Accusing the Narendra Modi-led Central government of “complete insincerity” and resorting to political games on serious national issues, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, on Saturday, released a statement before the media, saying with regret that only one out of the four leaders from his party were being selected for the government’s proposed delegations to foreign countries.
These delegations are meant to explain India’s stance on terrorism coming from Pakistan.
He also added that on May 16 morning, the Central government had asked for names of four Congress leaders or MPs to represent the party in the delegations being sent abroad.
However, Ramesh said that the names of four Congress leaders were conveyed by his party in writing by the Lok Sabha’s Leader of the Opposition and party leader Rahul Gandhi to the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju by 12 noon earlier on May 16.
Taking to X, the Congress leader in a social media post wrote: “On morning of May 16, the Modi government asked for 4 names of Congress MPs/leaders to represent the party in the delegations being sent abroad to explain India’s stance on terrorism from Pakistan. These 4 names were conveyed in writing by the LoP Lok Sabha to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs by 12 noon on May 16th itself.
“Very late tonight (May 17), 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. This proves the complete insincerity of the Modi Govt and shows the cheap political games it always plays on serious national issues,” Ramesh wrote on X.
The Congress leader in the media statement added: “The 4 eminent Congress MPs/leaders who have been included at the instance of the Modi Govt will, of course, go with the delegations and make their contributions. 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. INC wishes 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 February 22, 1994, while also taking note of developments thereafter.”
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Earlier on Saturday afternoon, a controversy began after the government named Congress leader Shashi Tharoor among seven MPs who would represent India at world forums and brief world leaders on Operation Sindoor.
However, Tharoor’s name was not among the four names Congress had given to the government.
“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. I cannot say what will happen now. Asking four names, giving four names, and announcing another name is dishonest on the government’s part. It is possible that Rijiju had talked to Rahul ji and Kharge even after the government had made up their mind, but I am giving him the benefit of the doubt. But what happened is dishonest. We are not going to change these four names,” Ramesh said.
Ramesh also shared details of a letter sent by Rahul Gandhi to Kiren Rijiju, the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister.
“Yesterday (Tuesday) at 12:30 p.m., Rahul ji wrote a letter to Kiren Rijiju and wrote ‘Dear Shri Kiren Rijiju, I am writing in follow-up of a conversation with me and Kharge ji regarding the delegation for the Foreign Countries. after discussing with Kharge ji I am sending you four names Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Raja Barar and Naseer Hussain,'” he said.
He emphasised the importance of party loyalty, saying, “All the people who are in Congress belong to Congress; and that there is a huge difference between being in Congress and being of Congress.”
The Congress party had fully supported the government’s diplomatic efforts. However, they were “surprised” when the names were announced without their consent.
“From April 22 till now we were demanding that an all-party meeting be called, 2 meetings were held but it was a formality, PM did not come. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha wrote a letter for a special session should be called, there should be a detailed discussion, the purpose was that we should put our collective resolve in front of the country and the world. The PM did not give any answer to this, suddenly we heard that an all party delegation will go, this shows that the narrative of the government has changed, we also welcomed this step, we said that whatever help we have to give in this diplomatic propaganda, we will do it, but the way the Minister behaved, names were asked and today he announced it himself, this is not honesty, a game is being played,” Jairam Ramesh alleged.
He recalled how former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had handled diplomatic delegations during the 1971 war, highlighting the importance of collective political support.
“In 1971, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi sent the delegation and said that ‘in the month of May, the delegation was sent. She called Jai Prakash Narayan and said, ‘you should go.’ Indira ji herself went to Russia from September 27 to 29. Indira ji went to Belgium, Austria, France, Germany, America between October 27 to November 12 in 1971. Indira ji told then US President Richard Nixon that ‘I will do whatever is in India’s interest,'” Ramesh added.
The Congress leader demanded an all-party meeting and a session of Parliament to discuss the government’s stance on Pakistan.
“Even today, we demand that an all-party meeting be called, a session of Parliament be called, and the resolution passed on February 22, 1994, be repeated. A discussion should be held on the government’s stance on Pakistan and what is relationship with America. Why is the PM running away from the all-party meeting? Why is he running away from the Parliament?” Jairam Ramesh asked.
Earlier, Jairam Ramesh had said that the Congress submitted four names to the government for the delegation.
The surprising addition of Shashi Tharoor by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju raised questions, especially as Tharoor had also accepted the government’s proposal.
