Why Did Tharoor Thank the Centre for a Key Role in India's Anti-Terror Diplomacy?

New Delhi, May 17 (NationPress) Former diplomat and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor expressed his honor at being appointed by the Indian Government to lead an all-party delegation visiting major world capitals following the Pahalgam terror attack. He emphasized his commitment to national interests, stating he would not hesitate to step up when required.

This statement from Tharoor came even as the Congress party excluded him from its list of MPs officially submitted to the Centre for this initiative.

The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs announced Tharoor as one of seven MPs chosen for diplomatic outreach, targeting Pakistan's alleged role in the April 22 incident in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that resulted in 26 fatalities.

Tharoor took to X, stating, "I am honored by the Government of India’s invitation to lead an all-party delegation to five crucial capitals, where we will present our nation’s perspective on recent events. When national interest is at stake, I will not falter. Jai Hind!"

Included among the seven MPs are BJP leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad and Baijayant Panda, JD(U)’s Sanjay Kumar Jha, DMK’s Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, NCP (SP)’s Supriya Sule, and Shiv Sena’s Shrikant Eknath Shinde.

The government's directive is for these teams to unify India’s stance on terrorism and counter Pakistan's narrative on the global stage.

However, the Congress party seems to distance itself from Tharoor's appointment.

Shortly after the Centre's announcement, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh disclosed the names the party officially submitted to the government: Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, and Raja Brar, indicating that Tharoor was not the choice of the Congress.

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

He mentioned 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.

This apparent disconnect between the Centre's announcement and the Congress list further magnifies the scrutiny on Tharoor, who has recently faced internal criticism for praising the Modi government following the success of 'Operation Sindoor'.

Despite the political rift, this government-led initiative highlights a rare instance of bipartisan collaboration in India's foreign policy outreach.

The delegations are set to visit key partner nations, including the United States, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, Egypt, and Japan later this month.

The mission's dual focus is to inform foreign governments about the Pahalgam attack and emphasize that India's retaliatory 'Operation Sindoor' specifically targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied regions, avoiding civilian casualties.