Row Over Tharoor's Pick For Diplomatic Delegation, Congress Alleges Foul Play

The Congress party on Saturday expressed its dissatisfaction over not selecting from the list of names provided by it to the Centre for inclusion in the all-party delegation. 

The Centre has announced a seven-member all-party diplomatic delegation for outreach to convey India's message of zero tolerance against terrorism following Operation Sindoor.

The delegation includes Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who was not in the list of parliamentarians recommened by the party to the Centre. 

'Surprised' By Govt Press Release

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said that the party was "surprised" to see the press release by the governemnt. "Many matters in diplomacy are based on trust between the ruling party and the opposition," he said. 

"Kiren Rijiju had asked us for four names and we had given four names and we expected that four names would be included in the delegation," he added. 

"The government's behaviour does not reflect honesty, a game is being played," Ramesh said further. 

On Tharoor's name picked by the Centre, Ramesh said, without taking any names: "There is a huge difference between being in the Congress and being of the Congress." 

CPM Reiterates Special Session Demand 

The Communist Party of India welcomed the government's decision to form the all-party delegation, it reiterated its demand for a special session of the Parliament to discuss the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. 

It also expressed its intent to be part of such a delegation. 

CPI(M) slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government for calling a meeting of only chief ministers of BJP and NDA-ruled states to brief on Operation Sindoor. 

"We demand that the government call a meeting of all the Chief Ministers of the country. including those from the opposition, for such a briefing," said the party in a press statement. 

"The government is first accountable to the people of India and should be transparent in its actions. The campaign by ruling party leaders and even state ministers to communalise the situation must stop forthwith," it added. 

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