Senior Congress leader and ex-union minister Anand Sharma hailed the Centre for dispatching all-party MPs delegations to various countries as part of a diplomatic initiative to communicate India’s point of view on cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan post-Operation Sindoor.
Anand Sharma is the second Congress leader, following Shashi Tharoor, to hails the initiative while the grand old party lambasted it as a “diversionary tactic” even as it stood with the NDA government in the initial days following the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22 and four-day military action under Operation Sindoor.
Anand Sharma described the diplomatic efforts as an “important initiative” to “sensitise global public opinion” regarding the Pakistani military establishment’s role in spreading terrorism. Anand Sharma is a member of the MPs delegation that will visit South Africa, Egypt, Qatar, and Ethiopia in the days ahead.
Referring to the backing of his party
government’s response following the terrorist attack primarily on foreign tourists in Jammu and Kashmir, Sharma informed the publication, “India has bled. We have paid a heavy price. We have been restrained in our responses. Very few countries could have been… It was time that there was retaliation, but it was measured, it was calibrated, which was made clear by India.”
The veteran Congress leader observed how the UPA government of former prime minister Manmohan Singh initiated a similar diplomatic push following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. He also remembered cross-party initiatives by former prime ministers, Rajiv Gandhi and PV Narasimha Rao, for global action against terrorism.
The ex-union minister is the lone person to be selected by the NDA government out of four names suggested by the Congress. Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring are some other leaders not chosen by the Centre.
Four other Congress leaders – Shashi Tharoor, Manish Tewari, Amar Singh and Salman Khurshid – who were not included in the list submitted by the Congress, have been added to the delegations by the government.
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What has Shashi Tharoor said?
Prior to Sharma, Shashi Tharoor had welcomed the effort and stated it was an “honour” to head one of the groups. “I can see no politics involved. As far as I am concerned, politics starts playing a role when we have a country. We are all Indians. When the country is facing a crisis and the government at the centre approaches a citizen for assistance, what else would you respond with,” the Congress MP had stated. He heads the delegation that will go to the US, Panama, Guyana, Colombia and Brazil.
In a gesture that emphasizes party splits within the Congress, top leader Anand Sharma has openly supported the Centre’s decision to send all-party delegations overseas to put forth India’s position against cross-border terrorism. This follows after fellow Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also came out in public support of the move, even as the leadership of the party criticizes the decision as a political distraction.
Tharoor, who has been tasked with leading a delegation to the United States and other countries, said that he perceives no political intention behind the move, stressing national unity in the fight against terrorism.
The government of India has sent delegations of 59 Members of Parliament, including opposition members such as Tharoor and Supriya Sule, to go to different countries. The aim is to express India’s stand on terrorism, especially in the wake of the Pahalgam attack and the resulting Operation Sindoor.
FAQS:
What is the Centre’s anti-terror delegation all about?
The Centre sent all-party delegations of MPs abroad and presented India’s position against cross-border terrorism. The aim is to win international support and create a world-wide awareness on India’s anti-terror initiatives in the wake of terrorist attacks such as the one in Pahalgam.
What is the reason the Congress party is objecting to the move?
The Congress claims the Centre’s move is a “political distraction” aimed at deflecting attention from issues at home. They also complained about the selection procedure, particularly the inclusion of Shashi Tharoor without consulting parties.
