Only one of the four names submitted by the Congress was accepted by the Centre for the global Operation Sindoor delegations. The rest were bypassed in favour of other Congress MPs like Shashi Tharoor and Manish Tewari, fueling accusations that the BJP-led Centre is trying to drive a wedge within the opposition ranks.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi —May 17, 2025:
The central government has finalized a list of seven all-party delegations tasked with briefing foreign nations on Operation Sindoor, India’s recent military offensive against terror infrastructure across the border. While the Congress party had officially recommended four leaders for inclusion, only senior leader Anand Sharma made it to the final cut.
The remaining three names proposed by the Congress—Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring—were omitted. Instead, the Centre selected other Congress MPs, including Shashi Tharoor, Manish Tewari, and Amar Singh, none of whom were part of the party’s original list. The move has triggered accusations of political maneuvering from the Congress camp, which views the selection as an attempt by the BJP-led Centre to sow discord within the opposition.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju unveiled the final list on X, emphasizing the unified national stance:
“One mission. One message. One Bharat. Seven all-party delegations will soon engage key nations under Operation Sindoor, reflecting our collective resolve against terrorism.”
The delegations will be led by prominent leaders across party lines:
- Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP) – UK, France, Germany, EU, Italy, Denmark
- Shashi Tharoor (Congress) – USA, Panama, Guyana, Brazil, Colombia
- Sanjay Kumar Jha (JD-U) – Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, Singapore
- Baijayant Jay Panda (BJP) – Gulf and African countries
- Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena), Kanimozhi (DMK), and Supriya Sule (NCP – Sharad Pawar) will also lead separate delegations to other regions
One mission. One message. One Bharat 🇮🇳
Seven All-Party Delegations will soon engage key nations under #OperationSindoor, reflecting our collective resolve against terrorism.Here’s the list of MPs & delegations representing this united front. https://t.co/1igT7D21mZ pic.twitter.com/3eaZS21PbC
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) May 17, 2025
Speaking on the mission, BJP leader Jay Panda said the delegations will project a strong and unified message against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and counter propaganda narratives:
“Operation Sindoor was a bold response. Now, we must take that story globally and expose how Pakistan continues to harbor terrorists while misleading the world.”
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He added that engaging foreign media and thought leaders will help build international pressure on Pakistan:
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“This outreach is essential. A joint delegation of government and opposition leaders will send a powerful message of national unity.”
Meanwhile, political speculation continues to swirl around Shashi Tharoor, whose recent supportive statements on government policies have led to conjecture about shifting alignments within Congress. His inclusion, despite not being recommended by the party, is being closely watched.
