New Delhi, May 17: Opposition leaders Shashi Tharoor and Kanimozhi will join members of the ruling alliance, including Ravi Shankar Prasad and Sanjay Jha, in leading seven all-party delegations to key partner countries to convey India’s message of zero tolerance against terrorism following Operation Sindoor.
The other MPs picked by the government to present India’s “national consensus” globally, including to UN Security Council members, in fighting terrorism are NCP-SP’s Supriya Sule, BJP’s Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda and Shiv Sena’s Shrikant Shinde.
A statement issued by the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry on Saturday said, “The all-party delegations will project India’s national consensus and resolute approach to combating terrorism in all forms and manifestations.
“They would carry forth to the world the country’s strong message of zero tolerance against terrorism.”
The government has made a careful selection of leaders who will head the delegations as they come from parties across the political divide and are considered articulate voices.
All of them — four from the ruling National Democratic Alliance and three from the opposition INDIA bloc — are seasoned lawmakers with long stints in public life.
While the opposition has backed the government in its response to the horrific April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, former Union minister Tharoor has taken the lead in defending Indian strikes on terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and endorsing the ruling alliance’s tough stand on the Indo-Pak conflict.
He is expected to lead the Indian outreach to the US, the most powerful global voice.
The ministry’s statement said distinguished diplomats will be part of each delegation.
In a post on X, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said, “In moments that matter most, Bharat stands united. Seven All-Party Delegations will soon visit key partner nations, carrying our shared message of zero-tolerance to terrorism.”
Sharing the ministry’s statement, he said, “A powerful reflection of national unity above politics, beyond differences.”
The statement said the proposed visits of the seven all-party delegations come in the context of Operation Sindoor and India’s continued fight against cross-border terrorism.
Sources said the Prasad-led delegation is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Algeria, while Sule’s team of MPs will be travelling to Oman, Kenya, South Africa and Egypt.
The delegation led by Jha is likely to visit Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population.
Each delegation with six to seven MPs may visit around four to five countries, the sources said.
MPs from different parties, including Anurag Thakur, Aparajita Sarangi, Manish Tewari, Asaduddin Owaisi, Amar Singh, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Samik Bhattacharya, Brij Lal, Sarfaraz Ahmad, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Vikramjit Sawhney, Sasmit Patra and Bhubaneswar Kalita, will be part of these delegations.
Former Union minister and Congress leader Salman Khurshid, who is not an MP, has been included in the delegation led by Jha.
The government also tapped Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay to join the exercise but he declined due to health reasons.
The expansive diplomatic drive is aimed at driving home in global capitals India’s stand following the country’s aggressive response to the Pahalgam attack amid Pakistan’s efforts to skirt the issue of terrorism while putting Kashmir at the centre of its discourse.
Tharoor said in a post on X that he was “honoured” by the government’s invitation to lead an all-party delegation to five key capitals to present the nation’s point of view.
He added, “When national interest is involved, and my services are required, I will not be found wanting. Jai Hind!”
Shinde said on X, “We will firmly convey to the international community that terrorism has no place in India, and that it is Pakistan which continues to nurture terrorism on its own soil. When it comes to matters of national interest, there is no division, only duty.”
The government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that any future act of terror will be construed as an act of war, signalling India’s resolve to target Pakistan if it continues to abet terrorism on the Indian territory.
India has also insisted that it has merely paused Operation Sindoor following days of conflict with Pakistan and its actions will depend on the neighbouring country’s conduct.(PTI)
