New Delhi: The Centre announced Saturday that Congress leader Shashi Tharoor will be among those leading seven multi-party delegations to various countries to present India’s position on cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, in light of the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor.
The Congress had earlier submitted four names for inclusion in the delegations, but Tharoor, who is the chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs, was not among them, according to a list sent by Rahul Gandhi to Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.
Apart from Tharoor, two other opposition leaders—Supriya Sule of the NCP (Sharad Pawar) and DMK’s Kanimozhi—will also lead delegations, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs said in a press statement.
“I am honoured by the invitation of the government of India to lead an all-party delegation to five key capitals, to present our nation’s point of view on recent events. When national interest is involved, and my services are required, I will not be found wanting. Jai Hind!” Tharoor reacted to the development on X.
Minutes after the Centre’s announcement, Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh disclosed that Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi had written to Rijiju Friday, nominating party leaders Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Nasir Hussain and Amarinder Singh Brar to be part of the delegations.
Rijiju had earlier spoken to both Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, conveying the Centre’s proposal to send multi-party delegations to various world capitals.
“The INC (Indian National Congress was asked to submit names of 4 MPs for the delegations to be sent abroad to explain India’s stance on terrorism from Pakistan. By noon yesterday May 16th, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha wrote to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs giving the following names on behalf of the INC – Shri Anand Sharma, former Union Cabinet Minister, Shri Gaurav Gogoi, Deputy Leader, INC LS, Dr. Syed Naseer Hussain, MP, RS Shri Raja Brar, MP,” Ramesh posted on X Saturday.
Tharoor had faced the Congress leadership’s ire Wednesday in a meeting of the party’s working committee over his remarks on Operation Sindoor and US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that the White House brokered a truce between India and Pakistan.
While the Congress high command has been demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi break his silence on Trump’s assertions about the role of the US in facilitating cessation of hostilities between Indian and Pakistani armed forces, in multiple interviews, Tharoor has rejected the notion that New Delhi sought any meditation.
Meanwhile, announcing the Centre’s move, Rijiju posted on X that in moments that matter most, “Bharat stands united”. He said that the Centre’s choices were a “powerful reflection of national unity above politics, beyond differences”.
Apart from Tharoor, Sule and Kanimozhi, the delegations will be led by BJP’s Ravi Shankar Prasad, Baijayant Panda, JD(U)’s Sanjay Kumar Jha and Shrikant Shinde of Shiv Sena (Shinde).
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
Also read: Tharoor faces Congress leadership’s ire for breaking from party line on Op Sindoor, Trump’s claims
