Categories
The Congress party has raised strong objections to the government’s decision to include Shashi Tharoor among the delegates selected to represent India in foreign countries to discuss terrorism originating from Pakistan. The party has accused the government of dishonesty, claiming that it was surprised to see Tharoor’s name on the list of selected representatives, as he was not among the four names originally proposed by Congress.
On Saturday, Congress General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh stated that the party had submitted a list of four nominated MPs for the government’s proposed foreign delegations, and was taken aback when Shashi Tharoor’s name appeared instead. “We were asked for names. We expected that the names we had given would be included. We hoped that the names given by the party would be included. But when we saw the press release of PIB, we were surprised,” Ramesh said, as quoted by news agency ANI.
The delegation was formed to engage with international forums and present India’s stance on terrorism, particularly in the wake of Operation Sindoor, a military operation launched by India to counter cross-border terrorism. Congress expressed its discontent over the alleged discrepancy in the delegation’s selection process, asserting that the party will not alter the names it originally proposed.
According to Ramesh, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and former party president Rahul Gandhi had a conversation with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju regarding the delegation. Following the discussion, Rahul Gandhi reportedly sent a letter to Rijiju, listing the four Congress MPs proposed for the delegation. “Yesterday (Tuesday) at 12:30 pm, Rahul ji wrote a letter to Kiren Rijiju stating: ‘Dear Shri Kiren Rijiju, I am writing to follow up on a conversation between myself and Kharge ji regarding the delegation to foreign countries. After consulting with Kharge ji, I am sending you four names: Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Raja Barar, and Naseer Hussain,’” Ramesh said, reading from the letter.
However, when the official press release was issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Shashi Tharoor’s name appeared among the seven MPs who would represent India abroad, instead of the four nominated by Congress. This development prompted Ramesh to describe the government’s actions as “dishonest,” as the party had not been informed of any changes to the list.
Ramesh, while criticizing the government’s handling of the delegation selection, also noted that it was possible that Union Minister Rijiju may have spoken to Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge even after the government had already finalized the delegation list. “I am willing to give Rijiju the benefit of the doubt,” he said, but emphasized that the manner in which the process was handled was not appropriate.
The Congress leader also highlighted that the party has always extended its full support to the government on issues of national interest but insisted that there is a clear distinction between merely being associated with the party and genuinely representing its interests. “While all those associated with Congress belong to the party, there is a significant difference between merely being in Congress and truly being of Congress,” Ramesh asserted.
Meanwhile, the controversy over the delegation list has added a layer of political intrigue to the situation, with Congress members questioning the motive behind the inclusion of Tharoor. Although Tharoor is a senior Congress leader and a prominent parliamentarian, his inclusion in the delegation is being perceived as a move by the government to undermine the party’s internal decisions.
The development comes amidst heightened political tensions between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, especially in light of the recent military operation aimed at exposing Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism. The selection of delegates for international forums to present India’s stance on the matter has become a politically sensitive issue, with both parties seeking to position themselves as the rightful spokespersons for the nation’s interests.
As of now, the government has not issued a formal response to Congress’ accusations of dishonesty. The Ministry of External Affairs is expected to release a statement clarifying the selection criteria and the rationale behind the inclusion of specific MPs in the delegation.
For now, the Congress party maintains its stand that it will not alter the list of four MPs it initially proposed and will continue to push for transparency in the delegation selection process. Whether or not the government will reconsider its decision remains to be seen, but the incident has certainly brought to light the underlying political friction between the ruling party and the principal opposition.
Also Read : IAEA Confirms No Radiation Leak from Any Nuclear Facility in Pakistan
