Operation Sindoor: In the midst of the raging controversy over Trinamool Congress MP Yusuf Pathan no longer being included in the Centre’s Operation Sindoor programme, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee alleged that no such appeal was made to the “mother party” to supply names for the delegation.
“They (Centre) cannot finalize the name. If they ask the mother party, then the party will finalize the name. This is the tradition; this is the process. We are with the Central Govt on external affairs policy and we are completely backing them,” Mamata Banerjee said in a statement to the media.
Yusuf Pathan not to join the delegation
Trinamool Congress MP Yusuf Pathan, though, won’t be a part of the Central government’s ‘Operation Sindoor’ foreign foray, sources indicated on Monday.
The TMC has said that his inclusion was made unilaterally without discussing it with the party, even as the government is said to have approached Pathan personally. The ex-cricket player-turned-politician has since then indicated that he won’t be joining the delegation.
Fifty-one political figures, parliamentarians, and ex-ministers of all hues of the political spectrum have been included in seven delegations that are to travel to world capitals, to communicate India’s resolve to fight terrorism in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor.
While TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay refused to join on health grounds, TMC MP Yusuf Pathan, whose name surfaced on the list, will also not be joining,
Cannot choose the member’s name by themselves’
Joining her allegations regarding how Yusuf Pathan’s name was added to the delegation list without the ‘Mother Party’s’ input, Mamata Banerjee added:
“They cannot choose the name of the member by themselves. It is not their decision, it is the party’s decision. If they asked me to send somebody, we will determine the name and inform them. It is not that we are boycotting or that we are not going.”
Kolkata, May 2025 – A political row was created recently when former Indian cricketer and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Yusuf Pathan was conspicuously absent from the official team that was part of Operation Sindoor, a humanitarian mission conducted by the Indian government to evacuate stranded Indian citizens from war-torn foreign countries.
As speculations increased and opposition and media questioned the issue, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee finally spoke out. During a press meet in Kolkata, speaking about the issue, Banerjee said, “If you want him (Yusuf Pathan) to join it, please approach the mother party.”
The representatives of different states and political parties were invited to be included in the rescue and outreach operations. The TMC, being one of the most powerful political factions in West Bengal, was likely to send its representatives — which raised suspicions regarding Yusuf Pathan’s failure to attend.
Multiparty delegation for Sindoor outreach operation:
The seven-party delegation led by one MP each has been launched by the Indian government in response to world-wide misinformation and to underscore India’s zero-tolerance towards terrorism in more than 30 nations.
These delegations will be visiting a broad array of countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Algeria, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the European Union, Italy, Denmark, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Liberia, Congo, Sierra Leone, the United States, Panama, Guyana, Brazil, Colombia, Spain, Greece, Slovenia, Latvia, Russia, Egypt, Qatar, Ethiopia, and South Africa.
Yusuf Pathan’s Political Foray and Expectations:
Yusuf Pathan, a renowned ex-Indian cricketer, became a Member of Parliament from the Baharampur seat in West Bengal as a TMC candidate in the 2024 general elections. His foray into politics was considered a major step by TMC to connect with younger and more heterogeneous voting populations.
With his recent victory and celebrity status, most thought he would be a natural fit for high-profile government operations such as Operation Sindoor.
May 25, 2025