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The Congress has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of engaging in damage control by sending an all-party delegation to partner countries in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, alleging that India’s global standing has been weakened by recent tensions with Pakistan.

 

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Congress General Secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, claimed that India’s ‘Vishwa Guru’ image had taken a significant hit due to the ongoing conflict and the government’s response.

 

“This delegation is going for damage control. We have been saying that we need to stay united, and we are standing with our armed forces like a rock. We have said that Operation Sindoor is a historic operation, but PM Modi does not speak with the LoP or the Congress President. They ask us to give names,” Ramesh said.

 

Ramesh further argued that the delegation’s visit to key partner countries to highlight India’s fight against cross-border terrorism would have been a more effective diplomatic move if it had come after an all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Also read: TMC MPs opt out of India’s global anti-terror outreach mission

 

“…Congress party believes that an all-party meeting should have been done before this, and PM Modi should have chaired the meeting. Our second demand was to hold a special session of the Parliament to discuss the issues of the relationship between China and Pakistan,” Ramesh added.

 

The Congress leader also criticised the government for not fully accommodating the opposition’s input in forming the delegation. “When we gave four names, they picked only one of them and added names on their own. What type of politics is this?” he questioned.

 

As per the Congress, the party had submitted four names to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs by May 16, but the final list released late on May 17 included only one of the suggested names.

 

The list includes MPs from multiple parties, divided into seven groups of 8-9 members, each led by a designated leader to represent India at the global level. This initiative follows India’s decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.