Cong proposed 4 names for India's anti-terror global outreach; Tharoor didn't figure in list

New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) Just a while after the Centre announced the names of seven Members of Parliament (MPs) who would lead Indian delegations abroad to expose Pakistan's role in the recent Pahalgam terror attack, the Congress on Saturday revealed its own list of nominated MPs that it had sent to the government for the endeavour and notably senior leader and former diplomat Shashi Tharoor's name was missing from the list.

While Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has named Tharoor as one of the leaders of the delegations alongside MPs from other parties, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh's post revealed that the list of four MPs sent to the government by the party did not mention Tharoor among them.

"Yesterday morning, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, spoke with the Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. The INC was asked to submit names of 4 MPs for the delegations to be sent abroad to explain India's stance on terrorism from Pakistan," Jairam Ramesh posted on X.

He added that by noon on May 16, Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi had written to Rijiju with four names on behalf of the party: Former Union Minister Anand Sharma, Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, Rajya Sabha member Syed Naseer Hussain, and Lok Sabha MP Raja Brar.

India has decided to send seven All-Party Delegations to strategic partner nations, including members of the UN Security Council, with the objective of presenting a united stance on cross-border terrorism and exposing Pakistan's alleged involvement in the Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 people.

The delegations will include MPs from different political parties, prominent figures, and senior diplomats.

The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has named Shashi Tharoor (Congress), Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP), Baijayant Panda (BJP), Sanjay Kumar Jha (JDU), Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (DMK), Supriya Sule (NCP-SP), and Shrikant Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena) as those expected to lead the delegations.

According to the Ministry, these delegations are expected to visit key partner countries such as the United States, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, Egypt, and Japan later this month.

--IANS

sd/rad