globally', the embassy said.

'Thereafter, the Indian delegation paid a visit to Qatar's Shura Council and held meeting with Qatari delegation led by Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council HE Dr. Hamda bint Hassan Al Sulaiti. During the meeting, the delegation members underscored the continued threat of cross-border terrorism and deliberate attempts to sow social discord in India. They condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam as a calculated effort to undermine peace and development in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. They highlighted that Operation Sindoor, conducted by India in response, was calibrated, targeted and proportionate, demonstrating India's commitment to countering terrorism without escalating tensions. The Qatar side emphasised its zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and that terrorism must be condemned', it said.

'The delegation members also held interaction with the academic and think-tank community at the Middle East Council for Global Affairs and briefed them on India's zero tolerance policy on terrorism and the need to stop differentiating the terrorists and their backers. The participants expressed their understanding of India's stance. The delegation also interacted with the editorial team of leading newspapers of Qatar, Al Sharq and Peninsula, and conveyed India's perspectives on developments following the Pahalgam terror attack and our policy to counter cross-border terrorism', it added.

The all-party delegation -- comprising NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule, BJP's Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Anurag Singh Thakur, AAP's Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Congress leaders Manish Tewari and Anand Sharma, TDP MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, BJP leader V Muraleedharan, and former diplomat Syed Akbaruddin -- is currently on a multi-nation outreach.

The delegation will also visit Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Africa to further India's outreach against terrorism and its efforts to strengthen international consensus against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. (ANI)