New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday accused the government of “playing games” with a “mischievous mindset” by announcing names of heads of diplomatic outreach delegations after Operation Sindoor other than the four given by the party.
The opposition party’s attack came after Shashi Tharoor, not part of the four leaders nominated by the Congress, was named as the head of a delegation to key partner countries to convey India’s message of zero tolerance against terrorism following Operation Sindoor.
In an apparent swipe at Tharoor, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, “Congress mein hona aur Congress ka hona mein zameen-aasmaan ka antar hai (There is a difference between being in the Congress and of the Congress).”
Ramesh said senior party leader Salman Khurshid was also approached by the government and he told them that the party has to decide.
The Congress said it was asked by the government to submit names of four MPs for the all-party delegations to be sent abroad to explain India’s stance on terrorism from Pakistan and it nominated Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.
At a media briefing here at 24, Akbar Road, Ramesh hit out at the government and said, “You cannot include names of MPs (in delegations) without consulting the party.”
In a democratic system, when individual MPs are sent on an official delegation, MPs should seek the concurrence of the party, he said.
Ramesh accused the government of playing “Narad Muni politics”.
He said it is “dishonest” and “downright mischievous” to ask the Congress for names when in all probability, they had decided the names even before that.
Ramesh also alleged that the whole delegation exercise is a “diversionary and cosmetic exercise”.
He asserted that the Congress will not rethink the four names it has sent to the government.
“Asking for four names, being given four names and not considering those names is dishonesty on the part of the government. We will not change these four names,” he said.
First the government asked for names and then announced its own names which does not show honesty and shows that “games are being played”, he added.
“We are playing with a straight bat but can’t say how the government is playing. When the other team deploys bodyline tactics what can be said,” the Congress general secretary said using cricket analogy.
He said the “vishwaguru” narrative is finished.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave no reply to Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge’s letters demanding a special session of Parliament to discuss Operation Sindoor, suddenly one got to hear of the multi-party delegations, which shows that the government’s narrative is punctured, Ramesh claimed.
“The one who did not come for all-party meetings, did not call a special session, did not break silence on US President Donald Trump and US Secretary of State (Marco) Rubio’s claims, announces multi-party delegations,” Ramesh said, taking a swipe at Modi.
According to Ramesh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju called Kharge and Gandhi on Friday morning and asked them to give the names of four leaders.
“By 12:30 on May 16, Rahul Gandhi wrote to Kiren Rijiju and gave the four names,” he said.
Gandhi conveyed that after consulting Kharge, the Congress proposes the names of Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi and Raja Brar Naseer Hussain for inclusion in the delegations, he said.
“We did not hear anything after that and then we got a PIB release,” Ramesh said, adding that it came as a surprise.
“In diplomacy, some things are done in confidence. But today, a different sort of press release came from the side of the government, we are surprised,” he said.
“I can’t say what will happen. We were asked to give names with the confidence that the government is asking us for names honestly and not mischievously,” he added.
Since April 22, the Congress has been demanding that an all-party meeting be called. In the previous two meetings, the PM was absent, Ramesh said.
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.
The leaders — four from the ruling National Democratic Alliance and three from the opposition INDIA bloc — include 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.
