After objecting, Cong now says listed party leaders to accompany Op Sindoor outreach mission

New Delhi, May 18 (IANS) Congress has said that the four eminent MPs/leaders from the party who have been included at the instance of the Centre will go with the delegations to be sent abroad to explain India's stance on terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

The all-party delegation will visit key global capitals and is tasked with briefing foreign governments on India’s position on cross-border terrorism. The delegation will engage them under Operation Sindoor, reflecting the country’s collective resolve against terrorism, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju had said.

The Congress has expressed its displeasure over the Centre’s not accepting its list of four MPs.

In the statement, party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said that on May 16th morning, the Modi government asked for four names of Congress MPs/leaders to represent the INC in the delegations being sent abroad to explain India's stance on terrorism from Pakistan. These four names were conveyed in writing by the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs by 12 noon on May 16th itself.

“Very late tonight (May 17th), the full list of members of all delegations has been officially released. Most regrettably, only 1 of the 4 names suggested by the INC leadership has been included.”

The party accused the Centre of being insincere. “This proves the complete insincerity of the Modi Govt and shows the cheap political games it always plays on serious national issues,” Ramesh said in the statement.”

However, it said that the four Congress MPs/leaders who have been included at the instance of the Modi government will go with the delegations and make their contributions.

Accusing the BJP of playing partisan politics, the statement mentions, “The INC will not stoop to the pathetic level of the PM and the BJP. It will always uphold the finest traditions of Parliamentary democracy and not play partisan politics on national security issues, like the BJP does.”

The party wished the delegations all the very best. “These delegations should not, however, divert attention from the INC's demands to have all-party meetings chaired by the PM and for a special session of Parliament to reiterate the resolution adopted on Feb 22, 1994, while also taking note of developments thereafter.”

--IANS

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