Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, May 17: Congress MP and former diplomat Shashi Tharoor expressed his honour at being chosen by the Government of India to lead one of the all-party delegations to key global capitals following the Pahalgam terror attack. He affirmed his commitment to national interest, stating he “will not be found wanting” when called upon.
Tharoor’s announcement came amid reports that the Congress party had not officially included him in the list of MPs it submitted to the Centre for the initiative. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs named him among seven MPs—also including BJP’s Ravi Shankar Prasad and Baijayant Panda, JD(U)’s Sanjay Kumar Jha, DMK’s Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, NCP’s Supriya Sule, and Shiv Sena’s Shrikant Shinde—to lead diplomatic efforts exposing Pakistan’s alleged role in the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people.
Taking to X, Tharoor wrote, “I am honoured by the invitation of the Government of India to lead an all-party delegation to five key capitals, to present our nation’s point of view on recent events. When national interest is involved, and my services are required, I will not be found wanting. Jai Hind!”
However, Congress distanced itself from Tharoor’s role. Party MP Jairam Ramesh revealed that the official list sent to the government included Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, and Raja Brar—Tharoor’s name was notably absent. Ramesh explained that Congress President Rahul Gandhi had formally submitted these four names to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.
This discrepancy has intensified scrutiny on Tharoor, who has faced internal criticism for his recent praise of the Modi government’s handling of ‘Operation Sindoor,’ India’s retaliatory action targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Despite the political tensions, the delegations reflect a rare effort at bipartisan cooperation in India’s foreign policy. The teams will visit countries including the United States, UAE, Qatar, South Africa, Egypt, and Japan later this month. Their mission is to brief governments on the Pahalgam attack and clarify that ‘Operation Sindoor’ focused solely on terror targets, avoiding civilian harm.